Can one go too far in paring poems down to the essentials?

Question

?????

by Elaine P

Fresh Fish Sold Here,

read the sign up there.

"Of course it's here,"

I said, "and not elsewhere."

Fresh Fish Sold

read the sign up

"Of course, it's sold,"

I said, free fish I'd fear."

Fresh Fish

Read the sign

"Of course, it's fresh,"

I said, "it's from the mer."

Fish

Read the

"Of course, it's fish,"

I said, "the smell is near."

????

Read

"Wonder what's in that shop?"

asked a passerby.

Answer 1

You could turn that into a haiku and it would be the better for it.

Answer 2

Well clearly one can go too far in advertising.

I run the risk of this with a lot of my work. I have to remember to add specific details to make the poem more concrete to the reader.

In general though we have the opposite problem of precision--so paring is welcome.

Answer 3

Paring poems seems to be the trend - guess something says too many words are wrong. You may end up - with a sleeker, smoother poem - that lacks awe inspiring details.  I think - Mozart was once criticized - that his music had too many notes. ♥

Answer 4

With a paring knife I pared a pair of pears

When I was done the pair wasn't there.

I'm going to watch a movie now. Has anyone seen "The Invisible Man?"

Answer 5

Yes, I think a poem can go too far in being too pared out and sparse and lose the naturalness of the flow of thought.  

I'd actually prefer a few too many words than not enough and not understand what the hang the writer is trying to say.  There are writers here at yahoo that are perfect examples of it.

Answer 6

s a can

Answer 7

EWD not sold here. Get none for the price of 2.

Comic timing in rhyming - EP you is my kinda friend! Mega lol! Nanu, Nanu Sister! Top formatting too! You style-bunny, you!

Hook line and sinker

This one is so NOT a stinker

A-pare-ntly the answer

is yes

To the question of Min Poe

I would guess

now my meter is

all "up the putt" *

maybe I'll finish

before someone

yells "cut"!

Answer 8

"A good artist knows when to quit"

Some say too little, some say too much, Just enough is the

challenge it seems.

Answer 9

clever dilemma!