My point is that an arcane word tends to impede one's reading. You have to look it up before proceeding. That's fine with prose, but not so fine with poetry, and may even have the effect of seeming precious, drawing attention to the poet's knowledge and away from from the point of the poem. But that may just be me.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
I like the words ...
... but think they're better suited for prose than poetry: Anecdotal Evidence: `Airy, Rounded Masses of Light Green'.
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No, I think you're basically right about that, especially with regards to poetry. I would still leave room for the poet being able to use the precise word for what they want to convey, even if that word is a little archaic or obscure. I do that sometimes in my own poems. But I think it can be taken to an extreme.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are contemporary poets who seem to relish the idea of creating puzzles that defy the reader's ability to parse—many of whom, once you unlock the puzzle-box, are in the end quite over-rated. Nonetheless, there are critics who love that kind of poetry—probably mostly because it gives them something to do with their time. LOL