I went to a reading a few months ago where the author spoke of his desire to write under the influence of he who was being translated...allow his voice to be melded to another. Ultimately, his decision was to let it go, to work with this amalgamated voice and within that new hybrid consciousness. The work he read from this exercise was terrifying, but like Sam Raimi and his quest for perfect blood spray, like playing with a fresh gash, or in the way that animal remains are terrifying...you simultaneously want to take pictures and never speak of it ever again. In short, the poems often made you wince with pleasure.
So...I've been considering this idea ever since, of letting another voice or sentience, not take over, but guide my poems. Allow its influence to do just that...be an influencer. Just over a month ago I began writing everyday, a poem everyday, regardless of quality, so that this process may take place. The poems started off rough; poems about badgers (more than I care to admit), poems about dead birds, poems about bums and hookers and spiders. Then, a few weeks ago, the effort began to bear fruit. I started writing poems concerning a foil named Charlie. Here's the issue though; I'm concerned that these poems might be more homages, or even worse, just derivatives of the voice I was working with, and that, though they are really fun to read (even for me, and I never seem to take the critical eye off my poems) do they carry any creative merit? Normally, this wouldn't be a deal at all, but I'm about 20 poems in and starting to consider the idea of a larger manuscript...speaking of terrifying.
I'll tell you what...tonight I will record one and post it here and maybe you can tell me...