'Poeticks: On Angst' 2 of 2

5: Can angst poetry be structured?: angst and poetic forms

          Because the issue of metred rhyme was mentioned above, we have decided to develop our questions out of curiosity, asking writers if they have ever come across "angst poetry" with a traditional poetic structure on deviantArt, such as an angsty sonnet, or an angsty haiku, or angsty sestina... and if they thought "angst poetry" to be fit for these poetic forms. (For a deeper understanding of definition, variation and other information concerning poetic forms visit poetic-forms.deviantart.com and browse through their very informative write-ups.) Though most dA writers have not, or did not recall seeing an "angst" poem (probably defined here as "unoriginal" angst poetry) within a certain structure (meaning there are, if any, very rare amounts of those lying around, at least on deviantArt), we have received convincing arguments from both sides concerning the compatibility of the theme of a poem, and traditional poetic structures. One writer claims, "I do not think it is a matter of 'fitness'. Any theme can be encompassed by any form, [except] where the form has specific thematic requirements [such as the haiku, for example, which doesnft work well with negativity]. What matters is if the poem is done well". Another writer states "generally speaking angst is *caused* by structures and therefore does not do well contained by them." Yet another writer states "I think [structured poems] are often better than free verse angsty poems because there is sometimes more thought put into it and more effort and more time," although some opinions added "sonnets/haikus etc. that fail to respect the conventions of the structure annoy [the reader] even more than poor free verse, because [the reader's] expectations are raised by evidence [that] these forms are familiar to the writer."

          But DeviantArt, notwithstanding, many a great poet has structured their feelings of insecurities into quality poems. And here for further reading and reference, we present to you some renowned pieces that have successfully taken "angst" and created "art". This may be of some guide to those who are willing to write about their feelings of anguish and melancholy, as well as serve as proof for the skeptics of the possibility that these emotions hold. Again, although we have looked around for pieces that are fairly conspicuous in its subject matter, whether the following pieces are "angst poems" and/or "based" on angst-related emotions is greatly influenced by one's perspectives. (We would also add that these are not necessarily the "best" there is to offer in the whole of the literary world, but a set of examples.)

John Keats: When I have Fears (sonnet) www.bartleby.com/126/52.html

William Blake: The Tiger www.bartleby.com/101/489.html

Louis Untermeyer: Mockery www.bartleby.com/267/12.html

Bliss Carman: The Unreturning www.bartleby.com/267/15.html

Thomas Augustine Daly: Da Leetla Boy www.bartleby.com/267/21.html

Percy Bysshe Shelley: Remorse www.bartleby.com/101/617.html

William Wordsworth: England 1802 www.bartleby.com/101/523.html

William Butler Yeats: The Lake of Innisfree www.bartleby.com/101/864.html

Caroline Norton: I do not love Thee www.bartleby.com/101/692.html

Sir Walter Scott: Patriotism 1 Innominatus  www.bartleby.com/101/547.html

Ambrose Bierce: Creation www.bartleby.com/248/837.html

W.H. Auden: Epitaph on a Tyrant www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

E.E. Cummings: Why must itself up every of a Park www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

William Shakespeare: Sonnet 29 www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

6: Further readings

          The following pieces we have listed, are not all necessarily structured, but have been additionally recommended to us in response to our questionnaires, and we'd like to spare some kilobytes to introduce them to you.

T.S. Eliot: The Waste Lands www.bartleby.com/201/1.html

Walt Whitman: Imprisoned Soul www.bartleby.com/101/742.html

James Wright: Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

Richard Hugo: Degrees of Gray in Philipsburg plagiarist.com/poetry/?wid=146…

Langston Hughes: I, Too, Sing America www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

Randall Jarrell: Death of the Ball Turret Gunner www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

Edgar Allan Poe: The Conqueror Worm  www.bartleby.com/248/239.html

Anne Sexton: Her Kind www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?…

7: "Angst" on deviantArt: submitting, commenting and critiquing

          A problem that seems to annoy both sides of an argument here on an Internet art community, especially in the literary section, is the issue of critiquing submissions. Literary art, compared to visual art, can be edited for better or for worse with relative ease; it is near impossible to edit a painting for example, where as words can be fixed with will.  Because of that characteristic, it is far more prone to see critiques in large amounts flying to and fro the various poetry and prose submissions. Where the conflict arises, is when a writer points out a weak point in another's work, and the writer who receives the critique is offended. (Whether the writer gave constructive advises to consider for improvement, or just a blatant insults perhaps simply labeling the piece "angst" in a dismissive manner, notwithstanding.) Because the issue of "how" to critique has been thoroughly examined by tangledweb in his lengthy but extremely well-written essay here www.deviantart.com/view/381936… , there is not much else left for us to touch regarding the critiquing process. Instead, we will consider here, two arguments that are heard quite commonly, especially but not strictly confined to angst poetry (or non-angst poetry which is labeled angst poetry): "poetry is a representation of one's own emotion, bearing no right or wrong, and is not something to critique"and "this piece was written while I was experiencing a strong emotional surge, and revisions should not be made, to preserve the integrity and purity of those encapsulated emotions."

