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WB: The first draft of this essay was actually a prose poem, part of a sequence inspired by a line from Charles Baudelaire’s introduction to Paris Spleen, where he talks about wanting to create a kind of modern poetry that follows “the twists and turns that consciousness takes” (trans. Raymond MacKenzie). So the piece follows more of a ...
Bear Country. The problem was you were always jumpy and I was always silent. You’d be in the bedroom, matching socks and folding towels the correct way, when I’d appear in the doorway and you’d start like one of those women who is about to be murdered in the first five minutes of those Scandinavian dramas you always watched without me.
- Structure and Form
- Meter
- Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme
- Sound and Rhythm
- Subject
- Speaker
- Figurative Language and Poetic Devices
- Theme
- Tone and Mood
- Syntax
Poetry comes in a variety of forms and in each form follows a specific structure. For example, the sonnet form containing a set structure is different from odes. A free verse poem does not have the metrical regularity, which can be found in a blank versepoem. The structural elements found in poetry are: 1. Stanza: is a group of lines set off from o...
Meter is the definitive pattern found in verse. Some of the important metrical feet in English poetry include: 1. Iamb: consists of one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, as in des-pair, ex-clude, re-peat, etc. 2. Trochee: is a metrical foot containing one stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable, as in sis-ter, flow-e...
Rhyme is the repetitive pattern of sounds found in poetry. They are used to reinforce a pattern or rhyme scheme. In specific poetry forms such as ballads, sonnets, and couplets, the rhyme scheme is an important element. The common types of rhymesused in poetry are: 1. End Rhyme: is a common type of rhyme in poetry that occurs when the last word of ...
Sound and rhythm are other important elements of poetry. The sound of a poetic text means how a line or what sounds some specific words evoke in readers’ minds. Rhythm is a set pattern that is formed by these sounds. In poetry, rhythm refers to the metrical rhythm that involves the arrangement of syllables into repeating patterns called feet. For e...
The subject or content of poetry differs across a variety of forms. A subject is what the poem is about. For instance, the subjects of sonnets include love and admiration for one’s beloved, heartache and separation. Whereas divine sonnets include the subjects of devotions to God, enlightenment, and salvation. Elegiesare written in memory of someone...
Speaker is one who narrates the poem. In poetry, we tend to think that the poet is the speaker himself. However, it is not always the case. Sometimes, poets assume an imaginative character and write the poem from their perspective. Generally, the poem is told from the perspective of a first-person speaker or a third-person speaker. Poets also use t...
Poetry uses figurative language and different poetic devices to suggest different interpretations of words or to evoke other ideas that are not literally connected with the words. The sound devices such as alliteration, assonance, consonance, and onomatopoeia are used to create musical effects. Elements of poetic diction such as irony, symbolism, a...
The theme is a recurring idea or a pervading thought in a work of literature. Poetry themes include some common ideas such as love, nature, beauty, and as complex as death, spirituality, and immortality. An understanding of the theme helps readers to identify the core message of the poem or the poet’s purpose for writing the poem. For example, the ...
Diction is another significant aspect of poetry. It refers to the language, sound, and form used in a particular piece of poetry. The tone or attitude of a poem’s speaker and the mood of the entire text is part of poetic diction. To understand the speaker’s attitude or tone to the subject, readers have to look for the poet’s choice of words, figura...
The syntax is the ordering of words into meaningful patterns. Poetry has a distinct syntax compared to prose, fiction, and other forms of literature. Poets manipulate the conventional syntax to emphasize specific words. The purpose of adopting a specific syntax and diction is to achieve certain artistic effects such as tone, mood, etc. For instance...
- Rhyme and rhyme scheme. When we think of poetry, rhyme is probably the first poetic device that comes to mind. From the tales of Mother Goose to the works of the greats, it’s one of the defining characteristics of poetry.
- Meter. Meter is the basic structure of a line of poetry, whereby stressed and unstressed syllables are used in a predetermined way to create rhythm. In a sense, it’s the heartbeat of a poem.
- Lineation. Also known as layout, lineation is about how words and sentences are physically arranged on the page. While poetry is often best enjoyed when spoken aloud, it can also be a visual medium — and lineation is a large part of that.
- Form. Pulling back for a second, let’s take a wider look at poetry in general and talk about form. Form is the actual structure of a poem and consists of three parts: rhyme scheme, meter, and lineation.
By William Wordsworth. I wandered lonely as a cloud. That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine. And twinkle on the milky way,
Some say a poem is a kind of song or a prayer; it’s both controlled and uncontrollable, a flight of the imagination, or it comes from a dream state. It is both inspiration (breath & movement) and perspiration (a poet’s practice of craft). A poem is a made thing.
8 Steps to Writing a Poem. 1. Write down all your ideas; 2. Consider the mood; 3. Who’s speaking? 4. Consider the structure; 5. The first draft; 6. Revise; 7. Get feedback; 8. Revise, revise, revise
