Sentimentality

Although sentimentality is considered a pitfall and danger for poets, I also believe sentiment and emotional connection between author & audience, author & work, and also work & audience is crucial. Without words, images, and ideals that trigger emotional appeal, you cannot truly call it poetry. I know that is a bold claim, but poetry is art...and art is the connecting cord between people and thier hearts. Then, through expression and sharing, that cord connects us all. However, too much is too much. If the piece is so deep and covered with underlying meanings throughout, it is too hard to verify the meaning behind the poem. "Momentos, 1", by W. D. Snodgrass, is so moving and sentimental. There is so much truth in each word. This is one of those poems or poets that soaked there work in sentiment and emotion. Yet, we still want to read it! I could relate to the story being re-told. I have not been married or divorced, hopefully I will never be divorced, but I have definetely loved and lost. I have had friends or relationships that were amazing and then took a hard turn causing some sort or trouble. Most of the time, we worked it out. But sometimes you never work things out. Even in those situations, though, we still will always remember that special someone or best friend. There will always be a moment or mental photo to recall that shines with happiness and respect. I also think that Anne Sexton's poem, "The Truth the Dead Know", uses sentiment in the correct way. Of course she is expressing her emotions and feelings toward her parents dieing. I felt a small connection to this work. Line 4, "I am tired of being brave", rang so true in my ears and mind. My sister died when I was 15 and it devastated my family. Fortunately, we are a strong family that has always lived with faith in God and trusted that Jesus grace will always carry us through even the hardest times. My parents have pastored a church for the last 22 years running, so when my sister passed we were very much in the public eye. Not only did we have to find comfort and peace in our own lives, we had a congregations of almost 3000 people looking to us for the same. So I can easily say there were times when I was tired; tired of being brave, tired of being strong, tired of being tired. But, we did make it through with joy and trust in our Heavenly Father. Thank God for heaven where I know my sister is today. I wish Anne Sexton could have had this same outlook. Maybe her life would have not ended so tragicly. I write through my sentiment about similar topics as these poets have. I think it is powerful, but it can be overdone. You just have to use good judgment and good poetic technique.