Notes On Writing Poetry

Hey everyone, I haven't really been too active lately on this site because I came back to school and have had a lot on my plate to deal with including school and fraternity obligations etc. Anyways I'm glad you emailed me, Gary. I found this topic to be interesting and also helpful reading through the different techniques to use in poetry. I realize that some people don't really use these at all but yeah what I like to do is to just pick and choose what I find can work and use it however I feel. There's really no set way to do anything but there are things that do work and can make you at least think outside the box a little bit. I find that always helps if I'm stuck and can't figure out what to write. Just to look at some things other people have done with words and an idea could hit you out of nowhere. And I also know the best time for me to write is generally right after I wake up. I might have had a dream or been thinking about something and I have to hop up and grab a pen or my laptop and get it down or it will be lost - so that is definitely one thing that I would try to do is have something handy to take down ideas whenever they come.

Also, aside from ideas coming from my sleep, it seems they frequently come to me while I'm listening to music. Doesn't matter what you listen to, it could be anything that sort of puts you in a mood to write about something. I see a lot of people writing about life and love and all those things that generally deal with realistic themes. But I've written a few sort of dark/fantasy poems that came to me while listening to Rage Against the Machine. So I guess what I can offer as advice if all you're looking to write about are things in your life is to forget about that for a while and do something completely crazy like what I did writing Demon's Wrath and Doombringer. Poems can be fictional too and can often be more fun to write. That's all I got for now. Take care.

Punctuation and syntax are a matter of the poem-it is dictated by the poem and the poet's judgement.There are many opinions on this,. In my own poems the piece dictates the form, the syntax, the puctuation-it is a matter of what the writer feels is right for the poem.There are set rules, as there is for all poetic forms, but that doesn't mean you must follow them.Not exactly sure if this is what you were getting at, but hope I answered your question.Just write what you feel, let the piece breathe and come alive and everything falls into place-line breaks, puctuation, etc.-at least it does for me.I allow the poem to be what it is rather than force it into what I think it should be.Though rewriting and revision are still essential.

GJ

(deleted)

This topic is not limited to long time members it is also for new members as stated
above of the opinions and advice I'd like to see posted, both by new memebers and veterans.(Read the first posting to get an idea of the type of stuff I'd like to see posted)I really think the information proivided by all on personal habits(no matter how small or big)writer's block challenges, what interests you in
writing poetry,is it merely a habit or to be published
serious poet, Any terms/form definitions, etc
Why you write(therapy,release,etc.) and what poetry means to you. Any terms/form definitions, etc
I feel if enough people contribute to this topic, it could become a helpful touchstone to veterans and newcomers alike.I thank all for their contributions.There are so many talented, opinionated poets on this site, it is an honor to be a member.

could you please read my poems and comment them and tell me if you think i am a good writter or not or give me some tips or something.....thanks

More Guides on Writing:

Writing Ode; A Tutorial to the Form:
http://www.poems-and-quotes.com/discussion/topic.html?topic_id=59139

Sonnets 101; A Guide to the Sonnet:
http://www.poems-and-quotes.com/discussion/topic.html?topic_id=59120

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I would like to thank Azyu, Brandy and especially Stormy(a fantastic and much underated, beloved poet on this site) for their contributions.Each individual has something to say and I am quite impressed with the response this post has gottten, but it is for the benefit of all, myself included, with all the different opinions/advice.Thank you all.I hope more members will contribute.

Gary Jurechka

Okay, I'm just putting my 2 cents in...

It's great that you want to help people with some advice. But you sound like a friggin text book. So much. You think you can sum it up... smaller maybe...

Bleh

Hello Everyone! And Thank You Gary!

I know, this is the first time i have commented on the writings going on here, but i have been immensely busy. But Gary has been ever persistant to have put in my input, and thanks to him, i finally remembered to do this. Thanks again Gary, for wanting me to be a part of this, i feel highly honored.
Wow, there have been so many posts here, i only read about half, its almost overwhelming how much information about poetry there is here, props to you Gary and the rest of you wonderful poets. I won't be able to write much, having still limited time, but this is just off the breeze and coming off the top of my head but its all true about all i believe about poetry.

