This chapter was actually very interesting to me. It was all about how to create a visual in the reader’s head without just telling them. I find that I usually have a really hard time with this, which is likely due to the amount of scientific writing I have had to do. Being able to describe something in such vivid detail that the reader can picture it as if it were right in front of them seems to come naturally to others, but I tend to struggle with it. I really liked the examples they used in this section for the poems. I found that it started to give me ideas, and made the task at hand seem less daunting. I liked this section because of the way the author described all of the visuals even when they were engaging with the poetry at hand. I think that the hardest part for me is going to be finding the headspace in order to write with that level of creativity. But I do believe that I may return to this section and read it before I write my next poem.
“Thats what an image should do, produce a little magic,” now that is beautifully said. “Where you go when she sleeps” by T.R. Hummer really got to me. I find it interesting, how he describes her hair, how it goes from describing her hair to the deep feeling and power of love. It really can help people connect the smaller things to huge memories. We all could write like that if we let ourselves, its deep, its beautiful, its magical. Imagery is so special, its what makes words come to life. I am a reader, I always prefer to have a book in my hand and the imagery from a person’s writing can become so real, it is so fascinating. This can happen in poetry, poetry where its so detailed yet not as long as a book, but you can still have this entire image in your head that means the world to you. The poem, orange, and how the light contrasts with the grey sky is very interesting. The world so dark, but he mentions light, in the girls eyes, and the “fire” in his hands. The last poem in this reading, it hits deep. Written with imagery, but not how the first two were. I think it is helpful to show these perspectives, that a beautiful poem can come to life with description of senses, scenery, but even with little noises, whispers from a child, the sounds of floors creaking, etc. It is helpful how this reading tells us that imagery is needed to make a poem so that it can come to life for the reader. The more vivid, detailed, the more imagery, the more connection the reader can create with a poem. It makes me curious, how we all have different perspectives when it comes to imagery, but, isn’t that what also makes it an experience? Magical? Going back to the beginning of this reading, it talks about a movie and how you can be so involved with the movie that the smells can come to life through a screen. I bring this up now because, when we are hit with certain words, we may produce a different image, a different memory.
This chapter highlighted the importance of a poet’s senses and how imagery contributes to the story— by submerging the reader into the tone, scene, etc. I especially found it helpful that the chapter discussed how the absence of a sense or senses contribute to a poem by enabling certain emotions, as I work on novel writing, and in novelistic writing, I am limited to my character’s senses, which are often obscured in certain scenes. The lack of senses in the final poem also inspired me to look at where I have and where I can do that in my own writing, as in my previous NaNoWriMo project, I focused much of my attention on trying to describe the main character’s memories in a way that would actualize the fear and anger she experienced that would eventually fuel her arc throughout the narrative. One thing that I’ve always loved about writing, it’s that I can create a world that is so very different from this one, and yet, through imagery, I can make someone else see that same thing, or feel the emotions of the characters.
This section in our class book, The Poet’s Companion, focuses on images – more precisely, imagery within poetry and how to tap into our ways of working with them. One of the more technical aspects of this chapter was that in poetry, imagery can be utilized literally, where one might recall an image simply as it is and describe it or on a figurative level that implies a comparison of sorts. I agree with how this chapter described the elements imagery can bring to a poem, “Magic. That’s what an image should do, produce a bit of magic, a reality so real it is ‘like being alive twice’” – this energy that comes off the page when you can focus on the words but at the same time enter into a whole new realm of feeling just from what the works call to mind via images. The three poems this chapter employs showcase the various ways imagery can be used, whether light or dark, universal or personal; the feeling of these poems are all so visceral and illuminating in ways that they couldn’t be if attention to detail and the goal of providing an experience were absent. I felt this chapter also did a good job of providing the range of imagery that can be drawn and that it doesn’t always have to be a simple overt description like, for instance, in the example Where You Go When She Sleeps, the layering of images so different from each other call culminates in this theme of falling in love. I also found the way the chapter emphasizes changing the perspective of an image, like in the last example, How Many Times can change the whole tone of the poem, and that the absence of sound or blocked view is still an image in and of itself.
