Poetry Precis #3: “Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?”

Ron Koertge uses illustrative imagery and cliches in his poem, “Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?,” which creates an empowering, carefree tone, enumerating the message that the best way to become a great writer is to go out, break all of the rules, be original and fearless. In the second stanza, the speaker starts of with their advice by saying that the best type of notebook to have is a cheap one, “with pages the color of weak tea,” and with “a kitten or a spaceship” on the cover. The message is that you don’t need any fancy materials to become a great writer, all you need is to stand out and have a great idea. Everyone remembers having those graphic notebooks in elementary school, and his message is that inspiration and greatness could stem from anyone, anywhere, with anything. In the third stanza he writes that you should avoid enclosed spaces “where more than three people are wearing turtlenecks.” Aside from the humor in this image, this gives a sense of unoriginality and similarity between most writers, being the cliche old scholarly professors. Break that trend and step out of the box. Distance yourself from all other writers and be independent in your style, your topics, and your writing. The speaker warns about getting too close to any “snow-covered chalet with deer tracks,” also hinting to a cliche setting where one could go to write, or what one would write about. His advice is to break the norms of writing and do whatever you need to do to gain inspiration for your writing. If you go to a library, instead of doing the typical thing of writing surrounded by works of literature to gain inspiration, instead sit next to a baby.  Disregard all typical approaches when it comes to writing, and that is when you will really succeed. The imagery that Koertge uses with the baby making a tower out of the books, oblivious to their titles, authors or meanings is meant to teach that to create a great piece of writing, utilize whatever is around you to create something really unique. Don’t use  for their normal purpose, instead stack your “books,” be creative and build your writing higher and higher. The most important message of the poem comes in at the end of the poem. Even if what you write or do may not be popular or fit within the status quo of writing, be bold and fearless. If your “tower” falls, you simply pick up the pieces and start again. Writing is something that you cannot give up on after failure, since it is something that you will only get better at if you keep trying. Koertge’s use of cliches and imagery convey the feeling that the speaker is giving their advice directly towards the reader, and telling them that the best advice for those who are just starting out is to be fearless and never give up.