          We will first take up the issue of critiquing and emotions, by looking at the opinions we received of those writers who have contributed their opinions vis-a-vis the above-stated argument. As a general proclivity, in the reactions from those writers (which we were able to collect outside of any overly-heated situation), there was clear distinction made between poetry as "art" and poetry as an "emotional outlet." It is true, they claim, that there is no right or wrong in one's emotions, which are no less valid than those of any other writer. It is also "good to have an outlet for emotions that can be overwhelming", as "any kind of writing can be cathartic, and writing [about those] feelings can put [those emotions] somewhere solid." In other words, "if the goal [of the poem] is merely to express their [emotions, whether it be angst or not], then "one shouldn't expect the poem to reach a certain standard of approval." But the catch is, "the moment you put it out in public, it is [no longer] immune to the criticisms of others," and if you are submitting poetry as a deviation (as opposed to a "scrap"), you are submitting it as "art," and the moment it is categorized by the writer as such, its quality will come into question. Several writers claim that there needs to be an "[understanding of] what should be publicized [on deviantArt] and should not be", and "unless you're in for ways to improve [your work], it has no place on deviantArt", as words written for the purpose of emotional venting, should "be kept in a live journal", or "to oneself", (or more recently, the "scrapbook" function that was newly introduced to deviantArt while we were in the process of this compilation, where it's primary use is to submit works that do not fit the description of artwork set forth by deviantArt on the submission page, which all in all may become an ideal place to keep those poems both "on" deviantArt and exempt from the critiques of other writers.) In terms of "art", one writer argues (and many agree), "just because you wrote from your soul, it doesn't make it quality." And what makes a quality poem, we've already discussed and examined in previous sections of this compilation. Thus, there is a general understanding towards the expression of one's emotions, but a general feeling of discontent against complaints towards critiques when the piece of poetry was submitted as a deviation (i.e. art) by the writer himself/herself.

          Now, the second contention that is often heard concerning the need for revision (or lack thereof) in the writing process, follows along the same line of argument - that is, it depends on whether a writer wishes to keep writings as a reminder of his/her emotions, or whether they are willing to create "art". As tangledweb writes in his essay, it is up to the writer who has received critique, to ruminate over the advices, and consider their validity, choosing the points that they feel contribute most to the improvement of their work (the choice remaining ultimately to the creator). The point to consider here though is whether revising should be completely shunned because it destroys the emotional strength the poem initially embodies. The answers we received contend, yes revision could potentially destroy those emotions (if you don't revise properly), but to assume that poetry is at its best state on the first draft is a false assumption. This has also been touched by Suture in their essay we previously introduced, and as one writer puts it, "a true poem is never complete", and "if [one] cannot reconnect with the emotions [embodied in a certain piece after a period of time], they didn't write it well the first place". Revision can (if done properly), "make yourself [express your ideas and emotions] clearer, condensing and distilling meaning" for there are "infinite ways in expressing the same emotion". Claiming that it will destroy the piece is a result of "laziness", and perhaps a result of "the lack of skill in revising", the revising process being a difficult task (perhaps even harder than writing the first draft). Of course nothing needs to be said about spelling and such. Therefore summing up these emotions, it is recommended that writers "look back at what they've written after a period of time" and also "get some feedback from other writers" so as to improve their revision skills - a difficult but very essential skill in writing. (We believe another-aid's editorial www.deviantart.com/deviation/2… can be a very helpful guide concerning the editing process.)

8: "Angst" on deviantArt: selected poems

          We have asked around if there are good angst poets on deviantArt. (And yes "good" and "angst poets" are defined differently by different people - as we've repeatedly explained - so please just try to catch the drift on this one.) The response to this question was quite underwhelming. Perhaps there are only "angst poems" instead of "angst poets", perhaps there are not many "good" poets period on deviantArt, perhaps we feel hesitant to call someone an "angst poet" because of the negative feel the term holds at times. But please assume for now that by introducing some works of poetry from deviantArt here, we are in the same state of mind as when we introduced famous poems by famous writers that touch on emotions of angst in previous sections, and hope that the writers we have taken up do not take it as any offence. By now, having read the greater portion of this write-up, we believe that it is clear now that "angst" is far more than the "unoriginality" we have talked about (unless you are strictly defining "angst poetry" according to its lower quality). Apropos the standard of quality we held while choosing the following poems, it all came down to browsing coincidences and personal preferences of those involved with running Poeticks (so please live with it), taking into consideration the various recommendations we have received as well.

