| What makes a great poet?
If you were to ask 100 people, you would probably get 100
different answers. Some would say that a great poet makes them laugh. Others
would say cry. To me a great poet makes me want to read a poem over and over
again, each time seeing something new.
Great poets are often acknowledged by winning a
Pulitzer Prize
or being named
The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. These are only two of the many
awards and prizes presented
annually.
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What makes a great poem?
First, I'll mention that I consider a poem "good" if it stays with me; a memory
of the words, images, feelings, or ideas will nudge me hours or even days later.
"Great" poems are ones I somehow know I'll remember all of my life. For me, this
singular magic happens when I sense that the poet wrote deeply and with great
care about a strong emotion. Good poems, as well as great poems, vibrate with a
passion and energy that can't be forgotten or ignored.
Kristine O'Connell George |