Poetry, essential, is part of the soul. Its your emotions, your love, fear, anger, guilt, imagination, true, humor, and everything more all wrapped up into words coming from your heart. In poetry, you meant it. You really mean it. I may not speak my mind all the time, but at the end of the day i sit down at the computer and pour it all into my poetry. It is my emotions from my heart. No one elses. Unique. Thats why everyones poetry is so unique. Even if a line or two is seen many time throughout many poems, it is still that person's own, if thats what they feel. Poetry is like eternity, never ending, an unfillable compacity. People will never stop writing, and we will never run out of things to write about. thats the beauty of poetry. You can write about anything, happening anywhere, anytime.
Poetry is not only cold words on paper, it is feeling. Poems are so strong all by themselves that it can bring a person to laughter or tears. Such a small thing to cause such a great change in a person can only mean its power, the way it effects us all. And better yet, poetry does not have to be in any kind of format, the glory of the free verse. Personal, i write many free verses, because sometimes its hard to write what you mean, and make it ryhme too. The words just flow out of my pen (or fingertips if your typing on the computer) and i have no control of what i have written until i look up and read what my speech could not say out loud. Poetry is a powerful thing. Ues it to inspire and express yourself and your feelings. Poetry is like a peaceful release, a rest from reality. But if you want to wrap everything i have just said into the 4 words i want to say now, then here it is. Simply to say, to me, Poetry, COMES FOR YOUR HEART.
So keep writing, keep loving, keep living.

Thanks for reading everyone, everyone is a poet inside, and your all very wonderful. And lets all thank Gary for his wonderful inspiring poetry and how helpful he is, i advise that anyone who ever needs any help about it should come to him, because just by reading his poetry, i have learned so much. He truely is an exceptional poet.

And heres just one more lil somethin' to read to put my words a lil more simply, i wrote this a while back, and if you havent read it yet, then here is just my lil tribute to poetry.

Beneath the Poetry

Beneath the poetry
theres an emotion
beneath the smile
theres a question
beneath the eyes
there are tears
beneath the hope
there is doubt
beneath the faith
theres rejection
beneath the clothes
skin warm and soft
beneath the ring
theres a promise
beneath the heart
there are scars
beneath useless worries and tatters
theres a life that really matters...

And beneath the surface...
theres the middle of the world
for you and I to wander
For the people to ponder
"why don't they stop?"
Love. never stops.

So beneath the words we say
there are things unspoken
and beneath every hug given
rests the words "i love you"
I said you were beautiful.
and it was the truth. the truth.

So climb the ladder
and see whats ahead
live all you can
before your dead.
Look with your heart
Not just your eyes
Remember the "hellos"
not just the "goodbyes"
not only the "how could yous"
but also the "thank yous"

But remember to ask yourself
while standing aware of time
when beneath the cloudy skies
where does the free bird fly?
for poetry isn't just a ryhme.

-You can find this with my other poems if you would like to comment Thank you.

Weeping Wolf, Layla.

~peace, power and poetry~

Thank you Layla for your contribution.You are such a talented poet, I really wanted your input.Though you give me more credit than I deserve-I I love poetry and the desire to offer advice to others.Poetry is the only thing that I am confident on, the only thing I am sure of in my life,- but it is you and the other members that matter,, thanks for contributing you are truly talented and one of the best on the site.Layla, you are very talented and promising poet-don't ever give up writing, you truly have the talent, the emotion, the meaning.I expect great things from you.I hope this post helps others, giving information, definitions, various writing habits.This is truly for the members.Any input is appreciated

Peace, Poetry,& Power,

Gary Jurechka

Wow, what a wonderful Thread you started here Gary. Thank you for contacting me and letting me know about this thread, I read your email and I was eager to get on and start typing for the benefit of others. Ok so here I go.

I personally write when I feel like it, weather it is in the morning or night, If I am in the mood, watch out, I just have to write, I will write and write and write a lot of poems when I am really in the mood. Now you may say what is my mood? well really it is when I have an emotion towards anything, emotion is a huge infulence on my poetry, infact it is a huge infuluence on anyone's poetry, If you read anyone's poetry anywhere, it could be short or it could be long, it could be Horiablly written, or it could be amazing. Either way, the poem was rendered with some kind emotion, the poem will move someone in some way, shape or form, Just because it doesn't move one person, doesn't mean it isn't good, for someone else may love it. As you can see Emotions play a huge role in poetry and always will.

If you read poetry or write poetry, you need to understand the basics of how copyrights work. A copyright protects the rights of the poet who put his or her labor into creating this work of art.

