Why should poets agree with this theory?

Question

Theory: Poetry should not be attempted at 3 AM. Will you comment on this theory?

The Descent of Poetry

by Elaine Polin

The hours before sunrise heavy lie on my heart,

Night, former companion, is reluctant to part.

Bright Luna is absent, no breeze stirs dead air,

Ocean’s tides lie at ebb, stars and planets elsewhere.

In these strange, silent hours, time seems to stand still,

And clichés spew their horrors, an eternity to fill.

Poetry should be written when neurons are firing,

So tonight, I give up, my pen I’m retiring!

Answer 1

You seem to do extremely well with 3am writings...at that hour the only thing I'd be able to write about is the doggie doing her business in the back yard, which is the only reason I'm ever up at that hour. Wouldn't make for very good reading, I don't think!

(Wow! 3 dots and I didn't get the "Hmm...)

Answer 2

Now I lay me

down to rest

muse is having a fit!

All I get are

cliched thoughts

and none of them

will fit!

Where's my warm milk and brandy?

Answer 3

The nice things about theories is that they're just thought out guesses.  A poet/writer should write when they're inspired to write, whether it is noon or 3 am.  If you find your work too cliche--ish, there's always time to edit, too.

Answer 4

Your cliches (how do you do that umlauty thing?) sound as though new-born, though written at 3 o'clock in the morn.  Do not chastise thyself, my little rallying wonder elf!  You are one of the legs holding up the table of this unreal world of poets oft unstable.

Nice one....I sleep like a baby....ie I wake every four hours, but after a quick visit to the bathroom, or a drink of water I go back to sleep.

Answer 5

the fact that your body should be at rest at 3 am and not working may explain it. writing at a time which your body isnt use to will produce 2nd grade poetry  

Answer 6

i think 3 am is just as good a time as any to write poetry, if not better. it's completely silent, everybody's sleeping, and you can think clearly and let your thoughts flow. maybe somebody said not to write poetry at 3 am because what you write may sound silly, but that's probably because what you wrote was honest and personal and real, because you had the space to think about. god forbid anybody admitted how they really felt.....

Answer 7

it really depends on your schedule.  

Answer 8

I once wrote a dazzling sonnet at 3:00 a.m. I drove out into the country on a warm summer night, stopped my car at an intersection in the middle of nowhere, and sitting on the hood of the car composed my sonnet celebrating that moment in time. It helps that I tutor so I always have pens and paper in my car, and that I only sleep five hours on an average night.  I am probably shortening my life by such excesses, but that may be a blessing.

Answer 9

i dont no  

Answer 10

I'm at that point right now. I'm tired but awake. I love the quiet of these hours and if my energy were greater I could probably produce good work. As it stands, I usually write a few things down that feel profound in the late night, and transform to awful once I'm fully awake.

Poetry should be written when neurons are firing,

Fully agree with that.

Answer 11

Ah, soothing words that bring us into your late-night/early-morning realm. I don't know if it's because I haven't finished my first cup of coffee or not, but that read lazily and made me pandiculate (as Jeff would say). I'm awake now!

Good morning, thanks for making mine that way, hope you have (or had) a good night.  

Answer 12

Poetry should always be attempted!!!!

Answer 13

There are times at 3 am I will be awoke to the strains of some music from the depths of my soul and words will be singing along with the musical strains.  I tried writing these down from time to time, but they didn't usually make much sense when I get up in the light.  I tried recording them on cassette tape, but my 3 A.M. voice sounds much like gravel and slime falling into a pond, so anything recorded was lost to history forever, because I can never remember just what it was I dreamed that was so good.

Answer 14

I agree with Semper...I have jotted down thoughts at stop signs before. The muse never calls before it visits!

Answer 15

When one reaches the age of reason...and then sails past it...

anything is possible.  Thus spake the B.L. who needs coffee

in order to even put fingers to keys this morning!

(I note, she grumbles, that you all are bright eyed...)

Answer 16

The only thing I do at 3 am is stare at the Insides of my eyelids. I liked your poem very much.

Answer 17

I have a feeling a lot of poetry was written in this nether time of night/morn.  Your nice offering is one proof.  I must attempt some day but I have a feeling that the words will just fall right off the pages like cliches!

Answer 18

Nobody is the same, do what works best

for you, and you will do your best work.

<><

Answer 19

It's an excellent poem.  But since I write a lot of poetry about insomnia, I think the neurons are firing when you have energy -- no matter what time it is.  

The couplets are beautiful ... the flow from lovers to parting ... it's just lovely.

T.

Answer 20

did you write that? woahh, its good!

Answer 21

It is apparently the best time of night to write poetry. All is quiet. Everybody is asleep (except Elaine and Elysabeth...). It is a wonderful time for concentration.

"I want to wake up in the city that doesn't sleep"!

Answer 22

3am has always been Cliche Time, ever since Adam was a thought. What other creation of poetry could possibly exist at that hour? but....

Advice to the unslept

Rest your weary neurons friend,

the hours clear have passed

Calm your dendrites down friend,

tingle sensation won't last.

Soothe the jangle nerves friend,

imagination must rest.

Blanken your fertile mind friend,

to prepare for your very best

PS my best/worst nocturnal cliche effort came in 1992 (annis horriblis for QE2 and me) :

"a quicky-style divorce

as easy as falling off a horse"

Gladly it was all uphill from there.

Answer 23

Any time goes, edit exsists.

Answer 24

I say write when it hits you, where it hits you, however it hits you.

Answer 25

"Hi!",

Wonderful piece of poetry, once again.

WELL DONE!

Cheers : )