There were just a few things that caught my attention while I was reading this chapter. For one, the introduction explaining what imagery could be was very digestible. In that introduction, the author drew the distinction between literal and figurative imagery, something that I never thought about as two separate things before reading this. Utilizing these different types of imagery is more or less straightforward. Literal imagery refers to something being described as it exists physically, whereas figurative imagery uses comparisons and strays away from the “actual” way of looking at something. This was helpful for me to see on paper. I have used a lot of time since this class has begun overthinking how to represent things in my poems using imagery. This second differentiated the two main types of imagery for me and has guided me to stick to one of these at a time to avoid self-confusion.
The main takeaway of this section, at least for me, is the whole concept of imagery. After I read this, I felt like I should have read it before I went in on the first of day class. This changed my perspective, yet again, on poetry and how to compose it. I believe that imagery is simply an artistic tool to convey meaning through text. Film, television, and music all can make one become lost in a story or a feeling. Poetry falls into this category, but it is slightly different because it is very short, and it is packed with emotions and meaning on a piece of paper. The power of poetic imagery is that they can make you remember, make you feel, make you hear, smell, and taste, all while you are reading a poem on a piece of paper. My hope is to stumble upon more of these explanations so that I can become a more practiced poet.
I absolutely agree that image is very important in writing and many of my other writing classes have focused on the idea of getting comfortable with writing images into your work. It’s something I’ve practiced heavily with writing in my essays but when it comes to writing poetry I have no idea how to start. I feel like in essay writing my sentence structure tends to be much longer, especially when describing an image. I feel like this doesn’t really jive with traditional poetry as the lines in poetry tend to be much shorter. I think this is why I’ve shied away from poetry so much in the past. As I know of the importance imagery has in writing but I don’t feel I can do it well in poetry.
I think that’s why the poem Where You Go When She Sleeps stuck out to me so much. It feels like the type of writing I’m more comfortable with but also still feels like a poem to me. And it paints a very vivid picture. I need to stop thinking of poetry as one “thing” with strict structure and rules. Poetry can be anything. I’ve been writing shorter poems with short lines but I think my next poem will be something a little bit longer so more true to my typical way of writing. That way I can feel confident in the image I’m painting. I need to be able to explore more in my writing and I definitely think the Where You Go When She Sleeps poem will inspire me to do that.
I found it quite interesting the way the authors explain this alternate definition of an image. Rather than a visual picture, an image can also be language that calls up a physical sensation related to our senses. I really liked the part where they write that poets are “ready to translate the world through their bodies” (pg. 86), and I am curious about the process of doing this. I also found it intriguing how they said that images are energy. I feel like it can be hard to describe images when they are neither visual, auditory, physical, etc., for they exist on an energetic level which can be received through written language. I think this is a really helpful idea to keep in mind when trying to write poetry that really stirs up images for its future readers. T.R. Hummer’s poem “Where you go when she sleeps” is a great example of powerful imagery because you almost get lost in the silo “scene” in a similar way that you do when you watch a movie at the theater. It is helpful to ones own writing to read examples of poems using different tools for imagery: T.R. Hummer immerses the readers in a whole new scene, Gary Soto uses color, and Marie Howe uses sound and silence. When I think about Howe’s use of sound as well as the lack thereof, it reminds me of dance. I have tap danced for many years and as one can assume, sound is a major part of that, but also the silence in between sounds can be extremely powerful when used right. So, I find it super interesting how auditory sound and silence is strong, but also written sounds and silence and how they can be just as powerful. Overall, I think strong imagery is a goal that I have for my writing and I found this section helpful in exemplifying how poets do so.
I loved the ideas that this chapter has given us, the literal imagery in such a beautiful chapter is captivating. I love the idea that no matter where we turn to, images follow us- “both light and dark.” as this chapter expresses. This chapter goes onto say the many different types of images one may see, feel, and experience. “You might remember the smell of honeysuckle, or your father’s cologne.” As someone who is always thinking, creating, and writing, I loved this chapter. I loved the personification in the next lines, too. “A day in your childhood comes back, every detail sharp and precise, and you hear a shallow creek running over the rocks, your dog snuffling in wet leaves, your friend’s voice calling you.” This brings the reader into a reality where you can almost feel the water of the creek on your feet. But humbles us as we’re yet again brought back to the world that is poetry. “You can still see the face of your dead aunt, or cousin, can taste the meal you choked down after the funeral.” I loved these sentences and the way they’re eclipsed by the looming idea that everything is temporary, in their own poetic ways.
