On a thread on dokuritsu‘s LJ there’s a discussion going on regarding the difference between “poems” and “pieces”.
I have to be honest — I have NEVER made such a distinction in referring to my own work, and certainly never thought it was an actual distinction when people used the word. I use them interchangeably.
What I write, mostly, are “poems.” Any given poem is also a “piece” of my overall work. So when I say, “I’m working on a new piece,” I mean “I’m writing something new.” But a column is a piece too, a blog entry is also a piece, and a poem is a piece.
To me.
I’m curious: how do others feel about this? Gotta admit, I’m a little bemused that it’s a subject of debate…am I just out of it?
Dark Matter 
May 5th, 2005 at 1:19 am
A curious question — I don’t really think I would call a poem of mine, or any other effort of written or spoken word, a ‘piece’.
Not to say that I view that word in a negative connotation at all, it’s just not something I’d say.
May 5th, 2005 at 1:19 am
A curious question — I don’t really think I would call a poem of mine, or any other effort of written or spoken word, a ‘piece’.
Not to say that I view that word in a negative connotation at all, it’s just not something I’d say.
May 5th, 2005 at 1:19 am
A curious question — I don’t really think I would call a poem of mine, or any other effort of written or spoken word, a ‘piece’.
Not to say that I view that word in a negative connotation at all, it’s just not something I’d say.
May 5th, 2005 at 1:19 am
A curious question — I don’t really think I would call a poem of mine, or any other effort of written or spoken word, a ‘piece’.
Not to say that I view that word in a negative connotation at all, it’s just not something I’d say.
May 5th, 2005 at 1:19 am
A curious question — I don’t really think I would call a poem of mine, or any other effort of written or spoken word, a ‘piece’.
Not to say that I view that word in a negative connotation at all, it’s just not something I’d say.
May 4th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
it’s all the same to me too
i too use the two terms interchangably. you’re not out of it
May 4th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
it’s all the same to me too
i too use the two terms interchangably. you’re not out of it
May 4th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
it’s all the same to me too
i too use the two terms interchangably. you’re not out of it
May 4th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
it’s all the same to me too
i too use the two terms interchangably. you’re not out of it
May 4th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
it’s all the same to me too
i too use the two terms interchangably. you’re not out of it
May 4th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
a piece of a poem
as bob said, i would suggest that i have lots of performance pieces that only in the broadest sense would be considered “poems”. perhaps they are poetic more than not.
although i do think i have some poems that i perform and take into the competitions. i think there are differences, although i don’t try and make any disticntions other than its all “stuff that i do”.
i’m not sure why there would be a debate on the topic. it seems to me more of a personal distinction than anything else.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
a piece of a poem
as bob said, i would suggest that i have lots of performance pieces that only in the broadest sense would be considered “poems”. perhaps they are poetic more than not.
although i do think i have some poems that i perform and take into the competitions. i think there are differences, although i don’t try and make any disticntions other than its all “stuff that i do”.
i’m not sure why there would be a debate on the topic. it seems to me more of a personal distinction than anything else.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
a piece of a poem
as bob said, i would suggest that i have lots of performance pieces that only in the broadest sense would be considered “poems”. perhaps they are poetic more than not.
although i do think i have some poems that i perform and take into the competitions. i think there are differences, although i don’t try and make any disticntions other than its all “stuff that i do”.
i’m not sure why there would be a debate on the topic. it seems to me more of a personal distinction than anything else.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
a piece of a poem
as bob said, i would suggest that i have lots of performance pieces that only in the broadest sense would be considered “poems”. perhaps they are poetic more than not.
although i do think i have some poems that i perform and take into the competitions. i think there are differences, although i don’t try and make any disticntions other than its all “stuff that i do”.
i’m not sure why there would be a debate on the topic. it seems to me more of a personal distinction than anything else.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
a piece of a poem
as bob said, i would suggest that i have lots of performance pieces that only in the broadest sense would be considered “poems”. perhaps they are poetic more than not.
although i do think i have some poems that i perform and take into the competitions. i think there are differences, although i don’t try and make any disticntions other than its all “stuff that i do”.
i’m not sure why there would be a debate on the topic. it seems to me more of a personal distinction than anything else.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Yup, like that.
