robert frost

I have mixed feelings about Robert Frost. But my workshop teacher shared a quote with us last night about form that I find intriguing and possibly true:

"There are no two things as important to us in life and art as being threatened and being saved. What are ideals of form for if we aren't going to be made to fear for them? All ingenuity is lavished on getting into danger legitimately so that we may be genuinely rescued."

I don't know if I agree with everything said here, but I do think it is important to look at the form or structure of a piece of writing to see if it's doing everything possible, including taking the necessary risks that make us a little bit afraid, which means we are pushing through something to perhaps get beyond something.

John expanded on it saying that form is a way to control and protect ourselves as we are writing so we have a space to work in, but it also gives us something to challenge, something to play with, which I agree with completely.