Amatuers and poets

Answer honestly and remember this thread until the day you die if you answer "poet".

For those who are new to poetry, do not care for this thread, it is of no importance to you. You've probably left the thread by now out of complete boredom anyways, due to the fact that it isn't really about expressing what you feel when you write poetry or something, I don't know- I never knew.

On with the subject:
Are you a poet, or are you an amatuer?
Answer wisely, and if there just so happens to be a large number of people who have already answered in this thread, please don't spam it. 5 people a day would be nice if you guys can be mature about it.

I'm an amatuer.
I'm not being modest, I am an amatuer and there's no two ways about it.

To be honest I'm not sure. I would love to be a poet and I take my writing pretty seriously, so if im an amatuer, hopefully one day I wont be.

I don't see the point in this thread.

But, I would think I'm a amatuer. I'm not great, But I'm not bad.

.x.TaLeEe.x.

I would have to say that I am a poet, in heart and in mind. I do think it depends on the idea you carve and work on. I would say that my skill still needs some work, but at the end of the day, I am still a writer and a poet. Nothing more, Nothing less

You are indeed a poet. I only read one but that's enough... why are you not appreciated? 3.4 on the first one there I think, that score is not valid.

I think it is because of what I say in the forums, unfortunately my works are rarely seen because of my opinions. Quite sad really!!

I gave you a 5/5 for it but it only raised it up .1 or so, tough break.

Just keep up what you do, this site wasn't made for people like you anyways.

I wish there was a more professional one around the web, I think this is impossible though due to the fact that a bunch of "complainers" would join and appreciate eachother due to the fact that they write exactly as the other does.

Why doesn't anyone here appreciate or practice independant writing? I've probably ruined about... 6 lives today due to how horrible their writings were.
I shouldn't have to do this.

I read your work Ismail. And I do like them =] Even though we don't get along.

Right on brother.

Keep up the guitaring btw.

Why doesn't anyone here appreciate or practice independant writing? I've probably ruined about... 6 lives today due to how horrible their writings were.
I shouldn't have to do this.

^^^ If you shouldn't have to do that. Then don't do it. It's simple as that.

You're right, I should just leave them to their own beliefs and such.

I guess this means I won't be ruining your day as well.

Yup. Or leave proper comments with words spelt correctly =] And leave a bit of respect.

hmm..

I consider myself a poet of heart, although I fear my poetry is not a poet worthy.

The first two I saw made me want to punch myself in the face due to how the titles were worded, I didn't read them due to this fact.
But, The Bitterness of Trees is what I consider poetry.

You wrote that well, it's a lot more better than most of the stuff you'd find on this website.
This poem is also un-appreciated just as ismails are.
I think I could call you a poet, you sure as hell wrote like one in that piece.

Might I add that you gave it a catchy title? I like that title a lot.

"Yup. Or leave proper comments with words spelt correctly =] And leave a bit of respect."

I don't think you get it.

You should linger off in your own world of beliefs now.
Bye bye.

"I can't argue with this one, it's a hell of a lot better than most of the bull I've read here so far.

5/5 brother, write more like this."

Nice comment. Too bad what I read of yours was bull. Before you go complaining about how bad other people are at writing. Take a look at your own work. I'm not saying I'm a fantastic writer. Because I know I'm not. But that doesn't give you the right to say that the poems who have read were all 'bull'.

"You should linger off in your own world of beliefs now.
Bye bye."

No, Sorry. I'm having fun. I'm aloud to say my piece in here. And I'm not trying to start an arguement. I just don't think it's fair that you should be able to say the poems on here you've read are "bull" When your's aren't that crash hot.

But, I have to go anyway. My world of "beliefs" are calling me. I'm sorry. Bye. =]

I consider myself a poet, although that isn't all I am. I consistantly persue poetry - as an art form, trying to work on improving my skills at the craft.

amateur

I'm not sure what a poet is, but I have a pretty good idea of what an amateur is, so that's where I placed myself.

I consider myself a poet, but I also know that compared to other top poets, I still have room for improvements.

I'm glad I made this thread, it's so much more easier to find some decent stuff this way rather than to mindlessly browse for what I'm looking for.

I'm curious, do you read the self-proclaimed poets, or the admitted amateurs, or both?

People are pretty honest in this thread actually, due to this fact I just read the poets poems. I wanna read good ones, ones I could look up to and perhaps learn off of.

I'm an amatuer. I really try but with the formatting on this site my poems look like they have fragments when they really don't. I know I have a lot to learn still.

I can understand what you're saying, but take for example Bob Shank, aka Sluvious.

His poems are great, but he doesn't consider himself a poet (he doesn't consider himself an amateur either).

This has been a nice thread.

I hope to be considered a poet one day but for now I have much to learn so I'll say I'm an amateur. Perhaps a poet in soul but my work has room for improvement ^_^

I would like to say that I'm a poet...but I fear I may have to go with amateur. Although I do believe that some of my writing is worthy of being called poetry, some of it just doesn't cut it. Plus, to be honest, there's always room for improvement. Hell, that's why I'm on this site!