Though often, a “piece” means just that to me, a “piece”.
Like, if i were writing a book, a poem might be one piece of the book and i’m working on this “piece”.
Whatever, I find the importance of it to be about as compelling as …
well yeah.
that.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Yup, like that.
Though often, a “piece” means just that to me, a “piece”.
Like, if i were writing a book, a poem might be one piece of the book and i’m working on this “piece”.
Whatever, I find the importance of it to be about as compelling as …
well yeah.
that.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Yup, like that.
Though often, a “piece” means just that to me, a “piece”.
Like, if i were writing a book, a poem might be one piece of the book and i’m working on this “piece”.
Whatever, I find the importance of it to be about as compelling as …
well yeah.
that.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Yup, like that.
Though often, a “piece” means just that to me, a “piece”.
Like, if i were writing a book, a poem might be one piece of the book and i’m working on this “piece”.
Whatever, I find the importance of it to be about as compelling as …
well yeah.
that.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Yup, like that.
Though often, a “piece” means just that to me, a “piece”.
Like, if i were writing a book, a poem might be one piece of the book and i’m working on this “piece”.
Whatever, I find the importance of it to be about as compelling as …
well yeah.
that.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
i use ’em pretty much as you do–essay, poem, story, collage–but
i also agree wouldn’t call all my slam pieces poems. the adjective “slam” modifies “piece” to make that distinction. “piece” per se doesn’t connote that it’s *not* a poem.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
i use ’em pretty much as you do–essay, poem, story, collage–but
i also agree wouldn’t call all my slam pieces poems. the adjective “slam” modifies “piece” to make that distinction. “piece” per se doesn’t connote that it’s *not* a poem.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
i use ’em pretty much as you do–essay, poem, story, collage–but
i also agree wouldn’t call all my slam pieces poems. the adjective “slam” modifies “piece” to make that distinction. “piece” per se doesn’t connote that it’s *not* a poem.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
i use ’em pretty much as you do–essay, poem, story, collage–but
i also agree wouldn’t call all my slam pieces poems. the adjective “slam” modifies “piece” to make that distinction. “piece” per se doesn’t connote that it’s *not* a poem.
May 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
i use ’em pretty much as you do–essay, poem, story, collage–but
i also agree wouldn’t call all my slam pieces poems. the adjective “slam” modifies “piece” to make that distinction. “piece” per se doesn’t connote that it’s *not* a poem.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
i make the distinction only because some of the stuff i have slammed i wouldn’t call poetry. i’m not about to demean the art form or elevate my own alleged status as poet by saying that everything i write is poetry. i have no problem criticizing my own work that way.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
i make the distinction only because some of the stuff i have slammed i wouldn’t call poetry. i’m not about to demean the art form or elevate my own alleged status as poet by saying that everything i write is poetry. i have no problem criticizing my own work that way.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
i make the distinction only because some of the stuff i have slammed i wouldn’t call poetry. i’m not about to demean the art form or elevate my own alleged status as poet by saying that everything i write is poetry. i have no problem criticizing my own work that way.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
i make the distinction only because some of the stuff i have slammed i wouldn’t call poetry. i’m not about to demean the art form or elevate my own alleged status as poet by saying that everything i write is poetry. i have no problem criticizing my own work that way.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
i make the distinction only because some of the stuff i have slammed i wouldn’t call poetry. i’m not about to demean the art form or elevate my own alleged status as poet by saying that everything i write is poetry. i have no problem criticizing my own work that way.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I actually use the two in the exact same fashion that you do, Tony.
