Literotica poetry anthologies

[Angeline]

I like this idea very much. I have from the time you first posted it. I have two problems (well a problem and two questions). My problem is that I have a lot of poems here, and I have no idea when I'll have time to add them to the anthologies. I'd like to, but I have the survivor contest and about three other projects going now in addition to my editing work. So maybe you will have to suffer along without my poems, or when I have more time I can try to add some.

My questions are about categorization. I have a fair amount of poems that mention many people but are about jazz, generally (for example) or literary references in poems that are not about any one author or work or even about any of the particular writers mentioned (again, for example). I have no idea how to categorize them (assuming I have time to do so) if we aren't using something like "jazz artists, various."

I also have poems with geographical references that don't easily fit your categories. For example, my poem Chambers Street is about a group of people who congregate on a particular street. The street happens to be in Trenton, NJ (my hometown), but the poem isn't about the city, it's about the character of that one street. To categorize it by city is in my mind a misnomer. What say you?

 

[Senna Jawa]

I like this idea very much. I have from the time you first posted it. I have two problems (well a problem and two questions). My problem is that I have a lot of poems here, and I have no idea when I'll have time to add them to the anthologies. I'd like to, but I have the survivor contest and about three other projects going now in addition to my editing work. So maybe you will have to suffer along without my poems, or when I have more time I can try to add some

.

Angeline, you may post one at the time. No need to post them all in one shot.

My questions are about categorization. I have a fair amount of poems that mention many people but are about jazz, generally (for example) or literary references in poems that are not about any one author or work or even about any of the particular writers mentioned (again, for example). I have no idea how to categorize them (assuming I have time to do so) if we aren't using something like "jazz artists, various."

Post the links first here, if it will make it easier for you, in this very thread (not in the companion threads, which are for the comments about the poems which are already in the anthologies) and we will see. Possibly, you or someone can start additional anthologies. If you have proper name of the person or the place then that's it, the poem does not have to be about that person or place. The same goes for a clear hint-identification, which describes the object uniquely.

I also have poems with geographical references that don't easily fit your categories. For example, my poem Chambers Street is about a group of people who congregate on a particular street. The street happens to be in Trenton, NJ (my hometown), but the poem isn't about the city, it's about the character of that one street.

It may be listed under "Trenton", with code "a", and you could add a comment on the companion thread. This way we all have a chance to learn something in an easy, natural way. It's nice, because it is a bit special, when it comes from a fellow Literotician.

To categorize it by city is in my mind a misnomer. What say you?

I am talking my head off , already did. I am considering at least one more thread with proper names, this time with "small" names, like street names, first names, dog's names, ... also an anthology for well known mythology and literary characters. I am just a bit weary that the concept of proper names can get tired. Thus at this time I am leaning toward a "travel, roads and vehicles" anthology; about on one hand: travels, commuting, moving..., and on the other hand about planes, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, roller skates, boats, ... We will see

Best regards, do enter at least some of your poems into anthologies,

Senna Jawa​

 

[Angeline]

.

Angeline, you may post one at the time. No need to post them all in one shot.



Post the links first here, if it will make it easier for you, in this very thread (not in the companion threads, which are for the comments about the poems which are already in the anthologies) and we will see. Possibly, you or soomeone can start additional anthologies. If you have proper name of the person or the place then that's it, the poem does not have to be about that person or place. The same goes ffor a clear hint-identification, which describes the object uniquely.


It may be listed under "Trenton", with code "a", and you could add a comment on the companion thread. This way we all have a chance to learn something in an easy, natural way. It's nice, because it is a bit special, when it comes from a fellow Literotician.



I am talking my head off , already did. I am considering at least one more thread with proper names, this time with "small" names, like street names, first names, dog's names, ... also an anthology for well known mithology and literary characters. I am just a bit weary that the concept of proper names can get tired. Thus at this time I am leaning toward a "travel, roads and vehicles" anthology; about on one hand: travels, commuting, moving..., and on the other hand about planes, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, roller skates, boats, ... We will see

Best regards, do enter at least some of your poems into anthologies,

Senna Jawa​

I will put some there very soon, Senna.

