Two Instructors
Poets and Storytellers United
Friday Writings #2: Always Learning
Our new Friday Writings format means we are open to pieces on any topic, but if you’d like a little something to prompt your muse, I’d like to suggest drawing inspiration from a subject you studied at school.
I've always loved words. I was weaned on the poetry of A. A. Milne. My father wouldn't read me Now We Are Six until I was six, and what anticipation that was! Later, my oldest was accustomed to hearing me call out, "Be a good girl, Jane!" as he stepped out the door. I still leave "Bisy. Backson" notes on the kitchen counter. (See below for links)
Ms. Brown was my college online poetry class professor. Mrs. Buckette taught my high school creative writing class. After she retired she went on to publish several novels, belying my father's "Those who can do, those who can't teach," a saying quite unlike him.
Ms. Brown
Never take a class in poetry
if the text is the professor’s own.
You will never meet her standards
without parroting her style.
The lesson learned?
Always give the teacher
just what the teacher wants.
Mrs. Buckette
Mrs. Buckette taught
haiku must allude only
not spell out seasons
I’ve striv’d to obey that rule
these past forty-seven years
(She'd be gravely disappointed in that tanka!)
©2021 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved
Can you believe I saved some of my class work from 1975? Neither can I! I think my college poetry is lost on some hard drive.
The Good Little Girl (Be a good girl, Jane)
I love your pieces of class work! And I think the lesson learned from Mrs Brown can be widely applied – which is a great shame for real learning.
ReplyDeleteSo true. I knew a young man who, in college, failed creative writing three times. He refused to change his writing to what the teacher was looking for. Now, that was just silly. Give her what she wanted and move on!
DeleteThe contrasting teaching methods! Mrs. Brown seems familiar
ReplyDeleteIs is nice that you kept some of your work and to see the comment of "Very Good!"
At the time I thought Mrs. Buckette was a tough teacher, and she was. But, I enjoyed that class a lot. I actually looked her up online and may drop her a note and let her know I still think of her!
DeleteI love the tanka so very much, Lisa. And your note made me laugh so hard that my Piano Man ran into the room to make sure I wasn't choking. I wonder if Mrs. Buckette would appreciate the old bit of writing wisdom that says that we should learn the rules well so that we know how to break them.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think she would! She was very strict to the "rules." A very proper, serious German woman. At least in class, as I remember. I think she intimidated me!
DeleteI don't know about poetry but I have learned that the key to a good grade in a philosophy class is to always agree with the teacher and if the teacher claims that he doesn't want agreement then you need to agree twice as hard!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, philosophy. I never took it, but my daughter did and it was another case of the instructor's own book.
DeleteHa! I like to write the word "autumn" in my haiku frequently. Mrs. Buckette would find me to be be a pain in the hindquarters!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to notice from now on!
Delete"Never take a class in poetry
ReplyDeleteif the text is the professor’s own.
You will never meet her standards
without parroting her style."
that's the definition of every writing symposium and MFA program out there... very well said, i had to laugh, and cry =)
That's all you can do! Just give them what they want. In most cases all you need to do is pass and get it done with.
DeleteOh I think she would love every word of your post today!!!! I do.
ReplyDeleteThank you. She was quite strict though!
Delete