I’d love to hear your input on this question.
I’ve written quite a few poems that are not grounded in fact. Usually it doesn’t matter whether you think it’s true or not because the subject matter ise rather innocuous. But the latest poem I’ve written ends on a dark note, which I would never undertake–I don’t think. 😉
When you read a poem, do you automatically presume it’s true?
I presume there is truth in it, but not that it had to have happened. I don’t really think about that.
Short answer: No. Like the previous response, even fiction has an element of truth.
I presume it is true even if I were told otherwise. It is something that occurred to the author who might not know how true it is at some level.
I think i probably do, if it is written in the first person. If it is a comic poem I usually think of it as fiction–perhaps based on reality, but exaggerated.
There is truth in everything, to some degree, even fiction. Maybe, especially fiction. Fact, though, is another matter altogether. Facts and evidence belong in court, truth belongs in the things shared through understanding what lies beneath words.
I would presume that to the author and for the reader it’s rooted in truth, whether it’s a self perception of truth, an accurate depiction of the truth or how the author individually interpreted the truth. I would say it’s about the authors truth they wish to share. Perhaps it’s a dream truth. It could be an illusion to the world but the truth to the author at the time of writing. x very good question which I can imagine raises a lot of other questions to people.
I think that quite a large proportion of poetry that was written in the distant past (17c 18 and 19c) were grounded in actual events, also the War poets such as Wilfred Owen were of course very much based of reality. However, I get the impression from reading modern-ish poetry that it’s mostly based on fiction Sascha.
I did want to make sure before I posted a poem in which the narrator was seeking brutal revenge. 😁
Ahhhhhhhhh ok. Revenge it is then 🤣
😀
I never question if a poem is true. It might be the result of a dream, the result of pleasure. Fact or fiction? It doesn’t matter to me.
I like that. I think it’s the best approach. 🙂