Editorial Preferences in Poetry: Mary Lee

My definition of a “good poem” is expanding and shifting every day. As I continue to read, write, and learn poetry, I find that my understanding and appreciation for the art also continues to grow exponentially.

 

I believe that the poem, at its very best, is a discovery. I find that the best poems are invitations to see an object, an idea, the self, the very world, in a different light. Gaston Bachelard describes poets as individuals who are unafraid to take even the corners of a house and bring them to life. I am interested in the corners, in the ordinary that is explored and made meaningful through poetry. The unexpected image, the lyrical line, the compelling thought, the voice that flows familiar—these are all ways in which I am immediately drawn into a poem. I leave the poem not quite the same as when I entered it, and the poem still never quite leaves me.

 

I also believe the poem is an intellectual pursuit. I believe that art is meant to be constantly challenged within its own forms and notions—Dean Young says that we must “disrupt the habitations of use”. There is incredible importance in this, but ultimately, it should still be done well. As writers, we are always faced with this question in the revision process: did I say this well? Is this worthy of the page? Whether it is the utilization of form and technique, or the challenge of such through the experimental, our choices on the page should reflect our investment in the craft. I am interested in poems that are well-crafted and conscious of technique, but more importantly I am interested in poems that are meaningful enough to make the technique worthy. To quote Mary Ruefle, “It is not what a poem says with its mouth, it’s what a poem does with its eyes.”

 

Ultimately, I am always drawn to the honesty of a poem. The poem that is unafraid to explore simultaneous vulnerability and strength, authority and hesitancy, directness and tenderness. As Dorianne Laux writes in her poem “Tonight I Am in Love”: “I am wounded with tenderness for all who labored / in dim rooms with their handful of words / battering their full hearts against the moon.” Like Laux, I too appreciate poets and their ability to constantly bare themselves open through words.

Bio:

Our poetry editor for Issue 19, Mary Lee.
Our poetry editor for Issue 19, Mary Lee.

Mary Lee is completing her Bachelor’s degree in English at Arizona State University. She is in Barrett, The Honors College and is currently the poetry editor for Superstition Review.

 

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6 thoughts on “Editorial Preferences in Poetry: Mary Lee

  • February 22, 2017 at 9:27 pm
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    I love that you said your idea of a good poem is changing! Our relationships with fiction and poetry do change and grow with us. I look forward to seeing your editing style in the future!

  • February 24, 2017 at 12:57 pm
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    I love this part, “I believe that art is meant to be constantly challenged within its own forms and notions.” Sometimes I am afraid of my own writing, the fear of discovering that something is not working, and but facing those fears is what will makes us learn and discover. Also, I like that your are pointing out the importance of honesty in art. I think that is most important value that we should put in our writing. Thank you for sharing.

  • February 24, 2017 at 5:09 pm
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    I really enjoyed the idea you mentioned of a continual change regarding our interpretation of fiction/poetry. Thanks for sharing!

  • February 26, 2017 at 2:29 pm
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    I also love that poetry has the ability to redefine the way we look at our world! I think poetry is such a dynamic, engaging form of art, and I am so happy to be part of the program at ASU.

  • February 26, 2017 at 9:28 pm
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    I think it’s great that you are open to different notions of what a good poem consists of as opposed to just having a set notion. I think as one reads more and more poetry the notions shift or expand because poems are so diverse.

  • February 27, 2017 at 11:10 am
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    I love that you mentioned poetry as changing. As I rereading pieces I read many years ago, I never look at them, or read them the same. I find new details or new things that I like about the piece.

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