Reworking the American Poet

For some reason, the title of my post sounds familiar to me. I can't place it, but I like it and it's relevant so I will use it. Last week I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with a visiting poet and former professor of Doug Branch, Ann Fisher-Wirth. I was a little disappointed at the showing for the workshop. Only three students were in attendance. However, what I learned from Fisher-Wirth was well worth missing my Honors Psychology class that day! Stylistically, she and I differ a great deal. She prefers to write a poem, point out the strongest lines that deliver the hardest punch, and then cut out all of the rest as senseless fodder. I, personally, like this fodder and the stream of consciousness it creates within a poem. But I played along for the workshop and the poem that I submitted was reduced from 3 pages double spaced to 10 lines. I must say that this was a very shocking experience for me. There were some points that I felt Fisher-Wirth made that are worth noting here since I know that a few of us are creatively inclined. One important point to consider before you actually begin writing is that your poem must have a speaker. However, it must not be an inanimate object. It must make literal sense. For instance, a chair will not talk to you or life as an entity will not actually talk to you. Therefore, a helpful tool before writing is to create an imaginary character that will act as your speaker. Fisher-Wirth also advised us to watch for modifying phrase placement and voice changes throughout the poem. Fisher-Wirth also suggested some readings for us from another writer named Patricia Smith who had mastered the art of the "imaginary character." Though an African-American woman, Smith has written such works as "In the Voice of A Skinhead" and Blood Dazzler. If any of you have read some of her writing, perhaps you can comment and tell us how effective her style is. I have also included a link to one of Fisher-Wirth's works. http://100dayspoems.blogspot.com/2009/03/day-48-ann-fisher-wirth.html