John Barton
John Barton
chose poems relative
I would not say I chose to write long poems on a conscious level. The long poem has been a relative constant.
obvious outset poems unfold
I have been told my poems unfold in such a way that it is not at all obvious from the outset where they are going or how they will end.
either poems remarkably unaware understanding verse written
Most victims of my autobiographical verse are either far too polite, remarkably understanding unaware that I have written poems about them.
cannot poems tinker
I sometimes like to tinker with poems that have failed, ones that I have sent aside. Even years afterward, I will revisit them if there is something about them that I cannot give up on.
poems
To me many short poems read and write like beginnings that simply whet my appetite; I want to get over that.
build critical greatest help poems publishing thoughtful
The greatest satisfaction comes from publishing interesting poems and well written, thoughtful critical material, and to help build a community.
agency attorney defend strongly
Our attorney will strongly defend the agency in this case,
deep nice people three worry
Jake has done a nice job, but all three of our receivers have, but people worry about Jake on the deep ball.
cannot engaging fact happened notion personally point stop time
We are comfortable with the fact that we cannot know personally what happened in the world before we were born, yet we are uncomfortable with the notion that we will stop engaging with time at some point in the future.
combined elements experiment hope interest mostly poem pulling various
The experiment of the poem is mostly intuitive. I write the first draft, pulling in the various elements that interest me, in the hope that their being combined will lead to some kind of insight.
people
We have to have people in the right position, we have to do something to get in straight.
extra field goals points work
We work on extra points and field goals every day, every day. To have that let us down is very tough.
draw experiment replicate
The reader's challenge is to replicate the experiment by reading the poem and to draw their own conclusions.
arrive deliver disprove experiment prove reveals
The point of an experiment is not to arrive at a predetermined end point, to prove or disprove anything, but to deliver a poem that reveals much about the process taken.