First off, a copyright exists AS SOON AS YOU CREATE YOUR WORK. There is no need to register a copyright with any office, or to label your work in any special way. You don't have to put a copyright symbol on it. Once you have finished typing your work, or putting it on your website, or however you choose to use it, it is yours and it belongs to you. You hold the copyright.

The only reason a poet would need to REGISTER the copyright is if the owner wished to file a lawsuit against someone else regarding the work. That way the rightful owner now has it on record that he or she went through the steps to prove the work belongs to him or her.

Some people believe a "poor man's coypright" exists where you mail yourself your work. This is an urban legend. You always own your own copyright. If you wish to take legal action against someone else, you have to legally file your copyright papers first. Those are really the only two situations that exist.

Works created after 1987 are owned by the author and his/her estate for a full 70 years after the author's death. Works before then started with a copyright length of 28 years from publication, and then could be renewed from anywhere from another 28 years to another 67 years, depending what year the item was published in.

A general rule of thumb is that works before 1987 were protected for around 100 years from publication date. Any old poetry published more than 100 years ago can be put onto websites and used. Since the minimum before 1987 was 28 years from publication date, any poetry written after 1975 is definitely under copyright! And pretty much anything written since 1903 is most likely still under copyright. This includes song lyrics.

So enjoy poetry in all of its forms! But if you run a website, be sure you check before you use material illegally! Otherwise you could open yourself up to being sued by either the author of the poetry or his/her estate.

Poetry can take many forms,and is used to describe many things. It can make sense or be nonsense, it can rhyme or not, and it can be as small as a few words, or as long as a book. It takes many shapes and sizes, it can be serious, or it can be funny.

"To say something poetically" means to give information in an artistic way.

Ciao, Joe

TERZA RIMA

Terza rima is a fairly simple verse form developed in Italy. It contains an unlimited number of three-line stanzas (called "tercets") with the rhyming pattern aba bcb cdc ded efe... Each tercet's middle line gives the rhyme for the first and last lines of the next tercet. The last tercet's middle line provides the rhyme for a final stanza containing either a single line or a couplet.
Although no specific line length is required, most terza rima poems in English are written in iambic pentameter.

Acquainted With the Night by Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night. (a)
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. (b)
I have outwalked the furthest city light. (a)
I have looked down the saddest city lane. (b)
I have passed by the watchman on his beat (c)
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. (b)
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet (c)
When far away an interrupted cry (d)
Came over houses from another street, (c)
But not to call me back or say good-by; (d)
And further still at an unearthly height (e)
One luminary clock against the sky (d)
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. (e)
I have been one acquainted with the night. (e)

Ode to the West Wind

WILD West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, (a)
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead (b)
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, (a)

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, (b)
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, (c)
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed (b)

The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, (c)
Each like a corpse within its grave, until (d)
Thine azure sister of the spring shall blow (c)

Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (d)
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) (e)
With living hues and odors plain and hill: (d)

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; (e)
Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh, hear! (e)

II.

Thou on whose stream, 'mid the steep sky's commotion,
Loose clouds like earth's decaying leaves are shed,
Shook from the tangled boughs of Heaven and Ocean,

Angels of rain and lightning: there are spread
On the blue surface of thine airy surge,
Like the bright hair uplifted from the head

Of some fierce Mænad, even from the dim verge
Of the horizon to the zenith's height,
The locks of the approaching storm. Thou dirge

Of the dying year, to which this closing night
Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre,
Vaulted with all thy congregated might

Of vapors, from whose solid atmosphere
Black rain, and fire, and hail, will burst: oh hear!

III.

Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams
The blue Mediterranean, where he lay,
Lulled by the coil of his crystalline streams,

Beside a pumice isle in Baiæ's bay,
And saw in sleep old palaces and towers
Quivering within the wave's intenser day,

All overgrown with azure moss and flowers
So sweet, the sense faints picturing them! Thou
For whose path the Atlantic's level powers

Cleave themselves into chasms, while far below
The sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wear
The sapless foliage of the ocean, know

Thy voice, and suddenly grow gray with fear,
And tremble and despoil themselves: oh, hear!

IV.

If I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear;
If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee;
A wave to pant beneath thy power, and share

The impulse of thy strength, only less free
Than thou, O uncontrollable! if even
I were as in my boyhood, and could be

The comrade of thy wanderings over heaven,
As then, when to outstrip thy skyey speed
Scarce seemed a vision; I would ne'er have striven

As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need.
Oh! lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!

