I don't really know how it works, but when it works it works.  Some days in certain moments the muse will just hit me, and I'll be able to create something really cool and meaningful to me.  Then there are times when I can't get the fire burning and I write just to write but not very happy with the result.  I'm the type of person who is easily distracted by anything.  So I either need to put myself in an empty room, or just do my best to focus and make something of worth.  I find only in few occasions that music helps but most time I just end up listening to the song more than thinking of writing.  I love art and photos but I don't often feel inspired by them.  I tried that a few times, but I find it really limiting.  A lot of times when I do get inspiration I may only write a few stanzas and stop, because I feel it's good where it is and worried that if I add any more I may mess it up.  Or I may just loose the muse.  I'm kind of a perfectionist too.  So I'm probably not going to be to happy doing revisions on the muse poems and feel that most are good as is.  But we'll see, and I'll try to tinker.  Sometimes I'll tell myself that I'm going to write in Iamb or  I'm going to make my lines rhyme every three lines.  Something like that to see what comes out.  I guess giving yourself some boarders to work with can help at times.  I often try to think of things in my past , emotions I felt, things I saw, anything to create poems.  

Muse work for me can be very difficult. One of the hardest parts for me is opening my mind. When I do my muse`s seem to be pretty similar, the words the concepts and at times even the imagery. I wish when I talked about my deepest moments I could be as elaborate as Mayakovsky or relate my faith with my experiences like Hopkins. I also believe my mind works with a sense of order and organization, I cant let go, I cannot run with the midget as much as I want to.  I`m wondering if doing so takes practice, if maybe I should sit in a field of grass, frolic with small animals, or run with the wind. Even though I do not exactly feel as if im doing what Prof. Mccoy is asking for, I do find muse work to be quite refreshing. I feel as if letting certain emotions out about specific events can be so healing and in that sense I do enjoy doing muse works.

Like most of you, I wasn't real sure how the Muse writing was going to work out. I am pretty well trained in quickly analyzing and formulating ideas or plans. Whether because of my work in efficiency management, to working the writing tables at Cayuga College, even the improv work i've done for years - All those experiences have taught me to focus and create at extremely fast pace with as much clarity and effectiveness as is humanly possible. So the notion of Muse writing, the streaming of barely coherent information or emotion, is truly an alien thing to me. I'm constantly concerned that I am not doing it "right" as I usually latch onto something and instinctively try to write that, rather than just free write. Ironically, my response writings are as run-of-at-the-mouth as can be. Extremely 'ranty'! I'm trying to find the disconnect between the two and why one is easier to write. The easy answer is that one is called poetry and muse-work and the other is response writing. Maybe I am taking one too serious (complete with furrowed brow no doubt) and the other not serious enough. Either way, I think the exercise is doing its job and that is expanding our awareness (yes, cliches are as bad in prose as they are poetry - why do you ask?). Getting us to roam outside of our normal routines and see what we can really do with the writing. I know that more than one of the muse writings is leading to a real poem and at the end of the cliche - that is what it is all about.

In the beginning of the class, I wasn't sure how I felt about the "muse" writing that we were going to be doing for the rest of the semester. After the first time I sat down and "checked in with my muse" it was really interesting and things came out of it that I never thought I would write. Since then I have really enjoyed doing the muse work.

I think my favorite was when we did the muse write to music because my thoughts just kept flowing and afterwards when I began to put my poem together it amazed me to see what I had actually created throughout listening to a simple song. I love how my feelings just come out when I don't try to contain them. Even if i don't use everything that came to me at first it still feels good to me to write down how I am feeling at the time or what things and ideas the exercise brings into my mind. Overall I have continued to really like writing with my muse and I think I can continue working on it as well.

I figured I would post one of my poems up here. Hoping for some feedback. Let me know if you hate it, like it, or if it stirs up some other random feelings inside of you. Merci.

So today, the muse write in class was. . . interesting. I chose, as others did, Mayakovsky as their poet. I liked my writing so i figured i'll share it.
Where is She
Where is this girl,
I cannot find
she is the one
always on my mind

Her beauty is of fresh cut roses
in a bouquet for a valentine
where is she I do not know
but this knowledge I wish to be mine

She is not hidden in my heart,
but hidden in my eyes
I know she is out there in front of me
while my eyes tell me lies

The day that she comes around,
said day will be my best
the stars will shine as bright as the sun
but until that day, to find her is a test

When I close my eyes
she stands in front of me
I place her hand in mine
and this is how I want it to be

I can see her now
long hair flowing as the wind blow
nice soft lips ready for a kiss
and beautiful eyes that ever so slightly glow

This one is perfect
so beautiful can't you see
I struggle to find her in my own--
but when will she find me