The chapter starts off with a long quote describing what an image is for poetry. This quote ends by saying; “They do not say this is that, they say this is”. Poets are able to describe an image in a way where it feels like you are there, experiencing what has been written. The chapter also describes that poets must have all 5 senses ready to go, as well as others, to be able to really make their image. Without pulling from those senses, I feel like a poem would be boring to read. It would make the poem feel flat, just like a string of words instead of a complex, thought provoking, emotion grabbing piece of art that a poem is. In “Where you go when she sleeps” the reader is able to feel all the images described given the detail and familiarity with each passing line. As I read through that poem, I was able to feel the urgency and the frazzled state of the narrator. It was a really cool feeling as I read it, and then reading the analysis on the next pages just made it even more amazing of an experience. It’s also important to remember that not all images evoke good emotions. Like in the poem “How Many Times” we are given an image that makes us uneasy, scared, and sad. The analysis of this poem mentions that sound is a huge factor for what feelings a poem produces. For this poem, the only sound mentioned is coming from the horrific act the father is committing against the daughter. That silence throughout the poem makes that little mention of sound hit harder. Same with the narrator not being able to see. The dark of the night shades the narrator from what is happening, but we also don’t want to picture it due to our discomfort.
While the focus of this chapter was primarily on imagery, I found it interesting how much of it spoke to elements of poetry larger than imagery. The idea that “images haunt” reminds me a lot of memories as being a double-edged sword, something worth fearing and also worth keeping, or loving. Imagery goes beyond being a visual stimulant, it actually “embodies” an idea, depending on more than sensory descriptions. Imagery transcends being a literal description of a place or thing and becomes more resemblant of a feeling. I like Richard Hugo’s statement, “never ask a question you can answer.” I like this concept as it relates to imagery, because it elevates the notion of what imagery can do, as in, maybe some images aren’t meant to be tangible things. Sometimes imagery is also everything that isn’t provided in the poem.
I think imigrary is a very interesting concept as it can be both physical and mental at the time. The book gives out and discusses the concepts of both dark and light. However, I believe that images to us can be just grey. Sometimes images can evoke emotions we didn’t think could trigger us. I like how in this chapter how we can describe an image without even describing it at all. We can simple convey emotions or feelings that can be associated with that image. Furthermore, the idea of a “picture meaning a thousand words,” truly does have weight behind it in this instance. Even then when we describe images to one another I think it is interesting to see how others react to our perception of a mental image. Like if I were to write a poem about Cape Cod, many people would have an idea but a different image with different emotions attached to it. That to me is what makes imagery interesting to use as an art form in poetry. And as a history major, trying to show people an image of the past that seems like fantasy and yet familiar is the goal that I must reach. Making people relate and understand is the imagery that I try to create.
I enjoyed this article a lot— mostly because I’m a sucker for good imagery in writing. Some of my favorite stories are my favorites because of the author’s use of imagery and I try to reflect that in my own writing (to the best of my ability). It is certainly hard to do, but I appreciate how in-depth the chapter goes into the usage of imagery, and the fact that the author utilizes examples of good imagery in their writing. I like specifically the first example of the author using imagery to describe the woman sleeping. The use of metaphors to tell a story about how each aspect of the image/experience feels, looks, smells, and is like is especially riveting.
I also think the usage of imagery in the poem is astounding as well. It’s strange to think about how you can set up contrast within a writing piece between colors? The orange set up against the gray does, indeed, make the orange hue look brighter in my head, and the usage of lighting adds to the experience as well. I usually think of writing as separate from art- in that color theory isn’t something that writers utilize, but seeing it in a poem like this is truly fascinating.
The chapter starts out by pulling on readers’ heart strings, mentioning how we all are haunted by images both light and dark. This is very true and in general I think poetry is a writing genre that tends to capture these almost nostalgic feelings. Saying this, making poetry “deep” is something that I find myself struggling with. I often write something and then when I read it back feel as though it was written by a ten year old. However I guess we are all our own biggest critics. One thing the book brought up was talking about the 5 senses. It mentioned that although we all could probably name our favorite sense, poets need to have all 5 on guard as often as possible. Using these five senses poets transport them into words and put down physical things on paper. Imagery is what really can make or break a piece of writing. When a reader can clearly hear, see or feel what the author is talking about, that’s how you know the piece is working. Although just because a piece lacks imagery it does not automatically mean it’s bad, it just may mean that there are areas that could improve. Its bug thing to be able to escape to a different place while reading or writing and it’s a lot of people’s favorite part about the whole process.