To me, the distinction between a poem and a piece is just like the distinction between a square and a rectangle.
all poems are pieces, but not all pieces are poems.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I actually use the two in the exact same fashion that you do, Tony.
To me, the distinction between a poem and a piece is just like the distinction between a square and a rectangle.
all poems are pieces, but not all pieces are poems.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I actually use the two in the exact same fashion that you do, Tony.
To me, the distinction between a poem and a piece is just like the distinction between a square and a rectangle.
all poems are pieces, but not all pieces are poems.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I actually use the two in the exact same fashion that you do, Tony.
To me, the distinction between a poem and a piece is just like the distinction between a square and a rectangle.
all poems are pieces, but not all pieces are poems.
May 4th, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I actually use the two in the exact same fashion that you do, Tony.
To me, the distinction between a poem and a piece is just like the distinction between a square and a rectangle.
all poems are pieces, but not all pieces are poems.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Well, it felt like a debate to me…
I really am asking because I’m just amazed that people make this distinction, and I wonder what I’ve been missing.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Well, it felt like a debate to me…
I really am asking because I’m just amazed that people make this distinction, and I wonder what I’ve been missing.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Well, it felt like a debate to me…
I really am asking because I’m just amazed that people make this distinction, and I wonder what I’ve been missing.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Well, it felt like a debate to me…
I really am asking because I’m just amazed that people make this distinction, and I wonder what I’ve been missing.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Well, it felt like a debate to me…
I really am asking because I’m just amazed that people make this distinction, and I wonder what I’ve been missing.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
I personally would say less debate, more opinion.
Now, I wouldn’t say “I’m working on a piece” and mean a short story, or a journal entry or even a novel. I wouldn’t say I’m working on a piece and mean a sketch, or a painting, or a sculpture (assuming I did any of those things).
To me, a “piece” is something written meant to be read aloud to an audience. A piece is not always a poem, but it can be. A poem is not always a piece, but it can be. I see a line. I don’t care if anyone else sees it or not, it keeps things straight in my head for me.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
I personally would say less debate, more opinion.
Now, I wouldn’t say “I’m working on a piece” and mean a short story, or a journal entry or even a novel. I wouldn’t say I’m working on a piece and mean a sketch, or a painting, or a sculpture (assuming I did any of those things).
To me, a “piece” is something written meant to be read aloud to an audience. A piece is not always a poem, but it can be. A poem is not always a piece, but it can be. I see a line. I don’t care if anyone else sees it or not, it keeps things straight in my head for me.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
I personally would say less debate, more opinion.
Now, I wouldn’t say “I’m working on a piece” and mean a short story, or a journal entry or even a novel. I wouldn’t say I’m working on a piece and mean a sketch, or a painting, or a sculpture (assuming I did any of those things).
To me, a “piece” is something written meant to be read aloud to an audience. A piece is not always a poem, but it can be. A poem is not always a piece, but it can be. I see a line. I don’t care if anyone else sees it or not, it keeps things straight in my head for me.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
I personally would say less debate, more opinion.
Now, I wouldn’t say “I’m working on a piece” and mean a short story, or a journal entry or even a novel. I wouldn’t say I’m working on a piece and mean a sketch, or a painting, or a sculpture (assuming I did any of those things).
To me, a “piece” is something written meant to be read aloud to an audience. A piece is not always a poem, but it can be. A poem is not always a piece, but it can be. I see a line. I don’t care if anyone else sees it or not, it keeps things straight in my head for me.
May 4th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
I personally would say less debate, more opinion.
Now, I wouldn’t say “I’m working on a piece” and mean a short story, or a journal entry or even a novel. I wouldn’t say I’m working on a piece and mean a sketch, or a painting, or a sculpture (assuming I did any of those things).
To me, a “piece” is something written meant to be read aloud to an audience. A piece is not always a poem, but it can be. A poem is not always a piece, but it can be. I see a line. I don’t care if anyone else sees it or not, it keeps things straight in my head for me.