A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed
One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.

V.

Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is;
What if my leaves are falling like its own!
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies

Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,
Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce,
My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!

Drive my dead thoughts over the universe
Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!
And, by the incantation of this verse,

Scatter, as from an extinguished hearth
Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be through my lips to unwakened earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Thanks Joe for your info on copyrights(many worry about this and I neglected to mention it)), and it is true, you don't have to pay a coprright fee-it is copyrighted as soon as you write it-besides-who could possibly be fulfilled and proud of a work plagarized?A note though-Titles cannot be copyrighted(for example I have a few 'bastardized' forms of 'found poetry'(which I usually detest as unoriginal) that use song and album titles(just something original and challenging to create that I'd noticed no one had attempted before), just bring creativity and novelty into things sometimes.And Robert, thanks for your further comments-you are a true scholar of forms and definitions, and I know many have benefitted from your posts here.I wrote for years with no understanding of forms and 'rules', which I think can be helpful in it's own way(as I had total freedom without any restrictions-but this is probably why I am more comfortable with free verse than traditional or rhyming forms-though I suggest it is in every poet's best interest to learn about the different forms and try different things-though my knowledge and experience in this area is still my weak point). I would also like to thank everyone thus far for making this an informative and useful topic/reference point.It is especially interesting to hear of the writing habits of other members and their views and opinions.Especially thank you to Stormy, for being a personal inspiration.
This is a great group and we are all here because we love poetry, so anything anyone has to add is great and much appreciated.I am truly touched by the many comments and interest in all things poetic posted by the members.Thank you.

Peace, Poetry & Power,

Gary Jurechka

Street poets VS. Academic poets Vs. Songwriters

(note:This was an entirely different post topic, but I feel it and the responses from the members make it relevant to this topic, so I am posting the link to this topic)

***************************************

http://www.poems-and-quotes.com/discussion/topic.html?topic_id=60047
Street Poets vs. Academic Poets
author: Gary Jurechka
date: 2006.10.27 00:23

Okay, now to get back on track---

INTRODUCTION/Mission Statement

Greetings P&Q Members,

What I hope to do in this topic/forumn is cover a varietry of the aspects of poetry.Not just my opinions, thoughts, feelings, but those from everyone. From simple plain spoken advice/suggestions(the basics) to the more technical aspects like definitions of poetic terms/forms(for those wishing to learn more, to expand their horizons), markets and how/where to get published, etc.I am asking those all members to post things that could benefit others.Including such things as advice on certain forms,tips on breaking writer's block, recommended reading, and also personal writing habits(I've found people like to read about not only advice/suggestions but also the personal writing/working habits of different writers),like what time of day you write, do you have a favorite place(inside or outside, even more specific), do you listen to music while you write,when you first started writing,do you write rough drafts on the computer or with pen and paper,do you revise rough drafts or leave it as is,have you been published,what your influences were(other poets, writers, songwriters, etc.), is solitude necesary to you or not, what compels you to write,emotions, passion, to get an idea or meaning across, do you write for yourself or with someone in mind,how and when you started writing, writing as therapy or release,do you have a preferred form /style(sonnets, rhyme, free verse, haiku, etc.) and why, writing exercises, any other advice(personal or technical) and mostly what poetry means to you.Any advice to newcomers and established poets alike.I hope to hear/see postings from those popular and more experienced/knowledgeble on the site as well as those newer members who have something to add.I welcome and appreciate any comments along these lines from any and all P&Q members-and everyone has something to say( so don't be shy!).So if anyone can add anything at all along these lines, please do so.I feel it would very much benefit others, and we may just become better poets and learn a bit about ourselves in the process.....

Thank you.

Gary Jurechka

_______________________________________________

This topic is meant to cover a broad spectrum of all things dealing with poetry, thus if you have a topic posted elsewhere that relates to this topic(even in a general way), please post your topic's title and the link to it, this will expand everyone's knowledge/information (and draw attention to your topic) who reads this.Much appreciated.

Gary Jurechka

Thanks for sharing this Gary. I do not have anything too add unfortunately though all the effort other people have put in has been very informative and interesting. :)

Hello, everyone. I also have a few aspects to add to my own dimensions of poetry, if no one minds. I do sometimes get into my own personal little rants, just a warning, but I will eventually get back to topic.