But you know it occurs to me that you are thinking like an editor, that is, in terms of how to categorize in order to apply rules. It's the kind of thing that makes me crazy when I have a big document (like a book), and I'm trying to treat things consistently so nothing sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak. But it's impossible sometimes because language and the way to use rules can both be so nuanced. Anyway when that starts overwhelming me, I have a little brandy and listen to some jazz.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

• Tristesse, new author (to the anthologies)--welcome!
  
  Your poem "The Ghosts of Storyville" clearly seems to have also a geographic place, hence you may post it in the geographic anthology too. Please, when you find a moment and feel like it. Furthermore, let it be listed several times in the famous thread, for each musician separately. As I mentioned earlier, it's nice to find all poems about a given person or place together. In the companion threads we may post comments about these people and about the poem. The "famous" does not have to mean "Thaaaat famous". We may still explain who was who. On the other hand, "Jazz musicians, Various" is not a proper name, and once the poem is listed under proper names, I would remove this item.

Regards,

I've deleted "the various...." and added the individual artists. I'll add some geographic poems later - too tired just now.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Lauren, if you feel like it, please insert your Indian Ocean poem also under the caps and similar. I'd do it for you but I didn't want to risk a mishap. I did listed it in the "Oceans" section, with annotation "a".

I admit I was a bit sleepy at the time, but I think I already did that last night.

 

[Senna Jawa]

I've deleted "the various...." and added the individual artists. I'll add some geographic poems later - too tired just now.

Thank you, Tristesse. Get some rest, and let's see more of you (and of others too).

I feel that these anthologies are over all more interesting than the totality of poems. Statistically speaking, they are more likely to avoid total bull. When you (impersonal "you") write about Beethoven (or Bush ) then most likely you don't write about yourself in a generic & cliched way (soul+heart+silky thighs). Proper geographic or famous person name almost forces the poem to focus on rather interesting things in a more or less specific manner. Such poems are more mature than poems written in a naive conviction that author's feelings and soul guaranties a decent poem and depth )).

Regards,

 

[Senna Jawa]

I admit I was a bit sleepy at the time

That makes two of us.

but I think I already did that last night.

Great! Also, you've added a nice touch by locating the "America" and "USA" poems under "USA (America"). You also used this idea more generally, in other places, where you have a similar combination:

Present_official_name (old or unofficial name)​

This goes along the idea of having sub-anthologies according to geography, and it is also educational (even if most of us know most of these combinations--it does not hurt to present them in a clear way).

Thank you, regards,

 

[Senna Jawa]

I will put some there very soon, Senna.

I am waiting (im)patiently.

But you know it occurs to me that you are thinking like an editor, that is, in terms of how to categorize in order to apply rules. It's the kind of thing that makes me crazy when I have a big document (like a book), and I'm trying to treat things consistently so nothing sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak.

Well, half of the work was done by Lauren. And her natural naming format convention:

official name (the other name)​

has streamlined the geographic anthology, and went along the very idea of that collection.

But it's impossible sometimes because language and the way to use rules can both be so nuanced. Anyway when that starts overwhelming me, I have a little brandy and listen to some jazz.

Yesterday, around 8pm, and next around 11pm, I had a total of one quarter of reasonable beer. As the result--look at these anthology threads!

Angeline, about your doubts about some of the poems--I have similar with several of mine. There may be an adjective, like Californian or Polish. Then what? If that appearance is clearly about the country or region then I enter such a poem into the geographic anthology (especially, when there are names for other geographic regions or countries, used in a noun form), but if I had "Polish kielbasa" then I would not find it a reason for adding such a poem to the collection.

In PiñaColada it is rather obvious that the poems mentions the East Coast and the West Coast (of the USA), but somehow I keep this poem away from the collection. What do you think?

Thus indeed, there are border cases.

BTW, editing gives a quiet, secret-like satisfaction of the added value.

Best regards,

 

[Senna Jawa]

At this time the "famous people" anthology has 42 listings to poems by 3 authors;

Now 67 items (listings) by 6 authors.

the geographic anthology has 87 listings to poems by 4 authors.

Now 122 items by the same 6 authors as for "famous". The six are Lauren Tristesse Jthserra middleagepoet Twit and me.

These poems relate to 39 known people,

Now to 61 different famous people.

and to 2 oceans, 1 sea, 1 lake, 2 rivers, 3 continents, 1 island, 1 mountain, 12 countries, 16 states/regions, and 21 cities.

