As I read various works, and then review comments, it seems to me that readers often think the work they are reading is somehow autobiographical (unless it is more in the fantasy genre). My first impulse, unless a work is stated to be in the autobiography category, is to assume it is fiction -- including poetry. However, seeing the trend, it did prompt me to post a new topic about how my poem "Trust" is not intended to be autobiographical.
So, what do you all think when you read something? -- I am interested to know.
I'm one of those guys. It probably has to do, with how I view poetry. For me, poetry has been a way to deal with my feelings and I think, I'm not the only one. That clearly influenced the way I look at poetry by someone else. And as virtually nobody tells if their poems are autobiographical or not, I tend to assume they are. If I'm wrong, I apologize here and now, but I don't think I'll change in that.
Maybe you should just see it as a compliment. Autobiographical or not, you tried to convey a feeling with the poem, and judging by the empathy in the comments, you clearly succeeded.
If life seems jolly rotten
there's something you've forgotten
and that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
from Monty Python's "Life of Brian"
Thank you all for weighing in - I enjoyed reading the views posted here. For me, most of the things that I have written over the years involve my playing with an idea of something that occurred, but I would never characterize the works as documenting real life experiences. My one poem, "Adolescence" was really written in high school, and, at the time, I had all the feelings stated in the poem. When I started exploring this site, I went through my old files and came across a couple of poems I thought might be fun to post. I posted "Adolescence" and gave it that title because, to me, it really sounded like a passionate high-schooler (which, of course, I was!).
Very valid questions Talia.
I get the same thing on red site.
Its true some of my poetry and only my poetry is written based on life and how I was/am feeling at the time and needing to express my emotions, but none and I repeat NONE of my stories there are and the majority of my poems are pure fiction too...I think its pretty obvious the ones that are not as they are emotional and not sexual in any nature.
I am unsure as to whether I should be flattered or not as to why people think I would write about real life (personal) experience..I wont even use myself as a character as I am uncomfortable with doing so.
So why on Earth some think I would write about a genuine private experience I had is beyond me. Those who know me well know I would never do that, but still perhaps we should and could envision that they feel our writing is so realistic that some readers feel it to be so?
That's how I like to think about it and take it as a compliment.
