Basil Bunting's Advice to Poets (and composers)

My husband Michael just came the house with a page of advice from Basil Bunting to young poets on the top of his "stack."

1. Compose aloud; poetry is a sound.
2. Vary rhythm enough to stir the emotion you want but not so as to lose impetus.
3. Use spoken words and syntax.
4. Fear adjective; they bleed nouns. Hate the passive.
5. Jettison ornament gaily but keep shape

Put your poem away till you forget it, then:
6. Cut out every word you dare.
7. Do it again a week later, and again.

Never explain - your reader is as smart as you.

Of course I instantly translated some of it into advice for writing music:

1. Compose aloud; music is a sound.
2. Vary rhythm enough to stir the emotion you want but not so as to lose impetus.
4. Hate the passive.
5. Jettison ornament gaily but keep shape.

Put your piece away till you forget it, then:

6. Cut out every note you dare.
7. Do it again a week later, and again.

Never explain - your listener is as smart as you.

Tags: Advice for writing music, Basil Bunting