Summary

The web content discusses the art of poetry, its evolution, and the impact of poets and songwriters, including the unique case of Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Abstract

The article "The Making of a Poet" delves into the essence of poetry, celebrating the work of renowned poets like Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, William Blake, Maya Angelou, and Amanda Gorman. It reflects on the profound influence of poetic language and its ability to evoke emotion and thought. The piece also explores the relationship between poetry and songwriting, particularly focusing on the debate surrounding Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize win in Literature, which sparked a debate on whether song lyrics can be considered poetry. The author, Cathy Coombs, shares personal experiences with poetry and emphasizes that the act of writing poetry is what truly defines a poet, regardless of external validation or publication. Coombs, who has a background in English Journalism and Creative Writing, encourages the idea that anyone can be a poet through the creative use of language.

Opinions

The author holds Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, William Blake, Maya Angelou, and Amanda Gorman in high regard as exemplary poets.
Poetry is seen as a timeless form of communication that has evolved over the centuries, adapting to different styles and genres.
The author believes that a poet's ability to express emotion through language is a defining characteristic of their work.
The formalities of poetry have changed, but the essence of poetry remains in its ability to resonate with readers.
The author suggests that song lyrics can be a form of poetry, especially when considering the unity of verbal and musical elements.
Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize win for Literature is acknowledged as a significant event that challenged traditional perceptions of what constitutes poetry.
The article implies that the distinction between a songwriter and a poet can be blurred, and that songwriters can also be poets.
Cathy Coombs asserts that the act of writing poetry, and the emotional and thought-provoking response it elicits, is what qualifies someone as a poet.
The author's personal journey in writing and publishing reinforces the idea that dedication to the craft is integral to being a poet. writer.

The Making of a Poet

Thoughtful imaginations rise with language across pages

A word is dead When it is said, Some say. I say it just Begins to live That day.

— Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, William Blake, and Maya Angelou are some favorites of mine. There are so many poets to be revered. T.S. Eliot is another. Amanda Gorman is added to my list.

Years ago, I was acquainted with someone who wrote poetry. One line he wrote, I can see your soul, stuck with me for life.

Wallace Stevens’ Perfect Use of Language

‘One must have a mind of winter…’

medium.com

A poet has a special way of communicating with a reader. A poet’s language is either written in metaphors, formally or informally. One could say that poets have existed since the beginning of time all over the world and during different time periods throughout civilization.

Poets have used different styles of communication which have evolved over time.

William Blake’s ‘The Garden of Love’

A brief analysis

medium.com

A poet writes out of emotion. The emotion is expressed eloquently in free verse, or within different poetry genres.

As the formalities of poetry changed through the decades, it became stanzas that rhymed while still having a rhythm. But if you think about it, every form of artistic measure be it music or painting or sculpting or building has changed.

Amanda Gorman has her own style and performs it probably better than me just reading it out of a book. However, now that I’ve heard her read her poem, when I read The Hill We Climb, I hear her voice.

In modern-day times, song lyrics are thought to be a form of poetry by some.

A well-written song isn’t just a poem with a bunch of notes attached; it’s a unity of verbal and musical elements. In some ways, this makes a lyricist’s job potentially easier than a poet’s, because an attractive tune can rescue even the laziest phrasing. (Source.)

When a songwriter wins the Nobel Prize for Literature

You might be thinking, what? That is if you didn’t know this occurred, especially when the Nobel Prize for Literature usually goes to poets or novel writers.

In March 2017, even The New York Times was asking, After Dylan’s Nobel, What Makes a Poet a Poet? after he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I still think that’s interesting since I’ve always thought of him as a singer/songwriter.

So if Bob Dylan is a poet, it follows that anyone who does basically the same thing that Dylan does should be considered a poet as well. Yet while people routinely describe both Dylan and Kid Rock as “songwriters” and “musicians,” there are very, very few people who refer to Kid Rock as a poet.

Dylan is the first songwriter to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature which it was announced he received in October 2016. The Swedish Academy said Dylan was being honored for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition. (Source.)

Dylan was not present at the awards ceremony in December 2016 and didn’t accept the award until the spring of 2017 after which time, he had until June to present his Nobel lecture in order to receive the prize money of $923,000. He sent his lecture on audio.

In the speech, sent to the academy with an audio link in which Dylan reads it aloud, the enigmatic rock star reflects on the possible links between his lyrics and literature. (Source.) [Emphasis added.]

While it created a debate and a stir that Dylan won, it’s probably a good thing the prestigious award went to British novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro, the following year. American poet, Louise Glück won in 2020.

Even Dylan might have been questioning why he won.

Is a piece of song music with poetry attached or the other way around? Some say if you take the music away from the language, it makes for a bad poem. You might also ask yourself if the songwriter publishes their poems. No? Then perhaps the songs are just songs and not poetry.

Even when I read song lyrics, I see words to a song. They don’t necessarily read like poetry to me, nor do I see the songwriter as a poet. This doesn’t mean, however, a songwriter can’t be both a songwriter and a poet. Send me a link to the song and the book of poems.

Anyone can be a poet

If you write poetry, you can call yourself a poet. You don’t have to sleep in your car and not bathe for a week to be a focused poet. If you push language into corners that evokes thoughts and emotion while you write your poetry, I would say you’re probably a poet (send me a link). Not all poets are good and not all are bad.

I’ve been writing for years, so I call myself a writer. Not everyone will have a positive view of what I write or how I write.

I paint too, so I could call myself a painter even though I’ve never tried to sell any of my canvas ocean paintings.

The point is what makes a poet a poet is you and how you work your art of poetry with your proposed language.

Below is a poem I wrote for a challenge on Vocal.

Winter's Unspoken Words

The night's starless seduction blows with ice as the nests are edged with glassy ice picks. The maple trees are seized…

vocal.media

About the Author

Earning a B.A. in English Journalism & Creative Writing in my 40s affirmed my love for literature, language, and writing. I retired early to write full-time. I published three ebooks in 2022 and am currently finalizing a true-crime book that was researched for the past decade.

Connect via Twitter or LinkedIn. Website: https://cjcoombs.com/