Kitsch

Kitsch describes writing that relies on cheap sentiment, cliché, or exaggerated prettiness instead of genuine feeling or careful craft. In poetry, kitsch often feels mass-produced or emotionally manipulative, appealing through familiar images and easy sentiment rather than original insight. The term is usually critical, though a poem can also use kitsch deliberately to parody bad taste or sentimentality.

Example

The moon wore silver lipstick
and every tear was a diamond,
while roses begged the night
not to leave their hearts behind.

Related Definitions

[n] art in pretentious bad taste
[adj] of a display that is tawdry or vulgar

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