Conceptual Poetry

Ah, the scourge of misleading titles. I thought of this phrase to describe something in Golden Sky (yes, I'm still writing that, no, I don't have any excuses for the skipped evaluations). It seemed a decent fit, it still does, but I'm fairly sure the naked phrase will evoke ideas far different from those intended (the context should make it clear, but I wouldn't trust my judgement on the matter).

As I supposed after a few minutes of reflection, and a quick Google confirmed, the phrase is already in use to describe a kind of poetry that is in some way related to concepts. Shocker, innit.  I would attempt a more exact definition, but it seems a riddle the poets in question don't seem too given to answer. Never trust an artist to give you anything concrete on their art (said a crappy writer, bitter voice filled with contempt). But in any case, I do know it is not what I meant by it.

What myself and Jack who is the one to use the phrase wish to express by it, is an actual concept, or relationship between concepts, that appeals to an aesthetic sense. If an idea by itself is conceptual prose, then conceptual poetry is finding a way to look at an idea through which you notice something curious, paradoxical, or self-referencing within it (that's what hits my concept-aesthetic buttons, at least). I find it, well, a fun exercise, though not generally  a source of enlightening. At this point, I should be giving you examples, probably. But, as it turns out, the only examples that come to mind are those within the story, and I don't wish to share them yet. Not even because they're spoilers, I just want to leave 'em there. If I find any better, I'll try to keep track of them.


I wonder if I'll get any mistaken googlers from this.

2011/03/15, mistaken googler count +1