A question for the younger poets among us . . . why do you include your age?

Question

Talent knows no age boundaries. If the poem is great, it matters not if you're 13 or 33. Same for if the poem is garbage. It almost looks like, in many cases, you are saying "If this is garbage, it's not really my fault . . . blame the year I was born in."

If you're the best poet on here, and you're 13 . . . you'll still have your critics. Every poet has those people that can't stand them. For years, until recently persuaded, I thought Dickinson was too much in love with her hyphens to be any good. I still think Ezra Pound is a no-talent hack, and as far as Alan Ginsberg goes . . . yeesh. BUT, all three of them have their defenders as well, some of which would crucify me for what I've said about Pound and Ginsberg (at least). Point being, you'd want a thick skin regardless of how old you are, so why try to deflect criticism with the age factor?

Please read nothing overly critical into this . . . just help me understand why age matters to you.

Thanks all!

Additional Details

SIN: on a "good ego" day, I blow 'em off with a "what do you know anyway?" BUT . . . yeah, I gotcha, on the *other* days.

Buk: Honestly, I thought you were pushing the underside of 60 . . . don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, lol.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

because when you are 13, you are less matured than a 33 year old, am i right? you have experienced less, lived less, and most of the time are a lot worse at putting words together. At 13, you are in junior high, your mind is not developed as much as an older person! If a 13 year old would write something really good, i can honestly say i would be more impressed by that person rather than a 33 year old writing something really good. Age does effect the way you write, talk, draw... its just impressive to see how creative and smart teens can be!

Source(s):

god some of that didnt make sense sorry but you kinda get my drift right?

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

And if I may ask, how old are you? You do make sense . . . but it seems much of the time teens hide behind their age, using it as a defense. I'd rather see what I think is a great piece of work, and then find out LATER that the author was 13, 15, whatever, when the piece was written.

Thx all!

Answer 2

Interesting, I was just having this discussion with somebody on another forum and they couldn't understand that the critique is for the poem not for the person. But look. Even we adults don't always take a harsh critique well. so...

Answer 3

I'm 39.
Don't judge me!