Tell me what you think; any feedback is highly welcome as always

Apparently I'm out numbered, but I enjoy meter and rhyme. It makes a poem far more fun and interesting to read in my opinion. I just enjoy the bouncy, happy element that it can bring into the poem; and it has a flip side. It can also bring in other emotions or tones too, they don't always have to be happy, rhyme and meter can sound angry too. I haven't read any free write poems with as much heart or feeling as some of the meter poems I've read in the past. Not that I don't enjoy free write, because I do, just not at much as rhyme and meter.
I also enjoy "muse writing". When I write I've always just written down whatever pops into my head. I don't really just jump around from topic to topic though, sometimes I feel as if I'm not getting creative enough with my muse writing. I can generally define a topic and stick to it, occasionally veering off course, but then finding my way back to the original point, or what have you; but it's not nearly as jumpy as "following a midget".

As we analyze all different types of poems in this class I have discovered a few tricks that have made the poems easier to understand, thanks to the help of my best friend who happens to be an English major here. So I thought I would share them with everyone to help!

 For each of the poems we're assigned to read that are online I print them out and then with a pencil circle every word or phrase I know the deffinition of before I even read the poem. I also draw lines to certain stanzas connecting similar ideas, and circle repeated words. However, before I do any of that the first thing I do is examine the title of each poem. I believe you can find out much information about each poem by the title such as the poems genre. I also do some research on the authors as well. For example as I looked at the title of Emily Dickinson's poems I was very confused. After I did my research I learned that she did not intend for any of her poems to be published, so the titles are usually the first line of each poem.

 I then look for similies and metaphors, followed by personification. Personification is my favorite part to look for in poems because I feel like it is very interesting how poets try to give objects human characterisitcs. Last but not least I look to see if the poem contains iambic pentameter because most of the poems we have studied in class tend to. After all of this I look at the title of the poem again!


I hope this helps!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey,

This is the first blog post that I have ever done in my life. I would just like to talk about expectations going into this class and how it ended up turning out. During my senior year of high school, my english elective was Creative Writing. Although we did do a section on poetry, I was basically writing short stories the whole time. I ended up really getting into writing fiction stories.

This semester I actually wanted to take CRW- fiction writing, but the class was full. I saw this class and I thought to myself, "I like all types of writing, I should do this instead." Going into this class, I expected that I would have to write a massive amount of poetry and have it graded. I was wrong. We're learning poetry language, how to write poetry, how to get connected with our muse, etc. This class is way better than what I expected it to be. I'm actually learning how to make my writing better and I'm watching it evolved.

At first, my Muse writes were all short stories. I couldn't write in any other way. Now, I'm actually writing "poetry". I'm including line breaks, rhythm, emotion, sound, etc. I like where my work is going. I actually can't wait to go further in this course, learn more, read more, and write more. Thumbs up to this course.

Morbid Poetry: Is this what lurks in my mind?
Okay, so I've been writing some stuff for class and I have found that each time I write something, it always sounds depressing. This has led me to wonder: what is truly lurking in my mind? Does anyone else have this issue or am I totally alone? Anyway, I am pretty excited to learn more about poetry. I was hoping that by learning a new style I would be able to incorporate it into my play writing to add a new facet into my work. Hopefully, some of what I learn will be a little happier or else I am going to be stuck writing about a bunch of sad characters who mope around for the entire play and no one, or at least a small amount of people, would not want to see that. But I digress, I cannot wait for the next class to see what we will be learning about.
Jordan

Hey everyone, this is also my first time using a blog and my first time taking an official poetry class. Although, I have been writing poetry or blurbs for a very long time. I am very much looking forward to learning and developing as a poet through this class, and I can see this happening already. The muse work I find trouble with at times. Because, I am not sure if I am letting myself "run with the midget" but, I think it has been getting better as the class goes on. My favorite poet is Galway Kinnell, I went to poetry reading of his and it was one of the most inspiring things I had ever been too. He is an amazing poet, and I love the topics he writes about in his poems. He has the amazing technique of delving into deep issues through simple manners, and questioning human nature in a beautiful way. My all time favorite poem of his is "Saint Francis and the Sow," I was lucky and got to hear what inspired it, but it is just a beautiful poem. Anyways, looking forward to learning lots of new techniques for my own poetry writing!

Like a bunch of other people have said in their posts, this is my first poetry class I've ever taken  as well. I have always been interested in poetry because I think its a very beautiful form of writing.  In middle school my English teacher encouraged us to be creative, and one of my poems ended up being published! However,  in high school my teachers never made it a point to examine poetry, so I am really excited to learn all about it.

My favorite part of being in this class, even though it has only been three weeks is watching my writing evolve. As I look back on my first muse write it was very weak and made little sense, and now I am starting to use some fundamental elements of poetry in work, such as iambic pentameter, and meter.  I have already started attempting to revise my poems for our portfolio project. One of the poems I have revised is below.