...and now to

• 3 oceans--all major ones: Atlantic (3), Indian (2), Pacific (3);
• 2 seas/bays: Baltic (2), San Francisco Bay (1);
• 1 lake: Hawr al Hammār
• 3 rivers: Pregel Rhine Spree
• 3 continents: Africa Asia Europe (where is Australia?! America?!)
• 1 island: Pico
• 2 mountain items: Carpatian Mountains, Pico
• 17 different countries
• 18 different states/regions
• 25 different cities
• 1 cape (under "Various"): Cape of Good Hope

That last one, by Lauren, induced a flashback from elementary school for me.

At this moment the most frequent famous name is "Davis", but it belongs to two unrelated people: actress Betty Davis, and musician Miles Davis. The most and equally popular guys are Basho G.W.Bush (Lauren loves him) M.Davis and Pessoa. The 4 of them are featured in 2 poems each, in a total of 8 different poems.

Einstein got ahead, just barely, by being featured in 3 different poems.

Of the geographic objects the most popular are states/regions: Algarve 7, California 7, Texas 4. They are followed by Poland 3 (that's, you know, a country ) and USA, but USA is listed as America (twice) and USA once.

Now California is leading with 12 listings, followed by Algarve--7, Texas--4, and two cities: San Francisco--4, and San Jose--4. The 3 countries each listed 3 times are: Poland Russia USA.

Some poems are listed frequently; they occur in the "famous" and "geographic" anthologies respectively this number of times:

• 11 + 0 -- "Props and Wardrobe" by Lauren
• 6 + 1 -- "The Ghosts of Storyville" by Tristesse
• 1 + 11 -- "she has Betty Davis eyes" by Senna
• 2 + 6 -- "eternal Italy" by Senna

(am I missing any?)

Regards,

Senna Jawa​

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Some poems are listed frequently; they occur in the "famous" and "geographic" anthologies respectively this number of times:

• 11 + 0 -- "Props and Wardrobe" by Lauren
• 6 + 1 -- "The Ghosts of Storyville" by Tristesse
• 1 + 11 -- "she has Betty Davis eyes" by Senna
• 2 + 6 -- "eternal Italy" by Senna

(am I missing any?)

"Props and Wardrobe" also mentions by name Red River (Texas-Oklahoma border), and alludes to Sherman Square in New York (a.k.a. Needle Park) and to Rio Grande (US) / Rio Bravo del Norte (Mexico), although this last one at least is not so much the river but the film of the same name. I don't know if any of these three instances merit inclusion in the geographic anthology. What do you think?

 

[Senna Jawa]

"Props and Wardrobe" also mentions by name Red River (Texas-Oklahoma border), and alludes to Sherman Square in New York (a.k.a. Needle Park) and to Rio Grande (US) / Rio Bravo del Norte (Mexico), although this last one at least is not so much the river but the film of the same name. I don't know if any of these three instances merit inclusion in the geographic anthology. What do you think?

I think that you and Angeline give me a headache .

It looks from your post that all references but the last one are clear cut (and can honestly contribute to my trivia ). For the last one I'll read your poem again.

I have similar problems with my own. For instance, in the poem about Du Fu, which is clearly about China too, I have:

sailing up and down
chinese rivers​

Does it qualify for a listing under China? Also, from Du Fu's biography one could name the rivers in the poem. However they are not named explicitly in the poem, and no specific info about any of them is given (except that Du Fu sailed them). On the other hand I missed the fact that Atlantic is named explicitly and I will add one more entry to the geographic anthology--not right away, I am too sleepy. Yes, Atlantic, not Pacific (China and Atlantic?). How is it possible?! I'll let you figure it out .

Best regards,

Senna Jawa​

 

[Senna Jawa]

in the poem about Du Fu, which is clearly about China too, I have:

sailing up and down
chinese rivers​

Does it qualify for a listing under China? [...] Atlantic is named explicitly

Also, 100% clearly but implicitly, there appears Pacific.

Regards,

 

[dawnzky05]

I am glad to know these persons even just their names. Now I have idea regarding famous poets worldwide.






----------------
literate arts

 

[Senna Jawa]

Great, but a wrong thread

Dawnzky has written the following in the "Famous people (anthology)":

I am glad to know these persons even just their names. Now I have idea regarding famous poets worldwide.​

Wonderful!

