When the music created by the sounds and ordering of the words matches the thrust of the meanings of the words, then a radiant state of awareness can occur. Pattiann Rogers More Quotes by Pattiann Rogers More Quotes From Pattiann Rogers I'd rather call prose poems something else, for clarity - something like "poetic prose," prose that contains a quality of poetry, but not poems. Pattiann Rogers clarity poetic quality To my mind, most prose poems are more prose than poetry. They don't possess most of the qualities of a poem. Pattiann Rogers prose quality mind One of the most important differences I see between prose and poetry is the music of the language. Pattiann Rogers prose-and-poetry differences important I think my prose - mine and that of others - sometimes slips into a cadence or rhythm that can replicate or come close to the music in a wonderful poem, and then it returns to the sound of prose. Pattiann Rogers cadence sound thinking The silences express so much and are so crucial in music, and prose does not allow for the creation of these silences, these white spaces on the page or the computer screen. Pattiann Rogers space silence white Poetry is very playful with language. I think all poetry, at its heart, is playful. It's doing unusual and playful things with the language, stirring it up. And prose is not doing that. Primarily it's not attempting to do that. Pattiann Rogers language heart thinking I don't write or think too much about the word "salvation." I might; I probably should. We are such needy creatures, needing to be saved, to feel we are saved or might be, however we define ourselves, however we define that word. Pattiann Rogers writing might thinking I think parts of my soul have been saved by my writing, not in the sense of escaping death, but escaping the death of the moment, perhaps. Pattiann Rogers escaping writing thinking Ordering is very important with essays, even if a reader doesn't read the essays or the poems in order through the book... Pattiann Rogers important order book I approach writing a poem in a much different state than when I am writing prose. It's almost as if I were working in a different language when I'm writing poetry. The words - what they are and what they can become - the possibilities of the words are vastly expanded for me when I'm writing a poem. Pattiann Rogers different language writing People sometimes think that defining a term is pedantic and useless, but terms need to be defined if they're going to be discussed, even if the terms are only defined for a single conversation. Those involved in the conversation need to know how the terms are being used. Pattiann Rogers people needs thinking Often I'm struck by something that I read; then I go and research it a little more, especially if I begin a poem, and I find out that I need to know more. Then I usually get intrigued and excited about whatever it is I'm writing about. Pattiann Rogers research writing needs I've spent much of my life being attuned to watching for an image or a phrase that can trigger what might be a poem - could become a poem. Pattiann Rogers triggers phrases might I do love writing prose interspersed with the poetry of other people. Their rhythms break into my prose and create a connection. Pattiann Rogers connections writing people A poetic list is a talent in itself. You can write a list of things, and it can be boring. Pattiann Rogers talent lists writing As far as I can tell, writing the essays didn't change the way I wrote poetry. Although the essays contain scattered passages that might be called lyrical, they often contain closed statements of what is only suggested in the poetry. Pattiann Rogers writing might way Poetry doesn't function by saying things straightforwardly because the language is too imprecise, too limited often, to address the underlying subject of most poems. Pattiann Rogers addresses function language Often when I write poetry I don't quite know what I'm saying myself. I mean, I can't restate the poem. The meaning of the poem is the poem. Pattiann Rogers knows writing mean My object when writing prose is to write as clearly as possible. I think I know what I'm saying in prose, and I want others to understand it and to be able to restate it. Pattiann Rogers want writing thinking The greatest tragedy that can befall a poet is to be praised by being misunderstood. Pattiann Rogers misunderstood poet tragedy
