I agree with Putin. I also assumed Cpt. B. was an English major, from the post. In fairness, though, the question was "How do you see yourself as a writer". With that in mind I can see where Cpt. B could consider himself primarily a poet "as a writer" but not consider writing to be a major part of his life.

If you're an IR major and do not think writing is a major part of your life then something is amiss.

"Defining yourself as a poet when you're an IR major is a clear sign something is amiss."

And what of being a poet when you're a translator, playwright, newspaper writer, magazine writer, critic, or any of that?

Your definition doesn't work with actual poets, Putin.

"1. It's a bullshit assignment that we're already probably putting more thought into that he ever did."

My answer to you thinking something must be amiss if he describes himself as a poet.


As for the apology, it was a joke. Because it's an absurd thing to say to someone.

"If you're an IR major and do not think writing is a major part of your life then something is amiss."

To be fair, he's almost certainly a freshman, since this is for a mandatory composition class. And a brand new freshman at that, since it's August.

Then let the academic hazing commence.

His major is IRRELEVANT.

He could be a Bioengineering Major and still call himself a poet if he likes--

Poet, arguably more than most writing titles, is nearly always a secondary, rather than primary, profession/part of one's life.

If Geoffrey Chaucer can be a member of Richard II's court and a translator primarily, and still be hailed as one of the great world poets, why does it matter what he does besides writing poetry?

If you write poetry, you can call yourself a poet if you like, and enjoy all the attention it brings you (like this!)

@ Invictus

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, as far as Cmdr. B. being a new college student.

"Geoffrey Chaucer can be a member of Richard II's court and a translator primarily, and still be hailed as one of the great world poets, why does it matter what he does besides writing poetry?"

So Geoffrey Chaucer was an IR guy too?

For fuck's sake Obi, I've said now I don't know how many times he can call himself a poet all he wants. Do you ever read what other people write or is everything a monologue to you?

I think Obi is purposely ignoring me and just going on these tirades in order to whip out his literary phallus at us.

My point is that it doesn't matter what else he was besides be a poet--

He was a poet. Period.

If CommanderByron (way to pick the rock star of Romantic poets there, but I digress) wants to call himself a poet, and he writes poetry, why shouldn't he?

Poet status is clearly not conditional on being "primarily" a poet, as I've given counterexample after counterexample, and can continue to do so, since there are very, very few who made their living life "primarily" as a poet, and still few who made even their writing life as "primarily" a poet.

It's amazing how you manage to write so much and say so little, obiwanobiwan.

"I think Obi is purposely ignoring me and just going on these tirades in order to whip out his literary phallus at us."

Putin, I don't want my phallus--literary or otherwise--anywhere near you.

Thanks.

"When someone asks who how you define yourself, and the first thing you say is poet? Yeah I'd say you have to first and foremost do poetry."

THAT is why I keep hitting that point, Putin...you haven't backed off that point.

Having to first and foremost do poetry is NOT needed to describe oneself as a poet.

That is what I am disagreeing with you on, that quote, right there.

Define oneself implies primary identity as a writer. Not secondary. Primary.

And I won't back off, and I don't care how many poets you can cite who did other work.

"It's amazing how you manage to write so much and say so little, obiwanobiwan."

It's amazing how you manage to express public disdain for me even as I expressed public support for you and, again, appear to roughly share your position.

You'll get another chance to piss on me, don't worry...it's not like there are so few chances...

But you can't put that aside while we're arguing a common-ish point?

I made my point. It was a simple one. If we're arguing the same one you should be done.

"Define oneself implies primary identity as a writer. Not secondary. Primary."

Again--says WHO? Who are you (a non-literature person, I might add) to suddenly make up rules about who gets to hold what literary role?

"And I won't back off, and I don't care how many poets you can cite who did other work."

Then how do you defend your definition when a sizable number of poets do NOT fit your definition?

You'll forgive me for finding a definition of "poet" lacking when it clashes with all those names, just for starters.

You cannot make a definition out of thin air and ignore anything or anyone that serves as a counterexample, especially when there are numerous high-profile cases that don't fit your self-styled definition.

@obiwanobiwan You really do need to edit down your posts though. They're difficult to read. You don't have to include every thought and aside that occurs to you.

"It's amazing how you manage to express public disdain for me even as I expressed public support for you and, again, appear to roughly share your position."

The irony is rich with this one.

"Again--says WHO? Who are you (a non-literature person, I might add) to suddenly make up rules about who gets to hold what literary role?
"

Is this even a serious question? Definitional descriptions are fundamental descriptions, by definition.

This is getting stupid.

@tendmote:

Fair enough, but to my "credit," my posts have been pretty short and small this time...it's not like I made an Obi post on anything here.

"Is this even a serious question? Definitional descriptions are fundamental descriptions, by definition."

OK, since we have a description hard-on tonight--

"po·et
ˈpōət,ˈpōit/
noun
noun: poet; plural noun: poets

a person who writes poems.
synonyms: writer of poetry, versifier, rhymester, rhymer, sonneteer, lyricist, lyrist;
laureate;
literarybard;
derogatorypoetaster;
historicaltroubadour, balladeer
"she has the soul of a poet"
a person possessing special powers of imagination or expression."

A person who writes poems.

Point to me there where it says that that needs to be their PRIMARY role.

Tendmote is entirely too bossy. He's always giving orders. I'd guess he was law enforcement at some point but he hates the police.

"This is getting stupid."

Getting?

Obi, for the 500 zillionth time, I'm not saying people who write poetry cannot call themselves poets. I'm saying that when asked how you *define yourself*, the answer is always *primary to your existence as a person*, it's the basic description of who you are.

If poetry is not what you primarily do, then I don't know why you'd respond to such a question in that way.

English teacher here. 1. Show the teacher a draft and ask if this format (poem in the middle) is acceptable, or if he wants a totally prose essay. If he says yes, then 2. If you wrote this poem beforehand, 'fess up to that and ask the teacher if it's OK to include it in this essay, since it answers the prompt so well, but you didn't write it for this prompt. Also tell him if you turned it in to any class for any assignment.

I also agree with your other advisors to 1) Not be arrogant, 2) Don't disdain any other genre of literature (or is 'disdain' just a poor choice of words?). 3) As Obi advised, try to find out what your professor wants rather than what he says he wants. I am sometimes pleasantly surprised by a student who thinks outside the box, but last semester I had a student who insisted on writing essays in a creative, poetic, telegraphic style that vividly conveyed images but didn't use complete sentences. I helped him to see the difference between creative writing and expository writing and helped him get into a creative writing class before he had the prereqs, just to keep him motivated. I hope this helps.

"I'm saying that when asked how you *define yourself*, the answer is always *primary to your existence as a person*, it's the basic description of who you are.

If poetry is not what you primarily do, then I don't know why you'd respond to such a question in that way."

Because there's a difference between what you do and what you may WANT to do/have a passion for doing.

I might be stocking groceries at the local supermarket, but have a passion for playing football and throwing touchdown passes...

And if I defined myself therefore as being a quarterback deep down--I'd be Kurt Warner, and I'd be right, at least in that case, since he did get to go on to follow that dream.

Similarly, if you never wanted to be a barber anyway, but instead wanted to be a lumberjack...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg

Then sing, sing, sing...and don't tell your girlfriend.

It's not asking for your aspirations. It's asking who are you.

I might want to be an astronaut. But I don't reply to questions about who I am by saying I'm an astronaut.