Welcome to the blog for Prof. John Talbird's English 220 class. The purpose of this site is two-fold: 1) to continue the conversations we start in class (or to start conversations before we get to class) and 2) to practice our writing/reading on a weekly basis in an informal forum.
Blanchfield's use of short sentences and the poems ability to flow with the slightest rhythm makes "Smalltown Lift" a poem. I considered this a prose style poem because with or without punctuation it would flow, make sense and still be enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThe poem has a lot of the stuff we expect poems to have:
ReplyDelete--figurative language
--onomatopoeia
--it's concentrated, succinct
But it also has characters, dialogue, action like we expect in a story. Frankly, I suspect that if Blanchfield had submitted this as a story, it would have been rejected. Often fiction editors are more close-minded about what a story is and/or is not. Poets are often, in my experience, more open to experimentation. For me, it's a poem b/c the poet says it's a poem
I wouldn't call "Smalltown Lift" a story because of its simplicity and lack of detail. There is no introduction of characters or an established plot.
ReplyDeleteI agree. There is not enough detail in "Smalltown Lift".
DeleteThe way this poem is written to me seems to be straight forward. It's short and doesn't seem to be a story because it ends very quick. There weren't a lot of details and it was very straight to the point. I wouldn't call it a story because the way the author wrote it seems to be in a poem form, in a sense of how short it is and minor details. If it was a story i would expect it to be a bit longer and more details such as a plot, character's, more in depth about what really is going on. This poem doesn't include character names, or so on, as i mentioned before it is very straight forward and is right to the point whereas a story has details to what is occurring.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first opened to "Smalltown Lift," I just assumed it was written in prose, never realizing it sounds more like a story - until now.
ReplyDeleteI think the author wanted to leave the reader with a little bit of shock. Writing the poem the way he did makes the point come across more quickly. Also, he is able to write without full sentences. Short and sweet. Which I find the poem to be.
I think it's a poem just based on the vagueness of the situation and how little detail is given to the reader along with what i think is a random part about bowling and the fact that in stories the characters normal speak to each other with “ but in this that element just isn't present instead it feel so monotone and a lack of emotion between two people that seem close based on the events happening.
ReplyDeleteEven though the poem is formatted into a paragraph, I do get a sense that this writing is a poem rather than story. The dialogue for one gives me the sense that the author intends for this writing to have a poetic sense to it. The use of the written sound effects also gives the poem that poetic feel for me. The paragraph also isn't one continuous thought or idea; even though it is about one event. Each sentence really could be it's own line or thought. The format is deceiving but this definitely is poetry.
ReplyDeleteI would look at this as a poem as well rather than a story. A poem can be a continuous strain of thoughts with no particular start or end. A story more often than not has a backstory, developed characters and scenes. I believe a poem can be a 'moment' or feelings in certain moments, while a story describes that but also how the characters get to that moment and the events before and after. In addition, poems usually are written using language more creatively and do not always follow conventional language 'rules'. "Smalltown Lift" when read also has a particular rhythm to the stanzas and words which is something tell-tale of poetry.
ReplyDelete"Smalltown Lift" is meant to intrigue the reader to the point of no return. I feel the aspect of mystery increases it's chances of being a story.
ReplyDeleteSmalltown Lift is considered a poem because its not long enough to be a story and the author expresses more emotion then just telling a story its in a speech form. the author is making a statement and if it was a story it would be in more detailed and wouldn't go from bowling to having their arm around someone. The author is just letting out what he or she has in their mind. A story is longer and the events go in order, of something that happened or even something they made up.
ReplyDeleteIts rhythm, style and the emotion. Although this poem is written in a paragraph, its still written in unique style. You can hear the rhythm of the poem when you read the short sentence. He emphasize bowling. You can feel his emotion.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few qualities based off of the structure of the writing that makes this more of a poem than a story. The line structure of the writing is rhythmic with each other line hanging/indented.
ReplyDeleteThe use of onomatopoeia when the writer continuously expresses the phrase "click" to express the camera taking a picture. The plot is very vague and leaves a lot to the imagination, while still expressing the main points that allow us to follow along.
I would consider smalltown lift to be a poem rather than a short story because there isn't an established plot, characters or setting. It is in the form of a prose poem, contains rhythm, onomatopoeia and figurative language. It is also short enough to be considered a poem but not long enough to be called a story.
ReplyDeleteA " Smalltown Lift" was an sweet short story about a male putting his arm around a female and taking a picture and capturing the moment.
ReplyDeleteI would consider "Smalltown Lift" a poem because it captures a flicker in time as I find only poetry can: time is suspended and plot isn't necessary as it would be in a story but it is still able to convey the sentiment and authors purpose.
ReplyDelete