Rambling words concerning The Art of Recklessness: Poetry as Assertive force and Contradiction by Dean Young

Craft: Skill in planning, making or executing.
Skill: The ability to use one’s knowledge effectively.
 
On page 162, in my edition, he does admit, “… it is a craft after all…”
 
My college English Professor for 101, 102 and 105 was Ms. Shaker, a literary disciplinarian. I learned very strict writing practices from her. No give and take. There was one way and only one way to do something.
 
I once read Stephen King talking about his works. When he first started, all writing was done according to the rules, but as his fame increased and editors saw that what he wrote sold, they backed off on many formatting requests. 
 
Does following a strict set of rules better or ruin a craft?
 
I read Mr. Young’s work and in my mind, kept trying to read between the lines. Who did it? For what reason? What was the murder weapon? Towards the end, I thought maybe I had misjudged. In the final pages I do believe I solved the plot. Maybe.
 
Overall, a rambling long winded sermon. Full of expensive words and an unbelievable number of quotes. 
 
BTW did you know his father was Cy Young the famous cartoonist?
 
So, I offer for consideration, three woodworkers; Evan, a fine furniture maker living in Boston. Earl, a primitive artist living in Mississippi. And Chad, a high school stoner, is taking woodshop because it is an easy class.
 
For our project we will ask each of them to build a coat rack. That is all the information given, no material list, no plans, no design, no process and no mention of final finish. All three must muster whatever ‘skill’ they have gleaned, channel it into their ‘craft’ and present us with a coat rack.
 
Evan presents a mahogany three-legged rack with hand carved eagle claws on the end of each leg. Polished brass knobs adorn the end of each ‘rack’. The finish gives off a high luster sheen.
 
Earl, planned down an old fence post and mounted it to a ‘cookie’ from an old cypress tree. For the four ‘racks’, he hand augered holes in the post and mounted birch twigs. For a final touch, he mounted an old Hills Brothers Coffee can to the top of the post. The finish is rough, rustic and primitive.
 
Chad also built a three-legged rack. Using some scrap 2x4s and some left-over wood dowels. He is proud of his work and it functions well (If you place a shim under one leg). He gave no thought to end-grain, or the quality of the wood. The finish is rough and splintery.
 
Now all three worked within their knowledge and presented the best example of the project they could. All three function and can be identified and used as a coat rack. Most consumers would buy Evans before the other two. Evan wins the contest!
 
If we sent Earl and Chad to attend the Vermont Woodworking school (Evan’s school of training) and then they followed Evan as an apprentice for two years, would their work become better? I am sure that it would and Chad would benefit greatly as I am sure Earl would somewhat. BUT, in gaining this training and knowledge is there a chance of Earl losing something that made his work unique? His imagination?
 
Am I a better writer because of Ms. Shaker? Absolutely. While she forced strict formatting and structure, she never tried to ruin my imagination. 

Roy Richard 
2023