Problems with this Generation: chaosboy www.deviantart.com/deviation/1…

self help section: lemonadepanacea www.deviantart.com/deviation/1…

miss anne: desaparecidita www.deviantart.com/deviation/1…

arg: norman2 www.deviantart.com/deviation/7…

Subway Suburb Dinosaurs: swesey www.deviantart.com/deviation/2…

names: undulate www.deviantart.com/deviation/5…

Haphazard: ndifference www.deviantart.com/deviation/8…

Minus Friday: Wickism www.deviantart.com/deviation/5…

Specter: wernstrum www.deviantart.com/deviation/2…

October road trip: gustoboy www.deviantart.com/deviation/8…

I am Being: alexcross www.deviantart.com/deviation/4…

in the 7th grade: alexcross www.deviantart.com/deviation/4…

Casualty: ashriel www.deviantart.com/deviation/5…

hgmmcic: substanceabuse www.deviantart.com/deviation/5…


9. Conclusion and Acknowledgements

          Throughout this compilation we have touched on issues concerning the definition, quality and nature of "angst poetry" as well as its place on deviantArt by bringing together the voices of writers across dA. We hope that this reaches to the community and brings forth change in a positive way, and will serve to cultivate new thoughts in each individual reader as well as solve any questions or misconceptions any one of you may have held. Nevertheless, this is not an ultimate set of rules and is always subject to questioning, and that is what we trust all of you to do; continuing to debate over critical issues concerning the craft of writing. This is an online community with its merits and flaws, and we believe those merits could be used wisely, and thus Poeticks plans to continue addressing topics of interest that would benefit the writing community as a whole.

          Also as a just-in-case-disclaimer, this compilation's main objective is not to showcase the works of deviantArt writers, but to tackle the issue of angst, and the links we have provided are merely a minor element of the whole picture and yet something that we felt would enhance the presentation, and hold the possibility to interest and incite our readers. As is the case, we have no intentions to feature any deviations in our future compilations, unless the presentation of a topic would benefit from such features. If you are looking for featured high quality writings, suture is your friend, and is much more dependable to deliver the best to your fingertips. In any case, if you have any concerns or complaints on how we are handling things in this respect, we are always willing to listen to your point of view (via the noting system).

          We would like to take the time to thank all writers who have shared their valuable insights on the matter. The holder of each opinion will be kept anonymous so as to treat each opinion as valid as another (to our minds, as well as the eyes of our readers), although we may create a list of deviant names to acknowledge their cooperation, in the near future. If you, by chance, would like to contribute your ideas to future Poeticks compilations and/or would like to receive any future notes or questionnaires we may send, simply add us under your devwatch, and it will come your way. (This isn't with any immature intent to boast our popularity, or lack thereof, but just that it would be much easier for us to organize our mailing list this way than to receive notes or comments.)

10. Appendix I: "Angst" as a philosophy.

           In the process of a comprehensive write-up concerning "angst", it is apparently inevitable that the philosophical aspect should be, if not elaborated, at least introduced. This subject did not fit into the flow of the main body so it will be presented as an appendix.

          Angst as a term in philosophy comes from the theory of existentialism, which centers on themes of individuality and individual freedom apropos man's relationship to God. Existentialism is a fairly loose term describing various arguments, beginning with Soren Kierkegaard and followed by Karl Jaspers, Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, Gabriel Marcel, Blaise Pascal and Martin Heidegger. "Angst" (Danish for "dread") was a term used by Kierkegaard, describing man's fear of failing (in his actions) to live up to the responsibilities that are expected from the divine, and is an important facet of his philosophical theories. (On the other hand Sartre's famous "existence before essence" theory rejects the notion of God, claiming individual freedom of choice is the only force controlling one's actions; evidence of the variety of theories within existentialist thoughts.) Many authours have taken up existentialist themes in their works, ranging from Hermann Hesse, Franz Kafka, Marquis de Sade, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Albert Camus and Simon de Beauvoir. Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling" may be a good place to start if you are interested in further exploring this genre. Some general knowledge of Hegel's philosophy (which Kierkegaard refutes) may come in handy.

11. Appendix II: "Angst" and "Dark"

           Another thing that should be touched upon is the difference between "angst poetry" and "dark poetry" and if such difference exists. To do this we would have to define "dark poetry", which is as undefined as "angst poetry" (as seen by the rather ambiguous demarcations from our contributors), but as a general tendency of the responses we received, "dark poetry" can be differentiated from "angst poetry" where it takes up themes that are ... well, dark (for the lack of a better word), but not exclusively concerned with what is often labeled as "negative human emotions". We should point out that most opinions are in agreement that "dark poetry" often encompasses "angst", but they are "not synonymous" (despite often being regarded that way). Perhaps in light of the aforementioned philosophy, "dark" is more nihilistic than "fear of failure" which seems to be based on a certain amount of confidence, but the borderline remains fuzzy. And of course, to those who do not hold "angst" as a poetic genre, "dark" isn't so different in that regard.

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Poeticks July 2004