A good point is that the difference between an amateur and a regarded poet may very well be in the effort put into this art. There is always room for improvement. I have noticed that many of the ‘would be’ poets on this site are very competitive. I think competition is a useful tool in improving any talent we may have. It is quite possible that any pride as a child might have prevented us from walking. First attempts are sometimes not as eloquent as we would like. I look upon humility as a virtue but do not see myself above self –promotion. If I knew how to satisfy every ones definition of poetry I would do it

I would consider myself an amatuer, because although I do think some of my stuff is preaty good I believe that I still have a lot of improving to be done. Poetry is all about growth and the emotions involved in life so to stop growing and ivolving in your work is to stifle your creative mind altogether. However I do believe that there are some real poets on this site who's work speaks bounds about them.

I'm deffinatly a poet at heart, but i'm unable to judge my own work fairly, therefore i leave it up to the reader!
one person may think my work is amazing & another may think it's awfull, it's all a matter of personal taste.

I am a poet and I surely know it.
For a poet shall know it but a quoter will quote it.

:P I came to a conclusion last year. I am a poet, for I write poems and publish them. I also know what stanzas are and some special styles. I can rhyme things and include imagery. Most of all, I love poetry. I write whenever I can. If I'm not doodling, I'm writing, vice versa. I have a passion for poetry.

That's what makes me a poet.

~Rainy

I think we are mis-percieving the defintions of 'amateur' and 'poet'.

Sure, not all of us on this site are published and have a house-hold name, or are in literary books at school... but does that make us amateurs?

My saying is, "There is no such thing as a bad poem unless you are expressing what is inside." (And, you know, have good grammer and such.) I've only been writing poetry for two years now, but I feel quite comfortable in my poetry, but not concieted. I consider myself a Poet. Tell me if I am wrong, but I think of it is if you write poetry to please yourself, please others with your work, you have every right to call yourself a Poet. I work on poems every day, I consider myself a Poet. What else would I be? An amatuer doesn't cut it for me. Because even though I am two years into writing poetry... I am a composer. I am a composer of art, literature, poetry... so I am an Artist, Writer, and Poet. If you draw art, aren't you a Artist? If you write, aren't you a Writer? If you write poetry, aren't you a Poet?

Yes, I think so. As long as you are respected as a poetry writer, use your words as abstract meanings, or even straight forward meanings. As long as you do it to express... but, I must say, I don't sit down and think, "The next line should be a metaphor." I think a real Poet lets it flow out, or thinks about it with profound thought to get a meaning across to the reader... and I think that is very well me. I either write to let my feelings out... or write to get a meaning across to the reader.

So I'm a Poet... in my opinion. And I think thats what it is. If you think your a Poet, then all be damned, your a Poet. You can be whatever you want to be, I don't see anything wrong.

"If you think your a Poet, then all be damned, your a Poet."

^you're, not your.

not being rude, just pointing it out

I saw the you're thing after I posted it. Opps.

Sometimes when I go on a rant I just forget to look for some spelling errors. My apologies.

Well Confidence is the key to carry yourself through. Someone told me that... but I do forget who.

I don't know, poetry is my passion and i have heaps to learn so i'd say i was an amateur but its one of the principal parts of my life so i'd say i was a novice poet lol!

Sondos

I would think, that anyone who tries to lyrically write down an experience, a feeling or an observation would be considered a poet by right - what classifies them as "amatuer" would depend on how well they get their views across to the reader, be it with clever subtleness or with astounding imagery.

If you can impact someone enough to affect their lives even momentarily - that makes you a good poet. If people are just reading your rhymes and moving on to another, you're not quite there yet, but take thanks in people reading your material.

I guess my stance is, I'm a poet to some, and not others. And I'm okay with that.

I always try to make them think, it's what a poem is for - to tell the reader what you've experienced or what you believe...so don't just say it, portray it...make your poem DRIP with your story and emotions. Poems are author's shortest stories - and perhaps most difficult to write.

Best of success, poets. - DM

hmm...im not sure what i am really...im probably an amatuer...but i think as long as you write whats on your mind and you devote yourself to poetry, then you are a poet at heart and a poet at soul...and if ur a poet at heart and soul, then how can people say that you're not a poet..and not all poets are excellent at grammar, similes, metaphors, or whatever else, i know im not.. but if your poetry inspires at least one person and you have gotten across to them...then your a poet...what else are you supposed to be...amatuers surely can't do that...and a lot of poems that i've read on this site did just that:):)...so its not up to us to decide wheather we are poet ot amatuer..it's up to the reader:):)....so i dunno what i am..but i know i love to write it and i know that its the best thing i've done:):)

An Amateur

or

A Poet

I dont believe there is in anyway, a clear answer. Although everybody on this site that has atleast one poem is a poet, we all have many flaws which may clasify us as "amateurs" in some eyes.

The Definition of a poet is
-A writer of poems.

Therefore, by that standard, if you have written a poem, by default you are a poet, if you believe that then rethink your theory. The definition, as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If you write with raw emotion, talent, and expressions, in many peoples eyes you are considered a poet, an artist, an author, and if your work is lacking or weak, then you are labeled, "Amateur" or "Rookie". Neither I believe are true. I believe everyone that writes with true emotion and feelings and can express themselves through the art of poetry is a poet.

~Finally answering the question, yes I do believe i am a poet. Maybe not the best, not the most fundamentaly flawed, but I believe I am a poet.

I am not being snood, upstanding, or think i'm above anyone else. I just believe since I write, as many others do, with emotion that is easily expressed, and read, that I am a poet.

You know very well that not all poems written with emotion are about cutting and depression. Yes there are a lot of them, and they're show in different ways. If its expressing how you feel and how you can express yourself, and it just happens to be in a style like those 4 lines above ^ then so be it.