From: Natalie@yabbs
To: pixy@yabbs
Subject: re: <no title>
Date: Mon May  2 23:36:51 1994

however, it has gotten to the point where the conventions are no longer 
taught in schools.  I had to teach myself how to write in iambic 
pentameter.  I still remember my 9th grade english class where we were 
told to write a poem and the techer told us that anything we wanted could 
be poetry.  There has to be some thought put into it, not just a random 
selection of words that look good.  That's what the conventions do...they 
make the poet think of the words that best suit his or her purpose.  And 
while I know that cummings did put a lot of thought into his poetry, it is 
his poetry and others like it that have led to this total lack of 
understanding of poetic forms and what *I* consider to be the sorry state 
of poetry today.  I just don't like the aesthetic that I'm being forced to 
conform to.  And while I do write free verse, I also discipline myself by 
writing sonnets.  That's about allI can think of at the moment, cause I'm 
really really tired....god I hate having to work....

natalie