Category: Notes

The evolution of poetry over the centuries gives us a false illusion of freedom gained, it seems to us that, over the centuries, the poets have been gradually getting rid of the ties of the verses until reaching the free verse.  In part, the poets proved themselves capable of breaking old conventions, introducing new expressive resources (the enjambement, for example) and expanding the aesthetic possibilities of poetry. But it is false to think that, sitting down to compose, the poet feels free as to form, even in free verse. That, of course, if he is a good poet. But why? Because even if he gives up the metrics, the rhymes, varies the stanzas and extrapolates the limits of the verse, the poet will be bound by the rhythm. If he wants to compose a good poem, he is not free to put the words where he wants. Rhythm, the balance between tonic and tense syllables, cadenced movement of sounds: the day the poem that ignores these principles is considered good, we will all be—from illiterate to philistines—great poets.

____________

Read more:

• Psychological Novels
• Quincas Borba, by Machado de Assis
• The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• Independence and resolution

Interesting how the duty of originality haunts the average writer. I mean, before he can express himself with sincerity and strength, he has to be original. But originality, unless the writer deliberately uses a ready-made formula, plagiarizes and refuses to think independently, comes naturally. First, because the psychological interpretations of the facts, the relationship locked between the individual and the surrounding reality are variable and almost unique. Second, because biographies are absolutely individual, that is: each writer has unique experiences to be transmitted to his art. So unless he intends to be someone other than himself, any half dozen sincere lines will make the writer always look original.

____________

Read more:

• The Distance Between the Audience and the Artist
• The Real Artist
• The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
• The Bureaucrats’ Resistance

It amazes me that the world has existed for so long without control spreadsheets. Sometimes I refuse to believe it, but backwards from the 1980s — at least — people lived without spreadsheets. My brain locks up: how? Impossible! And I convince myself that by deleting my spreadsheets, my home would immediately catch fire. There is no routine task that does not require a spreadsheet: from shopping at the supermarket to accompanying readings. Controlling the weight, the level of body fat is very important. The movies watched, the monthly cash flow, the portfolio of assets, the hours in language study, the special alcoholic beverages consumed over the years, the planning of daily physical exercises… all these are mandatory spreadsheets, essential to life. There are others, several others. And I am amazed at this: how to write a book without a spreadsheet? If I was to prepare a guide detailing the writing process, the first and obligatory step would be: create a companion spreadsheet, list the planning of the chapters, define their average length, and only then think about what to write. I would even say that, in many cases, the spreadsheet is previous to the idea or, still, the idea is only possible with the spreadsheet. Strange world…

____________

Read more:

• History of Western Literature, by Otto Maria Carpeaux
• The Rhythm of the Letters
• Faust, by Goethe
• Style Is Abundance of Expressive Resources