Imagine..

John Lennon – Lyric Poetry at its Best

“Imagine” by John Lennon, is perhaps the best modern example of lyric poetry. It’s message, socially relevant even thirty years later, cries out in a hauntingly mesmerizing plea for peace in a world of fear and hatred. The writer compels the audience, in this case the listener, to form an opinion on the subject.

No one who has heard this man perform this song, has ever walked away unmoved; either one way or another. He causes his audience to think about his personal perspective. It is clear concise language, underscored by beautifully haunting melody that impacts the listener.

As a poet/writer; these are the things we should strive to emulate. That personal contact with the audience, their involvement; mentally and emotionally with the subject matter. When done correctly, an impassioned plea can start the process of change, Lennon was aware that it might not happen in his life-time, but; he knew that it must happen.

Strive for impact in your writing, whatever the subject matter. Try to convey the emotional, intellectual and personal appeal to the reader/listener/observer. Only then, when we have touched someone profoundly, have we truly created art.

The Mass Appeal of Spoon-fed Ideology

I once had an instructor who informed us that, “The reader is a sheep, you must lead him/her to the water (your viewpoint)”.  Wrong!  I dropped the course immediately following that statement and have never taken another course in Creative Writing since.

The reader is your friend, your accomplice in this endeavour.  Don’t treat them like they are beneath you.  Don’t talk down to them. We as writers have a point to make, a statement that is intrinsically ours alone. When you write for children you keep the vocabulary small for them to understand, but the concept can be as broad as you wish. They will get it. You don’t have to lead them there.

Too often, we feed the subject our views without allowing them the opportunity to reach them on their own; allow them the joy of the journey. Education and understanding are not two seperate entities; they should be the same thing. As children we learn from observing, doing; allow your reader the same experience.

A Final Thought From John Lennon’s Work

The Beatles song “Revolution” can be applied here. Break the shackles of spoon-fed ideology, write in a comfortable and relaxed style. Let the message be the goal, not the format in which it is delivered.

I have written about clarity and concise writing. Let me cover that just a moment.

Some of the most concise works I have read on Triond, are done by people who do not speak English as a first language. They tend to shy away from the hazards of the complexity of English and stick to the basics. Bravo! Clarity is the most important ingrediant.

Now, scientific, medical and legal writing can sometimes create problems. LEO TOLSTOY, a writer on Triond, is a great example of how to write scientific ideas in a way that the layman can get at least a basic understanding of the subject.  Sometimes, it is hard to be concise when ideas are so technically ponderous, but; by using clarity, he manages to keep the reader interested and allows them to understand what he is telling them.

So, in conclusion; I would break it down like this:

Clarity - express your ideas and opinions as simply as is possible.

Brevity – try to remember, the bigger the concept, the more likely you are to lose the audience with unnecessary wording.

Knowledge – write about what you know. If you don’t know about Arsenate DNA ( I didn’t) don’t attempt it.

Happy writing and just enjoy what you do.  I look forward to reading your work.

Image via Wikipedia