Is Poetry Really Dead?

Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your comments on my last blog and for taking the time to make me feel welcome to mindblogging. I'm not sure whether I will have time to reply to you all, but I am sure at some point you will find me floating around, making comments on your own blogs.
It has been a couple of weeks now since I wrote my last blog and once again I am finding that medication is still something of an issue. For me, it seems, that when I am taking my medication I feel alot less creative than I normally would. I don't know why this is, but I am told that meds like mine affect the levels of dopamine in your brain and apparently, dopamine is known to exist at higher levels in the brains of those regarded as being creative. This may have something to do with it, but I'm not a scientist so don't take my word for it!
Anyway, before my days on medication I actually became quite good at writing poetry and even had a book published. Yes, that's right, you can even go into Webberley's and buy a copy. In fact, please do this and make me a rich man! As yet, only a few copies have been sold and the response has been absolutely the opposite of that to the latest Harry Potter. In fact, my own response to the book has been a strange mixture of pride and embarrasment. When you know you have written things which could actually be regarded as quite dark, no doubt due to the state of mind that mental ill-health brings, you wonder what some people are going to make of it. And there it is, for the whole world to see.
More's to the point though, I have found that since this I have found writing any poetry really difficult. I don't know whether it is that I an simply more creative when I am in the throes of illness than when I am medicated, but what I write now seems to lack any of the gravitas my previous poems had. For example, whereas before I would write about war and art and social issues I now find that my latest poem is about haircuts. It seems I have gone from W.H.Auden to Pam Ayers. Who knows, this may be a good thing. After all, people were often telling me before to lighten up.
So, as I am sure you would like to hear my latest poem, I will print it here. It is called "Me and My 'Doo" and goes as follows:

I've been thinking about the haircut,
And particularly how it affects all us males,
Of how I feel a certain distemper,
When I think of womanly curls.

So a haircut might reflect our masculinity,
But at one point I had such a 'doo,
That it was called bouffant and too stylish,
Something that men don't surely do.

And when I think of all those past haircuts,
Like Pat Sharp and Duran-Duran,
It just makes me think that the feminine was more accepted,
When hair-spray became part of our plan.

But now there's too many Grant Mitchells,
And it's like we're reclaiming our masculine ways,
If baldness says I've got too much testosterone,
Then the women are surely to blame.

And if you think that deciding your haircut,
Is even ideologically such a diddle,
Just think about Tony Blair,
Whose parting started out left, then went to the right, and ended up somewhere in the middle.

So, have I lost it? Has my creativity finally got lost somewhere in the fog of illness? Is poetry really dead? I will look forward to your comments when I tune in next time to the passing thoughts of your normal, average paranoid and delusional man.

Comments

Domenica said…
Hi David,

First of all may I say you have definately NOT 'lost it'
I thought your poem was highly amusing, in fact your sense of humour also showed through in the writing of your blog.
From what I have learned, I think that medication can affect the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, I don't think that would necessarily make you less creative, but maybe just send you in a different direction,(ie the more humourous side...but just as creative!)
And of course poetry will always live on...and never die!
I also think it takes courage (and talent!) to write a book 'for the whole world to see'
I am very glad you have joined our mindbloggling community David...I look forward to reading your comments and your posts...Best wishes D x
klahanie said…
Hello David-
First of all, a somewhat belated welcome to mindbloggling. My apologies for that.
I would like to echo what Domenica has stated. David, you most certainly have not lost it. Your creativity is there for all of us to read. You should take great pride in your satirical poetry.
This "fog of illness" that you refer to. I guess it's how you perceive it. I look back on some of my writing when I was very ill; What I see was a man who almost gave up. Yet even in my worst times, I could see that what I wrote, still clung on to hope.
You can challenge this 'fog'. You can describe to us how the fog sensation attempts to impede your creativity.
By verbalising your 'feelings' you will see that your fog is only a small part of who you are. David, poetry is not dead. It lives within you. You have shown how well you write, even with your concerns. Please take comfort in knowing that you inspire others and you can inspire yourself. Here's to the power of the written word.
Happy mindbloggling David.
emma said…
Hi David,

Firstly, I must apologise for taking so long to comment of your poen (which is excellent by the way and clever and very amusing!)

There was a problem with the PC here that stopped it from showing your post - all is resolved now however.

In terms of your post, I'm not sure quite how medication affects the brain, but I've heard similar things regarding creativity. It must extremely frustrating not to feel as creative. I thoroughly enjoyed your poem - and it showed just how creative you are. What's more - what a tremendous achievement to be a published author. Congratulations David - that really is something to be very proud of. thanks for your post. Em.
purkul said…
hya Dave,

great to see your second post.

in reference to your question, i have had the pleasure of reading your book and thought it had some really thought provoking, deep, meaningful and and insightful pieces Dave. Honestly!

in my humble opinion anyway!

Yes, i agree some of the poems are dark but then again art is a reflection of self in a time and place.

i feel that positive or negative feelings are valid in there own right and your book stands as a snapshot capturing a how you have felt at a particular time.

like a photo but more discriptive.

n as for Harry Potter, well i was told that it was the bee's knees & when i watched the films i felt like my brain was going numb from lack of stimulation & my brain certainly was stimulated by your poems,

Thought ya latest 1 was equally as good but for totally different reasons than the 1's that i am accustomed to! n 4 the record from what i've heard Pam did quite well for herself!

i'll look forward to reading your next post!

purkul
x
Clare Hill said…
I love your 'do' poem, i think it's really funny! You may feel you have lost your creativity, but maybe it's just that you feel better on meds, and no longer need to write the dark stuff so much?
I started off writing about my mother's suicide - now I'm on my second comedy novel!
klahanie said…
Hi David-
Just wanted to let you know how great it was on Monday at Staffordshire University.
You did a brilliant job. I was honoured to be part of your team.
'Lights, camera, action'! :-)
Kind regards klahanie.

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