Poetry Is Where You Find It Viii Comments

The word POET comes from the Greek word for maker, and so poems are made through craft and effort (additionally for the ancient Greek was the necessary inspiration from the Muses) . That's one valid view of the origin of poetry. The other, equally valid view is, as you put it, POETRY IS WHERE YOU FIND IT. And your poem seems to be saying, quite vociferously, you find poetry in WORDS. If this is your point of view, I am in full agreement. Playing with words, assessing their connotations, putting them into oppositions, finding just the right one to convey your tone - all of these activities are aspects of finding YOUR poem. I love this story, The painter Manet told his close friend the poet Mallarme he wanted to write poems because he had great ideas to express. Mallarme responded, My dear Manet, poems are not made with ideas. Poems are made with words.