PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

One should keep in mind that erotic, or what we call "adult," poetry has a literary precedent in the Western Canon that goes back to the Song of Solomon in the Bible.  Some of the greatest ancient lyric poetry---especially of Greek and Rome---is hetero- or homoerotic.  And, again, in support of that, we have the poetry of Solomon as cited above; the account of the affection between David and Jonathan; and, even, in Genesis, the origin of human culture and society is shown as commencing with two naked people in a bucolic setting.  Even Rome's greatest epic poet, Vergil, began his career with bucolic and homoerotic lyrics in The Eclogues.

One should also keep in mind that, in commenting on a poet's work, especially negatively, comments should be restricted to objectively provable criticisms---like "a proper sonnet has fourteen lines, not eleven"; or " the words 'house' and 'town' do not properly rhyme"; or "you should cite the source of epigraphical quotations, providing the author's name and the title of the work."  To say, "I don't like this poem because its erotic content disturbs my deeply-held, down-home conservative values" is a cop-out.   First, it does not need to be stated; who cares about your personal values as a vehicle for criticism?  Secondly, if it offends your values, why did you even visit the poem?  And third, if it offends your values, why did you linger long enough to post a remark?

I think there is a very subtle ruse in putting comments in some form of "I dislike this because it is erotic" and then similtaneously dismiss the comment with some form of the phrase "But that's just me."  The ruse is that, while affecting a kind of false humility in the second statement, you have managed to launch the insult already in the preceding statement, and then you distance yourself from the damage by making a remark that disparages yourself in a kind of "aw shucks" manner.  A similar situation might be as if Jack the Ripper cut the throat of one of the women and then said, "Oh, I'm sorry, that's just my lack of control with a knife."  The damage is already done, and was intended to have been done; the apology then becomes insulting rather than reconciliatory.

They tell me that T S  Eliot attempted to write a parody of Alexander Pope's poetry, and that his friend Ezra Pound said, "You can only write a parody of Pope if you can write better than Pope, and you can't."  I think this is the rule to follow with negative criticisms:  if you are going to produce a negative remark, make sure that you can write at least as well as, or better than, the poet whose poem you wish to negatively critique. 

Anyone can compliment a good meal, and the compliment is appropriate and valuable.  But if you wish to criticize the chef's cooking---the ingredients used---the presentation served---you should at least be able to cook as well as, or better than, that chef.  Same for poetry.  As in any art, or any worthwhile endeavor, you should not instruct unless you have been instructed.