Tools for Writing Classical Poetry

In this video, I discuss some basic and not-so-basic writing tools and tips that will help orient aspiring writers of classical verse.
James Sale’s Poetry Circle Newsletter:
englishcantos.home.blog/2023/...

[@freshinfo6626]

The TH-cam algorithm has absolutely blessed me with this recommendation. There is a scarcity of people who appreciate beauty in the modern age, poison is around every corner and proper mentors are rare. You come across as a very genuine person. Though I have only just discovered this channel I would like to thank you for the effort you put in to guiding future writers such as myself!

[@classicalpoetslive]

I’m glad the algorithm is good for something. Glad to have you onboard and I appreciate your viewership.

[@bsdpowa]

Great video! I'm going to subscribe hoping for more quality content in the future.

[@classicalpoetslive]

Glad to hear it. Working on a few scripts now.

[@jamessale4292]

Wonderful analysis and very sound advice! Love this video - will share on LI!

[@classicalpoetslive]

Thanks very much James.

[@adamsedia5034]

This is an excellent video that I am going to share. This is excellent advice for aspiring poets.
I remember my poetry workshops in undergrad. I would mark up for grammar and punctuation, always saying that poetry is not an excuse for bad grammar. As you can imagine, I didn’t workshop much longer after that.
Also, you are one of the first commenters I’ve seen who has accurately noted the resemblance between our political gatekeepers of the literary world and the communist censors. I would also add Bulgakov to your list of dissident Soviet authors.

[@classicalpoetslive]

Thanks Adam. I never took a poetry workshop myself but do have memories of going to coffee shop readings and slam poetry events. At the time I thought they were great and so much fun, but they are really pitfalls to be avoided.
I returned to that Nabokov essay after first reading it 15 yrs ago or so, and it is so relevant to where we are now. Thanks for mentioning Bulgakov.

[@thesocietyofclassicalpoets5370]

It's a great piece and I'd say every aspiring poet should watch it. Of course, every poetry teacher will be different. I tend to tell people to make their work clearer because today's poets often are seeking complexity and abstruseness as a goal in and of itself. It has to be coherent as a basic requirement.
Also, those are some hard words on poetry readings and workshops, but they need to be said. You might want to make a separate video with just that part. Usually there are "featured poets," judges, poetry teachers etc., so ideally the refined classical poet would be in one of these positions of power and setting us on the right course, and not always in his cave. But of course the reality is not quite there yet, to say the least.
Hopefully you can send me the transcript for this to go with the video posting on the SCP. I suspect it reads well as an essay.
-Evan

[@classicalpoetslive]

Thanks, I’ll work on streamlining the transcript. Good point about clarity and I’ll try to bring that up in a later video. Also an excellent idea on doing a separate video essay on poetry readings/workshops. I’ve found that the only general engagement I get beyond our niche group is when I’m saying controversial stuff, and I imagine a video like that would make a lot of liberal people mad-the main avenue to notoriety these days, it seems.