But such a comment belongs to this thread, not to an anthology (I hope that mods will move it here).

Thank you dawntzky, thank you (in advance) mods,

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I just moved that post and also did a little clean-up on both anthologies, leaving only the most recent listings.

 

[Senna Jawa]

I just moved that post and also did a little clean-up on both anthologies, leaving only the most recent listings.

Thank you Lauren for maintaining the anthologies. I could copy the newest post into the oldest myself (when I am the starter of the thread) but felt uneasy about removing posts by others (could a starter really do it? in general?? or just in the special cases designated by mods?).

And thank you for your meritorious contributions to the anthologies--for your entries. I hope that more authors will join. The new anthology about homelessness, poverty (hardship) and social/political concern (I will replace word "statement" by concern). In particular, I have noted your theme of loneliness in a crowd, e.g. in a city. We still have only six authors and one promised:

Lauren, Tristesse, Jthserra, middleagepoet, Twit, and me​

plus the promised (promises-promises) Angeline in the near future.

(Have I missed anybody?). I hope (dare to predict?) that now Anna will join, and unpredictable (the poverty theme is familiar to her), and many others.

People think about poetry in ephemeral terms but those should happen only in the reader's mind. It's good when poems have meat to them, when they are about the senses, and when they are about SOMETHIN', and not about, for instance, tender(ness) explicitly--tenderness should be felt by the reader as the result of reading the text, but it cannot be felt when the text repeats and repeats the word tender ad nauseam, and it sounds like the author tries to impress the readers with his hm-wisdom .

Regards,

 

[annaswirls]

I hope (dare to predict?) that now Anna will join, and unpredictable (the poverty theme is familiar to her), and many others.

Thanks Senna, but there are a few things in my way.

• I still don't quite understand the point of the anthologies

• I am not sure I have anything that fits your categories

I deleted all of my poems several years back. I am now wishing I had signed up for Survivor under a different name. I might still do that. I do not like having those forced forms mixed in with my regular work. It kind of makes me cringe to see the limerick there in my list. eek.

Maria has some good ones about social issues

 

[annaswirls]

Okay I found one and posted it in the famous people thread. You might want to change the format sample in the intro, as it has changed.

I put my Houdini poem up even though I do not think a single person thought it was about him. If it is not clearly enough about the guy, please feel free to delete it without risk of harming my feelings.

That's it! I think it is my only poem that is about something. The rest are just fluff and flutter and feeling.

 

[Senna Jawa]

We still have only six authors and one promised:

Lauren, Tristesse, Jthserra, middleagepoet, Twit, and me​

Already eight--champagne has joined the new, homelessness... anthology, and Anna appears on the "Famous people" (as one of the authors; plus, there is one promised and several expected authors ).

Let's have the links to the anthologies:

• Homelessness...
• Geography
• Famous people

Best regards,

Senna Jawa​

 

[Senna Jawa]

That's it! I think it is my only poem that is about something. The rest are just fluff and flutter and feeling.

The nice thing about art, and poetry in particular, is that nothing is that mechanical. Actually, your poems, Anna, the ones I have read, were very much down to earth, and that was great!--that's where their feeling came from.

Also, I am sure, you will enter into the three anthologies (or more ) your new poems, soon to be written.

You're right that there is much more to poetry than the easily identifiable features like a proper name, or even homelessness. I wish we would talk about the advanced moments of poetry. Judging from the discussions on this forum, and from the lack of other discussions, hardly anybody around here is aware of such elements like the play of light, changes of tempo, geometrical and kinematic motives, the strength of contrast (subtle, semi-hidden contrasts), subtle logical games (while there are too many "in your face", crude games, which pass for brilliant), humor, integration of a poem--in particular by using sound similarity of words from different parts of the poem, but also by many other means. It's harder to collect anthologies about them, but one day I may get tempted.

(No, Anna, I am not interested in any "piss & shit anthology"; I don't know where you got such an idea about me, I didn't provide any reason for that; if someone starts it--fine, but don't count on me visiting it).

Best regards,

Senna Jawa​

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

How about an anthology of form poems?

 

[annaswirls]

How about an anthology of form poems?

Girl, I was thinking the same thing! I was thinking multiple anthologies-- one with Japanese forms (or eastern? divided up into specifics, etc)

I would really like to get the Survivor poems organized somehow..... make it easier to click around them.