Wednesday, October 9, 2013

A Poem for Writers and Readers



Readers & writers alike could be helped by reading this poem when assessing the value and benefit of a work of art:

The world stands out on either side.
No wider than the heart is wide;
Above the world is stretched the sky
No higher than the soul is high.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

So often readers are missing almost anything of value...

The writing is often skilled yet only helpful as an example of a narcissistic voice. In context this could be useful indeed...yet only in the whole of an author's work.

While I appreciated the honing in on the human and the fallible aspects of everyone there often seems to be no room for any sort of mystery, miracle or wonder as a final conclusion to many pieces I read due to as assignment or what's offered by a group.

If we as readers are incentivized by the first of a larger body of an author's work we often must needs find that mystery, wonder is also included. Problem is I am not inspired to spend precious time exploring more if this is the first view I get of a writer's work.

3 comments:

robert said...

Greetings,

Very great points. Love the quote from Millay.

All good wishes,

robert

CN said...

thanx for stopping by.

lately i've been trying to find the common thread for writers or moments when wonder is the theme.

do you know of any?

robert said...

Greetings,

Hmmm...wonder may be ever-present, and so I think writers have much material with which to work :).

All good wishes,

robert