 Hey guys,
Finally figured out how to use this thing, thanks to Barbara. I found this really cool movie on a poet named Allen Ginsberg. It centers around a series of interviews he did back in the late 50s and the trial against his book of poems. The movie is called Howl and you can find it on Netflix instant streaming. I attached the link to the trailer if anyone is interested in seeing what it's all about.
Jordan
http://youtu.be/Ba9yazkl0UE

Hey gang,
I know Tim doesn't really like spoken word poetry, but I think there are some really great artists out there that really aren't "cliche" as Tim suggests. But I downloaded an album by Buddy Wakefield because of this poem. I don't know who made the video but this is Convenience Store by him.

His metaphors are incredible and I would recommend just listening to him instead of watching the video. His words will put everything you need to see in your head. It's a very poignant poem. I think everyone can relate to this, so please, enjoy!

If you know of any other great spoken word poets let me know!

Like many others of you have said, I have never had a blog or posted anything of this sort before.  I usually keep my writing to myself, because I have no idea what others would think of it.  However, writing poetry is what has gotten me through many painful times in my life.  It helps me get out everything I am feeling, and I don't have to hide anything, because usually I'm the only one who is reading it.  I haven't exactly had the easiest few weeks but if anything good has come out of it, it's that I've written a lot.  I'm going to post just a few of the poems I've written over the past three weeks, I hope that you all can find some music in them!  Then I'll know I'm on the right track. :-)

Don't Look Back
She stands there, hopelessly, while having
Ever.
       Single.
                 Flaw.
                         Electrified.
And his temper is raging like an angry bull,
And her heart is melting into a puddle of bitter chocolate.
His words, dripping with disgust,
"You can't hide from forever".
Her heart painted with glue,
Drew in his words that were attached to daggers.
Without a thought, he achieved a perfect bull's eye.
Her lips shaking unbearably,
They fostered no reply.
Her eyelids, weakened from exhaustion,
Flirted dangerously with closing.
And she finally escaped into the deep depths of sub-consciousness,
Where not even he,
Could reach her.

Torn
Take a breath, take it all in,
And feel a chill run through your spine.
Second thoughts, new beginnings,
Your old comfortable story is coming to an end.
Running through a field without your jacket on,
Slipping on ice, making sure not to fall in.
Secrets and promises break on the thin strings they are grasping to,
And shadows reflect hollow eyes.
You're scribbling out words from a dictionary that have become lost in the race to a door that is shutting
F  o  r  e  v  e  r.
Like a shooting start hurtling in a speed that can't be reversed,
You're laying in your life boat, being tossed by the furious waves, tumbling into the unforgiving water.
Pulled under for a second and then tossed onto the sand,
Sputtering for air, and for your voice.
When only ghosts can here your calls
You know it's too late.
But you risk everything
And while waltzing with the devil,
He spins you around the black marbled floor
He dips you back into reality but you can't fight his grasp.
The end is inevitable
It started long ago
Every second, every moment
is planned.
And we're all just puppets,
Putting on a show.

End
The ending could be so easy,
Its pain could not match the years it has gripped.
A simple get-a-way, a rush, and then nothing.
Adrenaline seizing every fragment of your soul,
And carrying you to places you never thought you'd be.
Out of your skin, your element,
You're like a newborn child left alone
in the middle of a storm,
Wondering if you should fight it
or just
g  i  v  e    u  p.  Trickling rivers of red surround you
And regret sucks all of the oxygen out of your lungs.
Realizing the cold meaning of being too late
Especially haunts those who have become just
lost souls on the horizon.

Frozen Tears
She has frozen tears on her face
And he will never know that when he
looks at her they start to melt.
As she tries to hide them with a smile
A smile that could split your heart like an earthquake,
Inside shivers ask her to tie him to a balloon
And just
L  e  t   g  o.
Rivers all flow to one main point, a center,
Like a force is pulling them with no control
Dancing stars and waterfalls,
Everything is always
Falling  to the ground.
With no gravity keeping your feet to the ground
Your thoughts and emotions lose hope and grow wings
Taking you away from this sinking black hole
Where everything disappears.

Painting on the Wall
In the reflection of their crazed eyes I can see my own, haunted.
And their mouths with their smirks are unchanging.
Always watching, never saying
Like a painting on the wall.
With just one glance, I know they have read my heart,
And yet they keep smiling.
Their smile eats through my soul, leaving me empty and alone
With only my thoughts of saving myself,
Is death the only way?
I beg them, "just say something!"
After more silence they finally speak,
"Yes, we think death could be quite nice".


Thank you for reading!