Anyways, there are several key factors to a really good poem. Of course, good is a relative term, since one man's trash is another man's treasure. Similarly, a poem that one person might find to be a pile of reeking trash could be seen as poetic genius by another person. I know that I have those issues sometimes. I'm ranting again.

A few small tips for writing poetry that you'll enjoy to yourself, although indeed, poetry is all sad, no matter what the topic.

1. Don't EVER write in chat-speak. It subtracts from the poem IMMENSELY when you're attempting to read the message and not being able to since you can't even read the poem in the first place due to the chat-speak. I hate it when I see a poem that would be really good if it didn't say "so i c how this culd b", or something like that. Pisses off a lot of people, and hampers your message.

2. Write with feeling. Don't ever force your writing. The best poems flow from your mind into your hands. You should barely have to think about it. If you attempt to force your poetry, it'll only come out horribly. Just don't.

3. Write poetry only if you truly enjoy it. If you're writing it because someone else hopes you have the talent or because you want to get money, you'll find both of those DON'T happen in the real world. No matter what. Unless you're like Walt Whitman. In which case, go for it! But not many people are like that.

4. Write about something that gives you strong emotions. Broken love, war, death, hate, racism, stuff like that. Those are very good topics for poem, and if one of them fills you with a strong emotion, then use it. Let the words flow. Usually, depression is also a decent feeling for writing.

5. Put your feelings into your poetry. Everyone knows that if you hear a quote that's context-specific out of context, you won't have any idea what that person is talking about. Like, for example, if you're not a Star Trek junkie, then the term "Beam me up, Spock, there's no life on this planet" will probably leave you scratching your head. That being said, if you're feeling an excessive rage when you're writing your poetry, do everything you can to put that rage into the poem. You want the reader to feel the pain/rage or other strong emotion that you have in your poem so that they can understand it on the level that you do. If you don't do that, then your poem might as well be idle thoughts. If your readers comment that your poems make them feel like they're part of it, then that's a good thing.

Those are the only tips I have to give for now, but I think that should suffice. Enjoy your work, everyone!

just sit and write and think and write some more. simple as 1,2,3...ABC, just do it. dont over think it

Personally, I think most of what can be said (if not All of what can be said) to help the fellow writer on here, has already been mentioned. -Probably by Gary himself: and to you, I say thankyou for starting such a wonderful post. I still see people make new posts, asking questions about writing and writers block (among many other things) and now that we have this board here, hopefully we'll use it to it's full potential.

I can't contribute much at the moment, however I did want to make sure that I pointed out atleast one thing that helps me with my writers block. Believe it or not, it's math... Haha, don't worry I'll give that a chance to soak in... In math class, I have a great teacher and a class full of students that aren't all that bad either. Though, because I don't hold much of an interest in Conics and calculus these days, when my teacher is at the front of the room blabbing away his numbers, I'm in the back of the room looking out the window.
The fact that I don't want to learn about that stuff, gets me asking myself what I do want to learn, the things I do want to accomplish... And for some reason, when I ask myself questions and let my mind wander - well this is the time that my pencil gets a mind of it's own. Of course it's not always that easy, but because it's a class room it's a relatively quiet environment, where I am Forced to think outside of the box I'm trapped in.

Does that make sense to anyone? Well, maybe it's just a me thing, but if you have a really bad writers block, just go somewhere you wouldn't normally want to be and dream about some other place...or possibility...or choice... Force yourself to use your imagination just to make yourself feel better. Hopefully it'll help someone whos trapped behind the bricks.

Anyway, I best be off, but I might come back and share some other personal suggestions that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. Until then, keep well. :) -Stefhy-

Thanks to all who have commented.I hope with the other members input this will be a reference site for the many topics covered.Thank you all.

Peace, Poetry, & Power,

Gary Jurechka

plan, think hard and dream big.

(deleted)

Thank you Gary for all the work you put in to this. I am very new here. I started writing in 2002 I was going through a really hard time in my life. Writing was suggested as theropy. Well it has been 3yrs since I wrote. It was suggested that if I share my poems, it might help to heal my soul. It is beginning to get somewhat eaiser. I have even written some new ones. I admire you greatly and have always been a avid reader. I usually only write when I am very emontional, usually I am listioning to music. I know nothing about structure or forms. I only write what I feel. Sorry I have nothing to add as in advice. I really am glad if I need to know something there are all of you there to help. Thank You!

