My view on modern poetry

Upon reading the large packet of poems passed out during class, one common theme came to mind; they are not for me. I understand that poets of this day and age seek to break away from the poets of old, to be “original”, but I feel they have drifted too far. The stylistic choices made in these poems are not to my liking, for example, I despise when the thought of one line runs directly into the next. I am a firm believer in each line being able to stand on its own and possess the intended meaning. An example of this can be found in the poem “Song of the Abducted.” The author ends a line with “I am choking,” then starts the next paragraph with “on questions.” The initial “I am choking,” heightens the moment so much that upon reading “on questions” I was, to some extent, disappointed. Another issue I have with the poems at hand is the technique of simplicity being used to raise a larger issue. In today’s society this technique may prove more effective in reader comprehension, but I don’t believe it does the topic justice. What I am trying to say, is that when one is speaking of “Time,” one cannot do such a resounding topic justice, by comparing it to a banana. I understand that “Time” is a topic so over done that writers are seeking new comparisons, but as I have said before, they have strayed too far. I believe that writers should be searching for ways to improve upon the writing of old, not seeking originality, which is for the most part impossible. Those who do achieve originality are rarely accepted as great authors because it is so different from what we know. Many would say I am not open-minded, and to this I say that there is a reason that the poetry of old has lasted so long, because it is timeless and beautiful.