THE POET’S PALETTE: Back to Poetry Basics

Yesterday for Verseday #3, Gabrielle Prendergast highlighted the poetic forms that she used when she wrote her forthcoming verse novel, AUDACIOUS.It got my attention because I LOVE using forms when I write poetry, and I used many forms in my own forthcoming novel in verse.

One of the best surprises of using poetry forms in my work was that it gave me an opportunity to intensely study poetry, to understand poetry’s fundamentals, and to even discuss some of those basics in a section of end matter. It’s an example of how my writing ended up educating me.

After months of diving the depths of the ocean that is poetry, I came away with this thought: Any poetry form that has ever existed would not be if it weren’t for rhyme, rhythm, stanzas, and/or poetry techniques. (Maybe this is common knowledge among poets, but for me, it was my poetry eureka moment.) I think that every poem – from the simplest nursery rhyme to the most complex Shakespearean play, owes its existence to some combination of these four humble poetry basics. Even free verse (which isn’t really free) has evolved from these poetry fundamentals.

Stated another way: Writing in verse without using different combinations of these basics would be like an artist trying to paint without red, blue, yellow, or black & white. What does that leave? Nothing. As I understand color, every shade is an outgrowth of these primary colors, and black & white create tonal differences. The same holds true for poetry - without rhyme, rhythm, stanzas, and poetry techniques, poets have nothing – no way to make poetry. (Not even free verse, which, remember – if it is truly free verse poetry – is not free.) With these essentials, though, poets have a palette that allows every poetic color available in order to create the richest, most diverse poetry paintings in any form they care to follow or can imagine.

What's on your poet's palette these days? A big dollop of rhythm and rhyme? A bold dash of stanzas and techniques? A touch of free verse? Which basics are you using to paint your amazing poetry? 

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Poetry Friday is at Violet Nesdoly's

Verse Day is at Gabrielle’s versenovels.com

1/18/2013 

Comments

[Bridget Magee]

Fabulous post, Tamara! So good to "see" you on Poetry Friday, too! I love the idea of using my "poet's palette". I try to mix my "poetic colors" from time to time, with mixed results. But that's part of practicing our craft, isn't it? Happy Friday! =)

[Tamera WIll Wissinger]

Thanks for stopping by, Bridget! Good to see you here, and thanks for welcoming me to Poetry Friday. Yes, mixed results is a good way of stating it, and it is part of our craft. But the more we try, the better our chance for good results, right? Happy Friday to you, too.

[Violet N.]

I like what you say--that the writing ended up educating you. That happens with me all the time, and is one of the reasons I enjoy writing in forms. Something powerful happens with a poetic subject is married to the right form. Thanks so much for joining in on Poetry Friday!

[Tamera WIll Wissinger]

Thanks for stopping by, Violet. And thanks for hosting Poetry Friday! That's such a great observation about the power of a subject paired with the right form. Another idea for me to ponder! Thanks again!