Again, thank you everyone for their comments. Again, if anyone has anything constructive to add, be it writing exercises, tips on writer's block, form definitions, markets, personal writing habits/experiences, etc., please do so. Again, this is not meant to tell you what to write or not write, but to share knowledge, insight, advice, help and personal experience. Everyone has something to say, and you'd be surprised at how many can relate or benefit.
Thanks to all P&Q members.

My opinion:

to write honest poetry, don't let anyone tell you what not to write.

POETRY EXERCISES continued.
Continued from above exercises section, here are a few more exercises-to help break writer's block, or for the practice, to try just for the fun of it.

LUNE-a 3 line poem using a word count and not syllables(as opposed to the oriental forms). The word count is 3, 5, 3 (which makes the poem physically resemble it's name-the French word for moon).

LANTERN- a 5 line poem using a word count (again-not syllable count) of 1, 3, 5, 3, 1. Like the Lune, the form it takes on the page resembles the object it is named for.

CAR NAME poem-use the names of cars (Jaguar, Saturn, Mustang, Gremlin, Charger, Equinox, Continental, Neon, Cougar, Sunbird, Barracuda, Rover, Firebird, Ranger, Intrepid, Cobra, Thunderbird, etc.) to create a poem.

CITY NAME poem-use the names of various cities or towns to create a poem.

Write a poem without verbs (or nouns or adverbs, etc.)

TRANSLATED poem-Find a sample or complete poem or piece of prose in a language that you do not know. Translate this text based on the sound or look of the English words they remind you of.

Line poem from a previous poem-Take a line from one of your poems (usually the last line works best) and construct a new poem from it.

OVERHEARD poem-construct a poem from snippets of conversation (words, phrases, comments) you may have heard in a restaraunt or cafe, or at a party, or just in passing.

more ideas/exercises to be added in the future.

Youre an excellent writer Gary and after getting your email I got on this right away. I'm twelve and my writing skills outside poetry are not extraordinary, but when it comes to poetry Im very successful. Ill tell you the techniques I use to write my poems and advice for writing poems as well.

I find it useful to think through your ideas and cross some out until you get down to a few that you can work with. You can type your ideas or you can use a notebook and pen/ pencil, whichever works for you. Its good to stay in one specific subject instead of forcing yourself to write a poem outside of your subject.

Violin and piano music in the background can be very soothing and help you write. You might open your window and let natures soundtrack roll as well.

Dreams can be very useful in writing poetry, keep a notebook and a pen/ pencil next to your bed in case you wake up after a dream. To keep your dream vivid lay in bed for a while and recall the dream, this will make sure that you don't forget it. Being able to control your dreams, feeling the sensations or flying through the sky or running through a field can lead to something great to write about. This is because you've done it and you know the feeling of it.

Try out my techniques and see if they help you. I hope someone reads this and finds it useful in making new poems.

Peace, Poetry & Power,

Nicholas

Ok, i just have to say congrats to you all for the longest thread in P & Q history!

I may be wrong about the definition of the lantern-I have not attempted it (yet), but I think I was right as this definition was taken from two different poetry books. I also checked on the internet and found this:

Lantern

(idea) by m_turner (4.1 mon) (print) ? Sun Oct 29 2000 at 21:04:27

A five line poem similar to that of a lune. It has a word count of 1,3,5,3,1. The name of the form is that of the shape of the poem. (Note-the site has aligned this rather than centering it into the form it should be, but you get the idea.- G.J.)

If
you say life
is easy, then you must
not have known
love

author unknown

(P.S.-Thanks *Happily*Never*After*, lol))

I like that lune thingy. I'm adding it to my profile!

And, if anyone feels so inclined as to check out my new article (trust me, it's an amateur article... it's my first) i would be happy to recieve some feedback. It ties in clearly with how to write a poem etc... since the title is How TO and How NOT To Write A Poem... i'd appreciate any feed back and thanks!

http://www.poems-and-quotes.com/article.html?id=552

Here it is upon request:

On Writing Poetry:

First of all, poetry is a serious subject. Few have ever perfected the area of poetry, and the few people who have are recognized as some of the greatest poets of all time. One of my teacher's in school once said, "It is hard to put yourself out there where people judge under their own standards." That quote made me think about, instantly, the posting of poetry. It is a brave thing to do.
No matter what, writing a poem is an accomplishment. Many people out there would spend hours merely thinking of the line. One day, I was sitting in the cafeteria after school and I was writing a poem and my friend came up to me and asking what I was writing about. I told her and she said it was amazing how people could write a poem, when she couldn't even write a line. And, I insisted she could write at least a line, and I found out that in fact, I was wrong. She could not write a line for the life of her, and it in fact was a task to write ONE measly line. That is why in order to write a poem you must feel satisfied with whatever you can accomplish. You must put your heart and soul into the words being written on paper (or typed on the computer), and when you don't put your heart and soul into a poem, it shows.
There are steps on how to write a poem, how to write this style and that style, etc..., but I believe that it is important to know what to NOT do rather than to know what TO do. Which is why I have taken to writing this article?

