For New Poets Comments

Re: For new poets (Score: 1) by JPerry1980 on Saturday, June 18,2011 (23: 32: 01) A very powerful poem, so a strong comment in response... This is great work here. I supposed I could be classified as a 'new poet' as I'm only 30. My memories of the counter-culture and revolution are basically from history texts and from Hollywood films (and neither of them are generally very accurate on most subjects) . It's in the bars that you often get the best truth of things, after a pitcher or three. I grew up in the world of Reagan and it has shaped my entire life and my outlook on things. Like others, I'm no doubt a product of my cultural conditioning and placement in existence (time/history/place) . As opposed to revolting against it, I go against the grain and try to embrace it. So, I've been placed in Tennessee and this is home - how can I make a quilt out of it in my poetry? How can I shine a light on my home? Revolution and political revulsion have their time and place in poetry, no doubt, but if it's not something we've become accustomed to as individuals writing (what could I have to say on picket-lines and Aquarius Revolutions and the like?) because we just haven't lived it. I prefer to remain honest to myself, just personally speaking at least. This world of revolution is not the world as I know it, it's all about capturing the world as I see it and experience it around me - wouldn't it be cheating myself or the reader to do otherwise? I've been told most of my poetry drips with nostalgia. It seems that at 30 I've become prematurely old when it comes to my own work. In each of us as poets perhaps we're pining for an outlook of a world as we've inherently come to expect it - and we find it difficult to move beyond this moment in time. I know when I look at younger (hey, I'm the last of Gen X here looking upon the Millennial Generation rising) poets work I often times find myself scratching my head too. I think what matters most is the reaching for the universal condition within it all - and that's something a successful poet can do no matter the age/cultural conditioning. I've long considered the thoughts you've presented here, poet. Much enjoyed. j.p.

There may remain perceptional difference We may be erring to draw the inference Yet the goal remains same for love and peace Happy voyage to all and spending life at ease