A friend of mine said. "Hey, why don't you write
a column about titling poetry?", and after I ate
a few more grapes and sent the palm fronder
home... I thought, why the hell not.
First off, what makes a good title to begin with?
Well, if you're asked to remove it for one.
If a lot of people complain yet still come to read it?
Then you're onto something.
What does a title have to do with the poem?
That's weird because it could be argued everything,
and nothing, because there are endless amounts
of degrees that can be brought into this:
1. What's the poem about?
2. What does it mean to me?
3. What do I want it to mean for others?
For instance, you've gone and written yet
another poem about your favourite doggy woggy?
Which title would you pick?
a. Man's best friend
b. Person's best friend
c. My stinking blind ferkin mutt
d. What dog?
e. Can I get a bananna?
Now, tough selection I know, but does it need
to be? No, because, the dog might have a cool
name like 'Thor', which makes a great title since
it is preselective and caters to a certain individual.
Into mythology, battling giants, big hammers I mean?
(Remember that little girl in "Adventures in babysitting"?)
Lol, It's endless.
What if your dog acts more like a cat?
You could call the poem 'Tuna' not to be confused
with spuna which is a diferrent story altogether.
Point being? Think outside of the box, because
Your title is the key to the gate for the castle.
A title can single handedly fix a poem, or ruin
it. Now, "I'm sure all of you are grumbling and
saying, "But horus8, we hate titling?" Boo hoo.
Then you're in the wrong field. Poetry is all
about compression, and the title is the corner
stone, the foundation, and the process of finding
a title should be eagerly anticipated by the author.
Here are some ways that I've spiced it up.
1. Flip open a dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus
and randomly pick a couple that you like from what you see
immediately in front of you... no cheatin, be sure to know
what it is, and get the definition. That way you teach
yourself a new word and learn something while titling.
2. Target your enemies and blast 'em.
'Meaning' be political, controversial, go after what
you believe in or stand against. If it's religious
"Pope on a rope" if you're into God? "Fork off Shaitan"
Think outloud be verbal. Attack!
3. Choose the best sentence out of your poem,
and use that.
4. Have the title be in the 'now' before the poem,
meaning, the title is "I have nothing against blah blah..."
Then the poem starts "But you are an ass..." Like that.
5. Make up a word "Spuna", "Infomasturbatory", "Turkeef"
As a poet, take risks, because you never know when you'll
come up with the next best thing.
6. One word obscure titles are great "Hewed", "Runt"
"Pike", "Minced" Find a powerful one word sentiment.
7. Ask a good poet friend, and think tank.
8. Make the title have absolutely nothing to
do with the poem, only to find out later that
some reader finds a way to tie it in. Weird,
but I've seen it happen.
So, there it is people, and remember poets
have an obligation to more than just God,
or themselves, or cutting, or drugs, or whatever
other stupid assinine excuses people use as a
shield to write about, and hide behind.
You choose the title, don't let
it choose you, and for the love of poetry
be imaginative, not kitsch or lazy.
We do have to live with it afterwards.
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Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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i often find that great titles change in meaning once the reader is immersed in the poem...some word or phrase with which the reader can identify and interests the reader, which is then turned on them. Somewhere in the poem they are turned on to a different meaning for the word or phrase, a meaning entirely different than what they may have imagined upon first reading the title.
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I never knew sasquatches dabble in poetry! Who knows, there might be a few subscribing to AP. But their poetry will give them away..
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Because the other two I traded up north fo a sasquatch hand to beat my management with, but just not Yeti.
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My dear Horus, let me be the first to ask - why do you deprive us of 20% of your very sound and useful advice? Was that figure determined by your manager? Do you intend to sell it at $1000 apiece? (I know, I know - a very conservative estimate!).
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No one's asked about the missing two? Now have they sir Bard? Hmmm... Intersting. Was it something I said? lol.
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I love the title of your piece! Practice what you preach, I suppose.
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Good readon for a part two, too.
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you forgot, "put something that sounds like any form of sexual act in the title."
that gets them every time
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So glad someone finally wrote something on titles. What a great idea for a column.
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LOL@ the "Adventures In Babysitting" reference!! This was humorously informative...and I really enjoyed some of the suggested titles and Lewis Carollisms (blending of words, as in "The Jabberwocky"). This is useful to many and, with the humor, should be offensive to none...well..except those without a sense of humor. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
naena
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thanks for the advice, it was really helpful and humorous too...
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Do you ever find yourself saying these words "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful?" (inside) and out, I can tell, you lucky bastard.
Edited on Jan 13, 5:16 p.m. because 'comma'. -
Yeaaaay! That was like, so, OMG, like, totally fab.
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Lovely advice. I think I shall go forth, hither and yon and perhaps surgicize (yah, thanks for the bit about making up words, eh?) all my titles. Shan't use SPUNA though because it brings up nasty childhood memories of UNCLE and KAOS ...wait, those were two different shows...never mind.
Great column. Good advice. Thanks.
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nice read
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I am going to bookmark this so I can refer to it next time I need help.
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