Bad Poetry Policy
Poempig will not ridicule or mock anyone large, small or illiterate who attempts to capture their flowery thoughts or jumbled emotions in poetic form. Poetry is for the most part an amateur sport. Meanwhile, a poem can refuse to be written or it can be pig-headed and self-possessed, and assume a life of it’s own. A poem can strut across the page flourishing a muskateer’s hat and take a theatrical bow; it can lounge on a chaise lounge in a chiffon gown listlessly acknowledging the floral tributes; a poem can be full of ruddy faced bluster or be all-apologetic and meek; a poem may have to be dragged, African Queen style, through a swamp of ideas to clear waters or it can wander around the page and get lost in a literary fog; poems can be still born or die of neglect.
Anyone who writes poetry knows this struggle with words that, somehow, a poet does not own. Ultimately, the words own the poet. So I will not put another’s poetic work in public stocks and throw rotten vegetables at it …… with some exceptions.
Bad Poetry exists. It adorns Greeting Cards and fridge magnets; it appears stitched into tapestries or set in bread-dough frames. It is trumpeted in obituaries, orated by politicians, shouted out by rock gods, poked-at by celebrity chefs and drooled over by drug addicts. Bad poetry should be blindfolded and shot without trial if only to dissuade others from similar pursuits.
Whenever you see the BAD POETRY tag you will almost hear the words ‘Aim! Fire!’ as another poetic dud hits the dust.