13 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 3”
This chapter was actually very interesting to me. It was all about how to create a visual in the reader’s head without just telling them. I find that I usually have a really hard time with this, which is likely due to the amount of scientific writing I have had to do. Being able to describe something in such vivid detail that the reader can picture it as if it were right in front of them seems to come naturally to others, but I tend to struggle with it. I really liked the examples they used in this section for the poems. I found that it started to give me ideas, and made the task at hand seem less daunting. I liked this section because of the way the author described all of the visuals even when they were engaging with the poetry at hand. I think that the hardest part for me is going to be finding the headspace in order to write with that level of creativity. But I do believe that I may return to this section and read it before I write my next poem.
“Thats what an image should do, produce a little magic,” now that is beautifully said. “Where you go when she sleeps” by T.R. Hummer really got to me. I find it interesting, how he describes her hair, how it goes from describing her hair to the deep feeling and power of love. It really can help people connect the smaller things to huge memories. We all could write like that if we let ourselves, its deep, its beautiful, its magical. Imagery is so special, its what makes words come to life. I am a reader, I always prefer to have a book in my hand and the imagery from a person’s writing can become so real, it is so fascinating. This can happen in poetry, poetry where its so detailed yet not as long as a book, but you can still have this entire image in your head that means the world to you. The poem, orange, and how the light contrasts with the grey sky is very interesting. The world so dark, but he mentions light, in the girls eyes, and the “fire” in his hands. The last poem in this reading, it hits deep. Written with imagery, but not how the first two were. I think it is helpful to show these perspectives, that a beautiful poem can come to life with description of senses, scenery, but even with little noises, whispers from a child, the sounds of floors creaking, etc. It is helpful how this reading tells us that imagery is needed to make a poem so that it can come to life for the reader. The more vivid, detailed, the more imagery, the more connection the reader can create with a poem. It makes me curious, how we all have different perspectives when it comes to imagery, but, isn’t that what also makes it an experience? Magical? Going back to the beginning of this reading, it talks about a movie and how you can be so involved with the movie that the smells can come to life through a screen. I bring this up now because, when we are hit with certain words, we may produce a different image, a different memory.
This chapter highlighted the importance of a poet’s senses and how imagery contributes to the story— by submerging the reader into the tone, scene, etc. I especially found it helpful that the chapter discussed how the absence of a sense or senses contribute to a poem by enabling certain emotions, as I work on novel writing, and in novelistic writing, I am limited to my character’s senses, which are often obscured in certain scenes. The lack of senses in the final poem also inspired me to look at where I have and where I can do that in my own writing, as in my previous NaNoWriMo project, I focused much of my attention on trying to describe the main character’s memories in a way that would actualize the fear and anger she experienced that would eventually fuel her arc throughout the narrative. One thing that I’ve always loved about writing, it’s that I can create a world that is so very different from this one, and yet, through imagery, I can make someone else see that same thing, or feel the emotions of the characters.
This section in our class book, The Poet’s Companion, focuses on images – more precisely, imagery within poetry and how to tap into our ways of working with them. One of the more technical aspects of this chapter was that in poetry, imagery can be utilized literally, where one might recall an image simply as it is and describe it or on a figurative level that implies a comparison of sorts. I agree with how this chapter described the elements imagery can bring to a poem, “Magic. That’s what an image should do, produce a bit of magic, a reality so real it is ‘like being alive twice’” – this energy that comes off the page when you can focus on the words but at the same time enter into a whole new realm of feeling just from what the works call to mind via images. The three poems this chapter employs showcase the various ways imagery can be used, whether light or dark, universal or personal; the feeling of these poems are all so visceral and illuminating in ways that they couldn’t be if attention to detail and the goal of providing an experience were absent. I felt this chapter also did a good job of providing the range of imagery that can be drawn and that it doesn’t always have to be a simple overt description like, for instance, in the example Where You Go When She Sleeps, the layering of images so different from each other call culminates in this theme of falling in love. I also found the way the chapter emphasizes changing the perspective of an image, like in the last example, How Many Times can change the whole tone of the poem, and that the absence of sound or blocked view is still an image in and of itself.
There were just a few things that caught my attention while I was reading this chapter. For one, the introduction explaining what imagery could be was very digestible. In that introduction, the author drew the distinction between literal and figurative imagery, something that I never thought about as two separate things before reading this. Utilizing these different types of imagery is more or less straightforward. Literal imagery refers to something being described as it exists physically, whereas figurative imagery uses comparisons and strays away from the “actual” way of looking at something. This was helpful for me to see on paper. I have used a lot of time since this class has begun overthinking how to represent things in my poems using imagery. This second differentiated the two main types of imagery for me and has guided me to stick to one of these at a time to avoid self-confusion.
