Merriam Webster defines poetry as ‘the productions of a poet’. And as a ‘writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.’ But in your own words, how would you define poetry?
I would define poetry as the end result of a poet's artistic ability to reflect with an acute and emotive distinction of his or her own human experiences. Ultimately to me, poetry is an linguistic art that can successfully reverberate emotion between the writer and the reader.
Yes. In my opinion, poetry is intellectually an essential component that writers cleverly use to document our cultural/human existence. It directly reflects our time here on Earth from an emotional, and observant stance. Through literary techniques, it also reveals our unique, and diverse ability to mentally awaken the senses.
Who is your favorite poet and why?
There are many, yet, Charles Baudelaire is my personal choice, because he had that natural ability to skillfully convey his experience of human suffering during an era that notoriously whitewashed over undesirable happenings especially with poverty and injustices. I also admire his remarkable style of envisioning the seductively darker side of humanity, which to the less impressionable eye would merely see the mask of beauty. He successfully captured the depth beneath those elaborate exteriors to enchant, bewilder, and captivate his audience.
Name one poet you wished more people knew about and why.
I'll have to be less specific as for an individual poet with this question, Lidy. I deeply feel that all of the seriously aspiring poets out there that's putting their heart and soul into the craft of creating original, and quality poetry should be treated with the same respect, attention, and opportunity as the perhaps well known poet. I'm a bit bias to the novice poet being I'm an poetry mentor, and poetry group leader. Nothing pleases me more than to see an upcoming poet achieve their goals.
Explain your poetry writing process.
My poetry writing process has a lot to do with visual stimulants and quiet, reflective time. Many of my poems are Ekphrasis poems. Ekphrasis is a pictorial description of an object, especially of an artwork, as the dictionary states. Whether I'm admiring art, or just playing off of ideas, I always note down specific terms, or interesting words that I've stumbled upon then I simply let my muse take me on a poetic journey. Sometimes these journey's make the cut, and often times they don't. Yet, the process leaves me feeling empowered, and is certainly always worth the time and effort.
Bonus K.Cotton shares with us today a poem she wrote:
Chaliced
{Ekphrasis on, Van Gogh's, Field of Poppies}
Chaliced
tips flaring thick
their tongues of fire.
Praising, bruised skies,
scorned by Cumulus swells.
Freely
spurring their pulpous
pollinations in wisps afar.
With bare soles
she slips a path
'neath their blaze.
Awakening
the artist to darken
his heedful strokes,
for the attentive battle
named, Woman and Earth.
© 2015 K. Cotton / blue angel
She's also currently in the midst of her first poetry chapter book collection. You can follow K.Cotton on her site: http://blueangelpoetry.wordpress.com/ (erotic adult themes)