Suggestions on how NOT to write a poem:

*Suggestion ONE: DON'T "THESAURUSES" YOUR POETRY*

**Writing comes from the heart and the soul, not the dictionary or the encyclopedia. Taking your poem and putting it on Microsoft Word (or other Word Processors) and running the words through the thesaurus are almost like taking your body and getting it all redone by a plastic surgeon: you will regret it. Your poem should be honest and true. Only use a dictionary/encyclopedia as a worst case-scenario and only use it a few times. When you are 12 or 13, obviously your vocabulary will (or should) be nothing compared to a 40 year old. The key to a good vocabulary is to read a lot and listen to people more than you talk to them. Don't try and force yourself into using big words when sometimes, all you need to satisfy the reader is a small little word that says it all. **

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Suggestion TWO: DON'T WRITE FOR QUANTITY*

**I made that mistake. I came on this website to write for quantity, and I will admit that with bashfulness and remorse. I look back on my recent AND old, grammarless poems and know that I was just so greedy to beat 800 that I merely posted the poems in their raw form. I was so stuck to the idea that all I needed to do was post a poem and then another and then another and it would be fine. I didn't really understand that I would be embarrassed later by the lack of grammar and the carefulness that was shown in posting my older poems. The key to writing a good poem is to not look at it as a number, look at it as a lifestyle. Know that people will be reading your poem hoping that it will give them some revelation. They are looking for a poem that they can read with ease. A bumpy poem that has a good meaning is not looked as a good poem, but merely a bumpy poem. Take the time to capitalize your It's and scour your poem for every spelling mistake that you can find and correct it. The human eye is much better than the dictionary in Microsoft Word. **

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Suggestion THREE: DON'T WRITE FOR OTHER PEOPLE...*

**Did Emily Dickinson write her morbid poems because people in a hundred years would enjoy them? The answer is no. She wrote poems about the little things she noticed that she recognized rarely got noticed. This is important to write with: Originality. Write about what you WANT to write about. Nobody is forcing you to write. Don't write for what you think you should write about; write about what you can write about. If you have an imagination like Silver J (read her poems, very well written), don't bother following this rule; but if you have a tough enough time writing a poem about your own experiences, I suggest you don't write a poem about something else.**

~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~

How TO write a poem:

*Suggestion ONE: WRITE POETRY IN YOUR STYLE!*

**Don't try to write a sonnet when you don't even know what a sonnet is. Trust me; it won't even turn out how you want it. If you have ever tried to write an acrostic, you probably know very well that the poem most of the time sounds forced. That is self-explanatory. You are FILLING-IN the first word of each line to fit into the acrostic, and you have to let the first letters mold your poem. The best thing to do when writing a poem is to not predetermine a style for the poem. It will sound forced. Let the poem show on paper. You should write a poem and not remember writing it. I write poems in whatever style that shows up. I write however I want, not worry whether or not people will understand it. The trick is to be satisfied with what shows on paper and to not worry about elegance or eloquence. If that confused you, think about it this way: What title would you think to get more views? A) Tears Falling Down (terza rima) or B) Tears Falling Down. If you think like me, I would choose B, mostly because it is more attractive. I'm sure that no one really knows that a Terza Rema is a poem that has a rhyme scheme aba, cdc, efe etc..., and it kinda... makes them avoid your poem because they are not familiar with the style.**

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Suggestion TWO: FLOW IS THE KEY!*

**In order to make a poem appealing and smooth for your readers, you should reread your poem to make sure it is void of breaks in the flow. A flowing poem should make the poem a fast read. **

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Suggestion THREE: EDIT EDIT EDIT*

**I don't think I can stress this enough. It is SO important to edit your poem over and over again. I have been posting poems here for a couple years and I am just realizing the importance of editing my poetry, something I never quite paid attention to before. When your poem is edited, it is more attractive and appealing to the reader, and the better your poem looks, the easier it is to read it. **

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Suggestion FOUR: EACH POEM IS A FIRST IMPRESSION*

**Remember, some people are new to this website or haven't ever read your poems, so make each poem just as good as if you were reading it aloud in front of a crowd of strangers. It is actually more likely that more new people view your latest posted poem than regulars. **

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~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is my first article, so I understand that it is a little... amateur. I promise that my next article will be better!

