Can poetry be taught?

Bodhisopha

Writing poetry that is.

I need to be able to write poetry. Well, song lyrics actually. They don't even have to be good, just look like they might be good if you knew what the hell they meant. I'd settle for that as long as they are not obviously rubbish.

All helpful suggestions most welcome.

blogga

Contact anyone who studies philosophy. /thread

Bodhisopha

I'm not sure that would be of much use.

pickarooney

A child of 3 can write song lyrics (and I think that was actually the case with Oasis third album). You'd generally see lyrics fall into three categories

1. Incidental. Of no consequence to the song which is carried entirely by the instrumentation.

2. Pseudo-intellectual. Seems like random words cobbled together. Can be equally regarded as deep and introspective or indecipherable rubbish.

3. Clever lyrics that tell a tale or add to the song in some way. If too insistent they can actually get in the way of the tune.

I think you're shooting for 2 and this can't be taught for the simple reason that if it could the words would lose the essence or what makes them great/awful.

Bodhisopha

Why would anyone care if the essence of what made their lyrics awful was lost?

I don't believe that something taught loses it's essence. That sort of sounds like snobbery to me. Although, you may be right that it can't be taught.

Kinski

pickarooney wrote: »

2. Pseudo-intellectual. Seems like random words cobbled together. Can be equally regarded as deep and introspective or indecipherable rubbish.

Like Dylan? "The ghost of 'lectricity howls in the bones of her face" Sounds good, don't know that it actually means anything.

Like I always say in relation to this sort of thing, I think you can be taught some technique but not talent. You can teach someone to paint but if they don't have a natural aptitude for it, allied to the right kind of imagination, then they'll never be a prodigy like Picasso. With lyrics, I'm sure people can be taught about rhytmn, use of imagery, and all the rest of it. It might increase their competence, but nobody can be taught artistic talent. Actually, I suspect that classes in things like creative writing become less and less useful the more advanced they become - but that is just a suspicion since I've never taken an advanced one.

Bodhisopha

Kinski wrote: »

Like Dylan? "The ghost of 'lectricity howls in the bones of her face" Sounds good, don't know that it actually means anything.

Like I always say in relation to this sort of thing, I think you can be taught some technique but not talent. You can teach someone to paint but if they don't have a natural aptitude for it, allied to the right kind of imagination, then they'll never be a prodigy like Picasso. With lyrics, I'm sure people can be taught about rhytmn, use of imagery, and all the rest of it. It might increase their competence, but nobody can be taught artistic talent. Actually, I suspect that classes in things like creative writing become less and less useful the more advanced they become - but that is just a suspicion since I've never taken an advanced one.

What lyricists, in your opinion, have the sort of artistic talent you speak of?

What do you think of these lyrics?

I remember
Entering you
Entering you

I'm gonna be drunk, so drunk at your wedding (x4)

I didn't write them, but where would you place them on the Pickarooney scale?