Dr. Krantz
English 2500

Careful, mind the audience

Marianne Moore's poem "Poetry," starts with the words "I, too, dislike it: there are things that are important beyond all this fiddle." (1-2) Immediately one gets the impression that dislike of poetry is the message of this poem. However, on further reading, it quickly becomes apparent that the poem is actually defending poetry.

So why would the speaker start the poem with such a firm declaration against poetry? This is a hook line, which is designed to capture a readers attention. Specifically it is designed to appeal to an audience which adamantly declares its dislike of poetry. The above opening lines create an instant sympathy between a distrustful reader and a reasonable speaker. The irony of a poetess using poetry to declare her dislike of it also helps to encourage further reading.

Having accomplished the daunting task of capturing this skeptic audience's attention, the speaker procedes carefully, choosing words and arguments that won't scare the reader away. This caution is best illustrated by the lines, "Reading it, however, with a perfect contempt for it, one / discovers in / it after all, a place for the genuine." (3-5) The idea that poetry may be worthwhile is down played because it is craftily introduced between phrases like "perfect contempt, 11 and "discover in it after all." This gentle tactic makes those distrustful of poetry curious to see how this contemptible thing can, in fact, be deserving of their time and understanding.

Here, the poem shifts from expounding the worth of poetry to addressing some common complaints about poetry. Such complaints include not understanding poetry, feeling that poetry is too symbolic and intellectual, and feeling that poetry doesn't deal with reality. The speaker takes these complaints and holds them up as good criteria for judging poetry. In fact, those "half-poets" who "become so derivative as to become unintelligible," are said to be at fault for the general feelings of dilike felt toward poetry. It is because the reader's possible complaints are not simply dismissed as uninformed and irrelevant, that the reader feels willing to continue following the speaker through this exploration of poetrv.

The speaker holds up that the poetry produced by those "half-poets" isn't really poetry at all, nor can it be until they work "above insolence and triviality," to bring us imagery that feels real and can be intimately inspected. That poetry should be more intellectually accessible and less obscure to the common person, is a sentiment held by many who dislike poetry. To have these views reiterated by a poetess, endears her to them, and makes them more willing to give her arguments for poetry careful consideration.

Moore's understanding of the audience she wants to address and the words she uses to address them, gives her the ability to devise an effective argument. She identifies herself with the audience and chooses her language carefully, so as not to put those who dislike poetry on the defensive. This is why, when the poem concludes that, "In the meantime, if you demand on the one hand, / the raw material of poetry in / all its rawness and / that which is on the other hand / genuine, then you are interested in poetry," (33-37) the idea is not distasteful. The speaker has gently lead the reader to see that not only might poetry be a worthwhile pursuit, but it might actually be something the reader could enjoy.