Thursday night we discussed the punctuation part quite a bit. As far as spacing for me it is partially visual - giving shape to the poem and partially auditory- a place to stop and maybe shift gears or place emphasis. I struggle more with how to read other people’s poem and what their spacing means.
I agree—partially visual and partially auditory. As for struggling with how to read other people's poems, perhaps you'll struggle less as you read more of it aloud? Try to let the poem come through your voice, not to control it with your voice—concern yourself not so much with the MEANING of the spacing but the FEEL of it? Does this make sense?
How does a poet use punctuation and spaces.
Big subject that probably boils down to this: however the poet wishes, in service of the poem.
Thursday night we discussed the punctuation part quite a bit. As far as spacing for me it is partially visual - giving shape to the poem and partially auditory- a place to stop and maybe shift gears or place emphasis. I struggle more with how to read other people’s poem and what their spacing means.
I agree—partially visual and partially auditory. As for struggling with how to read other people's poems, perhaps you'll struggle less as you read more of it aloud? Try to let the poem come through your voice, not to control it with your voice—concern yourself not so much with the MEANING of the spacing but the FEEL of it? Does this make sense?