The main takeaway of this section, at least for me, is the whole concept of imagery. After I read this, I felt like I should have read it before I went in on the first of day class. This changed my perspective, yet again, on poetry and how to compose it. I believe that imagery is simply an artistic tool to convey meaning through text. Film, television, and music all can make one become lost in a story or a feeling. Poetry falls into this category, but it is slightly different because it is very short, and it is packed with emotions and meaning on a piece of paper. The power of poetic imagery is that they can make you remember, make you feel, make you hear, smell, and taste, all while you are reading a poem on a piece of paper. My hope is to stumble upon more of these explanations so that I can become a more practiced poet.
I absolutely agree that image is very important in writing and many of my other writing classes have focused on the idea of getting comfortable with writing images into your work. It’s something I’ve practiced heavily with writing in my essays but when it comes to writing poetry I have no idea how to start. I feel like in essay writing my sentence structure tends to be much longer, especially when describing an image. I feel like this doesn’t really jive with traditional poetry as the lines in poetry tend to be much shorter. I think this is why I’ve shied away from poetry so much in the past. As I know of the importance imagery has in writing but I don’t feel I can do it well in poetry.
I think that’s why the poem Where You Go When She Sleeps stuck out to me so much. It feels like the type of writing I’m more comfortable with but also still feels like a poem to me. And it paints a very vivid picture. I need to stop thinking of poetry as one “thing” with strict structure and rules. Poetry can be anything. I’ve been writing shorter poems with short lines but I think my next poem will be something a little bit longer so more true to my typical way of writing. That way I can feel confident in the image I’m painting. I need to be able to explore more in my writing and I definitely think the Where You Go When She Sleeps poem will inspire me to do that.
I found it quite interesting the way the authors explain this alternate definition of an image. Rather than a visual picture, an image can also be language that calls up a physical sensation related to our senses. I really liked the part where they write that poets are “ready to translate the world through their bodies” (pg. 86), and I am curious about the process of doing this. I also found it intriguing how they said that images are energy. I feel like it can be hard to describe images when they are neither visual, auditory, physical, etc., for they exist on an energetic level which can be received through written language. I think this is a really helpful idea to keep in mind when trying to write poetry that really stirs up images for its future readers. T.R. Hummer’s poem “Where you go when she sleeps” is a great example of powerful imagery because you almost get lost in the silo “scene” in a similar way that you do when you watch a movie at the theater. It is helpful to ones own writing to read examples of poems using different tools for imagery: T.R. Hummer immerses the readers in a whole new scene, Gary Soto uses color, and Marie Howe uses sound and silence. When I think about Howe’s use of sound as well as the lack thereof, it reminds me of dance. I have tap danced for many years and as one can assume, sound is a major part of that, but also the silence in between sounds can be extremely powerful when used right. So, I find it super interesting how auditory sound and silence is strong, but also written sounds and silence and how they can be just as powerful. Overall, I think strong imagery is a goal that I have for my writing and I found this section helpful in exemplifying how poets do so.
Colette Murphy
Professor Miller
WRT 211
9/13/2023
Journal #3
I loved the ideas that this chapter has given us, the literal imagery in such a beautiful chapter is captivating. I love the idea that no matter where we turn to, images follow us- “both light and dark.” as this chapter expresses. This chapter goes onto say the many different types of images one may see, feel, and experience. “You might remember the smell of honeysuckle, or your father’s cologne.” As someone who is always thinking, creating, and writing, I loved this chapter. I loved the personification in the next lines, too. “A day in your childhood comes back, every detail sharp and precise, and you hear a shallow creek running over the rocks, your dog snuffling in wet leaves, your friend’s voice calling you.” This brings the reader into a reality where you can almost feel the water of the creek on your feet. But humbles us as we’re yet again brought back to the world that is poetry. “You can still see the face of your dead aunt, or cousin, can taste the meal you choked down after the funeral.” I loved these sentences and the way they’re eclipsed by the looming idea that everything is temporary, in their own poetic ways.
