What is Conceptual Poetry? Long Post

During the progression of this course, I frequently find myself asking the question, “what is conceptual poetry?” and the even more burning question, “what’s the point?” Reading different texts and ‘poetry’ every day, it seems that conceptual writing is pointless, even boring. Beginning the course with several works by Goldsmith, there was some shock at the types of writing he produced. After reading “Uncreative Writing” by Goldsmith, there was an understanding of what he does while copying text from newspapers and radio broadcasts. It was easier to understand where Goldsmith was coming from, and the brutality of his honestly brought about an entire new level of understanding about what he and so many other conceptual writers have done. There was a closer feeling towards Goldsmith’s writing because it was easy to agree that he was boring, extremely boring. While moving through the class, I have learned to accept this form of expression, while still struggling with what meaning and purpose it has and what defines it as art.
            An interesting poet named Nyein Way writes conceptual poetry as well as explores and defines the idea of conceptual poetry. His poem entitled “What is Conceptual Poetry?” is an intriguing piece that defines conceptual writing while also functioning as a piece of conceptual writing in itself.  An excerpt from the poem presents an accurate definition of conceptual poetry:
             C) Dimensions of conceptual poetry:
             1]structural[pretext, context, text and post-text human condition]
             2]functional [meaning, understanding, communication of message or information]
             3]spiritual[ideas, fancy, imagination, emotion machine]
             4]wisdom [integrated insight, intuitive awareness, second-phase of consciousness-raising          process]
             5]cartesian theatre
             6]concreteness of being
             7]emerged becomingingness (Poemhunter.com)
The format of the writing, the inclusion of letters and numbers, makes it seem like Way has simply copied the definition of the word ‘conceptual’ from a dictionary or a textbook. This process fits the method of other famous authors such as Goldsmith, whose famous poem “Day” involves him copying every single word verbatim from a newspaper. It is also interesting to note that Way defines conceptual poetry as having a “functional meaning” and being “spiritual”. This adds to the fact that conceptual writing has some meaning and purpose. This meaning can be anything, no matter how boring the piece may seem. Although it may be difficult to see the purpose of conceptual poetry, it takes some searching to find a meaning for it all. This fact allows one to further appreciate conceptual poetry as art. The artistic aspect of it is to force the reader to dig deeper and analyze the reason for its existence.
            A piece of writing that we are currently reading in class that has a special meaning is Zong! by M. NourbeSe Philip. Zong! is a book of poetry that encompasses the event of the Zong massacre. The poems use letters and words from the documented court case. This conceptual writing has struck me as meaningful because it has a clear purpose for existing, unlike some of Goldsmith’s writing. The purpose is to “lock myself [Philip] into this particular and peculiar discursive landscape in the belief that the story of these African men, women, and children thrown overboard in an attempt to collect insurance monies, the story that can only be told by not telling, is locked in this text.” (Philip 191). Conversely, what is the purpose of writing down every single word you spoke in one day as in Goldsmith’s “Soliloquy”? An article on the Jacket 2 discusses Zong! and gives a new perspective on its place in the conceptual realm. The article explains that Philip acknowledges the fact that Zong! is conceptual due to the “erasure of the author, apparent appropriation of found text working within a rigidly defined set of rules, its composition is inextricably linked to the computer.” (Jacket 2). This process, also known as constraint, is seen throughout Zong! with a large amount of repetition and structure. There is, however, another element to the book that makes it more appealing than the traditional conceptual writing, and that is “something that underlies and emerges within the text that she [Philip] calls “spiritual,” for lack of a more satisfying term.” (Jacket 2). This “spiritual” element is what makes Zong! more interesting and less mundane than some other conceptual poetry such as Goldsmith’s “Soliloquy”.
            It is very striking to note that the “spiritual” element of Zong! is also mentioned in Way’s definition of conceptual in “What is Conceptual Poetry?” Other words similar to spiritual used by Way are “ideas, fancy, imagination, emotion machine” (Poemhunter.com). It is very intriguing that the Jacket 2 article conveys that the evident spiritual element of Zong! makes it a little different from conceptual writing, juxtaposed to Way’s “What is Conceptual Poetry?” that includes the word spiritual in his definition of conceptual poetry. This contradiction emphasizes the fact that conceptual poetry has varying definitions and meanings to each individual. Jacket 2 explains that "the contours of conceptual poetry are still very much in flux. The visibility of a work like  Zong! within the field of vision of this debate may push critics and scholars to work beyond notions      of “pure” and “impure” commitments to certain rigidly process-based notions of conceptualism, to develop a working definition that can accommodate broader, more (w)holistic approaches" (Jacket 2).
With that being said, maybe Zong! is a little more enjoyable than other conceptual works I have been exposed to because my definition of conceptual writing is different than someone else’s. Writing is an art form that has to do something emotionally or provoke my thoughts and stir my spirit. Art is a very profound form of expression where everyone can look at it a little differently. Jacket 2 is correct in saying that conceptual writing should have a “working definition” and it should be very open to different interpretations, as should any type of writing or self-expression.
            My mind has been expanded, my comfort zone has been tested, and my opinion on art and writing has been changed forever. Ever since being initially exposed to conceptual writing, there is a new appreciation level for writing in general. After the initial shock and skepticism, I have learned to accept and embrace novel ideas and forms of expression in terms of conceptual writing. As for Kenneth Goldsmith, I feel that I do not fully understand his purpose for writing but maybe one day I can learn to appreciate it as much as I do Zong!.

Works Cited

"Nyein Way - Chief Cultural Advisor & Literary Faculty." Theatre for Humanity. N.p., n.d.         Web. 25 Feb. 2015. <http://theatreforhumanity.info/new-yangon-theatre            institut/biographies--new-yangon/nyein-way---chief-cultural.html>.
Philip, Marlene Nourbese. Zong! Middletown, CT: Wesleyan UP, 2008. Print.
Poem, Nyein Way. "What Is Conceptual Poetry?" Poemhunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb.        2015. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/what-is-conceptual-poetry/%E2%80%8B>.
Shockley, Evie. "Is 'Zong!' Conceptual Poetry? Yes, It Isn't." Jacket 2. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web.            25 Feb. 2015. <http://jacket2.org/article/zong-conceptual-poetry-yes-it        isn%E2%80%99t>.​