I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')
These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.
16 September 2009
Interpolation
Nah – I realise I REALLY don't like initial capitals for every line of my poems. Some people make it work, but it doesn't suit all the things I want to do with verse. I'm going to go back and put right all the (few) pieces I did that way.
I wouldn't have said anything if you'd kept them in (because I know there are two camps on this), but I agree with you really. They can work, but I think unless you have a really good reason for using them, they're just arbitrary.
The really good reason was that computer formatting seldom allows one to indent if a line goes beyond the page/window width. But I think people get it anyway. And I changed the template for a wider column - which has other disadvantages, sorry: slower to load.
It comes down in the end to what one likes, doesn't it? Author's choice.
Interestingly, I found I was beginning to write in a different way when having initial capitals in mind at the outset, and a couple of pieces would actually have worked better if I'd left them like that. But it's an infinitesimal thing, and I opted for consistency. Most of the time, I DIDN'T have it in mind; my head was still where it was used to being and I would have to go through and capitalise later.
In the end, I just experienced then as too restrictive.
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I wouldn't have said anything if you'd kept them in (because I know there are two camps on this), but I agree with you really. They can work, but I think unless you have a really good reason for using them, they're just arbitrary.
ReplyDeleteThe really good reason was that computer formatting seldom allows one to indent if a line goes beyond the page/window width. But I think people get it anyway. And I changed the template for a wider column - which has other disadvantages, sorry: slower to load.
ReplyDeleteIt comes down in the end to what one likes, doesn't it? Author's choice.
Interestingly, I found I was beginning to write in a different way when having initial capitals in mind at the outset, and a couple of pieces would actually have worked better if I'd left them like that. But it's an infinitesimal thing, and I opted for consistency. Most of the time, I DIDN'T have it in mind; my head was still where it was used to being and I would have to go through and capitalise later.
In the end, I just experienced then as too restrictive.
*them
ReplyDeleteAh, I see. Your reasoning that is. I think you're right - it mostly just comes down to preference. But yes, I also find it restrictive.
ReplyDelete