Get Your Premium Membership

In Sustenance of Profligate Confabulation

Poet's Notes
(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like Gregory Richard Barden.


I have seen many writers of late, (who struggle To be taken seriously), interject "big" or unusual Or fancy words into their prose in an effort to be "Profound", or seem like they have a grand knowledge Of just what it takes to be a wonderful writer, and Here's the thing: To ME, (and to me ONLY), great, Creative, wonderful, and profound poetry, does NOT Need the use of big words to be meaningful, it takes Much less AND much more than that, in the way of The fluid, creative, integral, substantive, emotional, And meaningful ways that you weave your words Together, relate them to each other, support the Idea and purpose of the thoughts, AND present them And your ideas to the reader. I am not impressed by Fancy words used in ways that are transparently Overblown, or not needed to the thrust of the story Being told, or extravagant words thrown into places They're not needed, simply for the sake of impressing Others with vocabulary knowledge. People who DO have an extensive knowledge of words, use Unusual words in an effort to create fluidity, flow, Rhythm, interest, and even musicality, and do so With originality and an effort to not repeat words In ways that can be redundant or overly-repetitive. People who know good writing, know when Others use complicated words in ways that don't Really make sense, or in ways that are clearly Meant to impress the reader, and not add anything Good or worthwhile to the piece being written. I have even seen "featured" works on different Sites of late that are clearly stuffed full of every Big, fancy word possible, to the point where the Meaning of the poem is completely obscured, And the interaction of the phrases has become Silly and pointless. And again, I'm not impressed By complex words, I'm impressed by complex IDEAS, even when those ideas may be presented With the simplest of words. Use complex words To SUPPORT ideas that maybe can't be brought Forth in a simple way ONLY, or use complex Words in an effort to paint a unique picture in the Mind of the reader, or use complex words to add To an unusual rhythm or metre or literary device, Or use complex words to better clarify something That NEEDS further clarification, but DON'T use Big, fancy, complex words for the sake of themselves, For people with limited vocabulary will not understand Them, and will lose the flow and import of your piece, And people with extensive vocabulary will know That you're not using them correctly ... either way, You've lost your reader, and only your best of Friends will pat you on the back and say "My, what Wonderful work you have here!", and those kinds Of folks are NOT the ones you're trying to win Over - they're already on your side, and will read Your work no matter what - you need to win over NEW readers, and you'll only do so with new, Creative, complex, wonderful ideas, NOT new Creative, complex, wonderful WORDS ... they are Only as good as the ideas that they're supporting ... In my very humble and and uniquely odd opinion. ;-)

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 3/18/2017 12:37:00 AM
So, you are saying, 'keep it simple, stupid.' Kidding. I agree to an extent, certain vocabularies limit the writer's audience and surely they know this, choose this. I don't mind looking up the occasional word, but when I get frown lines struggling constantly with someone's content, it just isn't worth it - my 'poem joy' is numbed. You put a lot of effort into this and intelligently made your points. All the best ... CayCay
Login to Reply
Barden Avatar
Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/18/2017 12:50:00 AM
Yes, that's pretty much what I'm saying, CayCay, more specifically - don't use big or complicated words for the sake of impressing people alone, or just load up a piece with big words to seem like it's profound. Big words only work if they're used in a profound or creative WAY, and can often, as you say, make the reader numb to the joy of it ... expanding others' vocabulary is an awesome thing, I believe, but only if there's a substantive intent behind it. I have seen works that were so stuffed with fancy words that it literally made no sense anymore, cuz the interaction between the words was incorrect and befuddled ... to be profound with simple words is much more beautiful to me, or using a "fancy" word in a way that really enriches the work. Thanks for your wonderful comment, my friend! :-)
Date: 3/15/2017 9:57:00 PM
Word up! ;) xomo
Login to Reply
Barden Avatar
Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/16/2017 6:57:00 AM
Thanks, Maureen! :-)
Date: 3/15/2017 9:14:00 AM
Sorry about that I meant to say good write.
Login to Reply
Date: 3/15/2017 9:12:00 AM
Good morning Greg. I absolutely agree with you, a friend of mine and I were just talking about that this weekend.how the beauty of a poem can be lost in a flood of big words.if I ever start doing that please tell me. Anyway a great ride Greg thank you for expressing what so many of us feel.
Login to Reply
Barden Avatar
Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/16/2017 6:56:00 AM
Totally agree - so many things I've seen of late that were bogged down in extravagance, that would have shined in simplicity. I do it MYSELF sometimes, and this was also a "note to self" for me. Thanks, my friend!
Date: 3/15/2017 7:35:00 AM
Hail to the complex ideas! Expressed with conviction and I totally agree. Kudos.
Login to Reply
Barden Avatar
Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 3/16/2017 6:54:00 AM
Thanks, Phil - much appreciated!

Book: Reflection on the Important Things