The chapter starts off with a long quote describing what an image is for poetry. This quote ends by saying; “They do not say this is that, they say this is”. Poets are able to describe an image in a way where it feels like you are there, experiencing what has been written. The chapter also describes that poets must have all 5 senses ready to go, as well as others, to be able to really make their image. Without pulling from those senses, I feel like a poem would be boring to read. It would make the poem feel flat, just like a string of words instead of a complex, thought provoking, emotion grabbing piece of art that a poem is. In “Where you go when she sleeps” the reader is able to feel all the images described given the detail and familiarity with each passing line. As I read through that poem, I was able to feel the urgency and the frazzled state of the narrator. It was a really cool feeling as I read it, and then reading the analysis on the next pages just made it even more amazing of an experience. It’s also important to remember that not all images evoke good emotions. Like in the poem “How Many Times” we are given an image that makes us uneasy, scared, and sad. The analysis of this poem mentions that sound is a huge factor for what feelings a poem produces. For this poem, the only sound mentioned is coming from the horrific act the father is committing against the daughter. That silence throughout the poem makes that little mention of sound hit harder. Same with the narrator not being able to see. The dark of the night shades the narrator from what is happening, but we also don’t want to picture it due to our discomfort.
While the focus of this chapter was primarily on imagery, I found it interesting how much of it spoke to elements of poetry larger than imagery. The idea that “images haunt” reminds me a lot of memories as being a double-edged sword, something worth fearing and also worth keeping, or loving. Imagery goes beyond being a visual stimulant, it actually “embodies” an idea, depending on more than sensory descriptions. Imagery transcends being a literal description of a place or thing and becomes more resemblant of a feeling. I like Richard Hugo’s statement, “never ask a question you can answer.” I like this concept as it relates to imagery, because it elevates the notion of what imagery can do, as in, maybe some images aren’t meant to be tangible things. Sometimes imagery is also everything that isn’t provided in the poem.
I think imigrary is a very interesting concept as it can be both physical and mental at the time. The book gives out and discusses the concepts of both dark and light. However, I believe that images to us can be just grey. Sometimes images can evoke emotions we didn’t think could trigger us. I like how in this chapter how we can describe an image without even describing it at all. We can simple convey emotions or feelings that can be associated with that image. Furthermore, the idea of a “picture meaning a thousand words,” truly does have weight behind it in this instance. Even then when we describe images to one another I think it is interesting to see how others react to our perception of a mental image. Like if I were to write a poem about Cape Cod, many people would have an idea but a different image with different emotions attached to it. That to me is what makes imagery interesting to use as an art form in poetry. And as a history major, trying to show people an image of the past that seems like fantasy and yet familiar is the goal that I must reach. Making people relate and understand is the imagery that I try to create.
I enjoyed this article a lot— mostly because I’m a sucker for good imagery in writing. Some of my favorite stories are my favorites because of the author’s use of imagery and I try to reflect that in my own writing (to the best of my ability). It is certainly hard to do, but I appreciate how in-depth the chapter goes into the usage of imagery, and the fact that the author utilizes examples of good imagery in their writing. I like specifically the first example of the author using imagery to describe the woman sleeping. The use of metaphors to tell a story about how each aspect of the image/experience feels, looks, smells, and is like is especially riveting.
I also think the usage of imagery in the poem is astounding as well. It’s strange to think about how you can set up contrast within a writing piece between colors? The orange set up against the gray does, indeed, make the orange hue look brighter in my head, and the usage of lighting adds to the experience as well. I usually think of writing as separate from art- in that color theory isn’t something that writers utilize, but seeing it in a poem like this is truly fascinating.
The chapter starts out by pulling on readers’ heart strings, mentioning how we all are haunted by images both light and dark. This is very true and in general I think poetry is a writing genre that tends to capture these almost nostalgic feelings. Saying this, making poetry “deep” is something that I find myself struggling with. I often write something and then when I read it back feel as though it was written by a ten year old. However I guess we are all our own biggest critics. One thing the book brought up was talking about the 5 senses. It mentioned that although we all could probably name our favorite sense, poets need to have all 5 on guard as often as possible. Using these five senses poets transport them into words and put down physical things on paper. Imagery is what really can make or break a piece of writing. When a reader can clearly hear, see or feel what the author is talking about, that’s how you know the piece is working. Although just because a piece lacks imagery it does not automatically mean it’s bad, it just may mean that there are areas that could improve. Its bug thing to be able to escape to a different place while reading or writing and it’s a lot of people’s favorite part about the whole process.