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To Metaphor, or Not To Metaphor?

in Poetry Discussion

Hey guys! Wanted to pick all your minds with this question: to metaphor or not to metaphor? Personally, I think that metaphor is a handy tool in a poet's toolshed. Metaphors are often used to compare objects or ideas in a way that isn't literal. Oftentimes they take the form of a figure of speech. For example, love is a battlefield. Doesn't reading that stir up all kinds of thoughts? Metaphors, in my mind, are intended for provoking whoever reads them. Whether that is to string the reader along to some foregone conclusion or to cause greater confusion. What do you all think?

4 comments

Comments (4)

Adam Gary

Aug 04, 2021

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To be honest, I’m a bit of a traditionalist here. I feel like metaphors are a core component of poetry, and should be implemented where possible.

Poetry should be heightened from every day speech, and in my opinion, heightened from prose. A great metaphor is a perfect way to do this (as you’re asking me).

I think there should be some sort of mysticism in poetry, which metaphor can bring, and I think even in Bukowski’s work there is that…

Anyway, to metaphor….. every day of the week, if it was up to me.