Combat Poetry II. Which camp are you in?

[Pugilist]

I see the Poetry section in Yahoo! Answers being divided into two (2) main camps.

Camp #1:

Poetry is Art. Art is communication. Do the best job you can to reach your intended audience. Be prepared to take criticism and use it to make your work better.

Camp #2

Poetry is anything you want it to be. Don't try to hold me back with rules or structure. If I use the wrong words or grammar or anything, the reader should understand it's a personal thing and make allowances.

It's probably no surprise that I am in Camp #1. Additionally, I never want any of my work to be associated with Camp #2. I do not know any poet who history has judged well as being in Camp #2.

Mostly I try to avoid commenting on Camp #2 folks, as I believe it saves my time and they will never consider any criticism as constructive.

How about you?

[rtperry2]

Poetry is not only art; it is a craft.

It is a great deal more than either #1 or #2, but for the options you give, I'm definitely in #1. I sometimes give the people the critiques they request; however, I find myself needing to say the same things over and over again, and it is wearying.

Read more poetry by published poets, guys (preferably modern ones, circa 1950-2008) and learn how they do what they do. Most of what I see here is drama-queen opera (memememememeME!) and not poetry even in its worst, most hackneyed sense (which, unfortunately, is what our public schools still think "poetry" is, because that, in large part, is what they're teaching to the students on Y!A, if what I've seen here is any indication.)