Thanks for taking the time to read this article, and good luck writing your poems. The next article I post will hopefully be about Grammar, Spelling or maybe something else if I feel like it.

Thanks for reading again,

~Stephen White
(*Happily*Never*After* | YellowFeverLime)

Once Again, Upon request:

Why is Grammar, Capitalization, and Spelling Important?

I am aware this may be confusing, but I will try to make it interesting.

Okay, I will show you a very controversial topic, and most likely the topic will only get more controversial even after this article.

All controversies aside, I would like you to understand that this article is based solely on my opinions, and although you may hold your own, think before you comment nastily.
(*Definitions will be in asterisks, if they are not then it states it is a definition in the context*)

Here are the statements I would like to make before I type up my article:

*All definitions are with many thanks to "word-web" or myself. I rarely use paper dictionaries.
*This was written by scratch. All descriptions, sentences, words, etc... are written for you, by me. I did not Copy and Paste, and by all means, I would never.
*If I use a poem in the context of my article as an example, be sure to realize I got permission to do so by the writer, him or herself.
*I am not here to tell you that poems without grammar, capitalization, and correct-spelling are BAD, I'm just here to make you realize that poems with them are BETTER.
*Recognize that I am writing this for your knowledge, and it is your sole judgment whether or not to observe or disregard my opinions.
*Other than a dictionary, I won't consult anything/one else. I think that grammar books are too boring to read, so if I miss anything or get something wrong, please feel free to private message me and telling me so.

Enjoy! I hope it won't be boring, I will try to make it light-hearted and serious at the same time. Let's see how it comes out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want you to think about your life.
It's the little things that count, right?
The small little peck on the cheek that you receive from your loved one. The soft touch on the hand you get when someone you have a crush on is hitting on you. The quick little movement you make that allows you to dodge a bullet shot by an enemy.

Eventually, that one peck is what you will think of and cherish when a loved one dies.
Eventually, That one touch may lead to an eternal relationship, happy and ever-lasting.
Eventually, you will look on that one movement with admiration and pride, knowing that just moving your body a little to the left saved your life.

What happens when those moments are gone?... never happened? Just taken out or not added in...?
Not too much with the first one, of course. But with the two following, they are life changing.

Had you not responded to the soft touch on your hand, you would have gone on much longer without love, or maybe had a lonely, loveless life that could have led to drastic differences ... just from that one touch.
Had you not made that quick movement, you would not be alive, or you would have been injured and... who knows, maybe getting shot would save your life from a fatal shot you would receive later, that shot only injuring you and sending you to a hospital (okay, and who knows, you might even meet a nice doctor or nurse there who you fall in love with, get married to, and maybe have children with.... but that's beside the point). But say it DID save your life...

Well, that's just like grammar and capitalization.

One little comma(,) can make that one second difference. Trust me, you won't survive just throwing ellipses(...) around the page like you would your hats at a graduation (ha ha, good metaphor!)... anyway, it doesn't work like that.

Okay, so here we go to the lessons. Trust me, I will make sure I won't bore you to death with different examples and stuff like your English teacher's, but you WILL have homework! Your homework will be to write a poem that is grammatically correct... although the poem does not have to be good. [Of course, this homework will never be checked, but if you would like me to read your poem[s] for grammatical err's, please feel free to send me some links via private message.]

Okay, since everybody LOVES the ellipses, we will start off how exactly to use them.

(...)
Here is the definition of ellipses:
"Omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences" (consult a dictionary for words in definition that you do not know =])
Well, we all know that definition is purrttyy crappy, am I correct? Of course, some would beg to differ, but to us poets, ellipses are unfinished thoughts, or infinite unknowledge... They are a symbol of intimacy between what is and could be.

Many times, ellipses are used in titles or at the end of a line. There are many examples of this. One good example would be the title of one of my older poems, "So Many Questions... So Few Answers..."
In the titles, the ellipses both have a symbolic meaning for their placement. The ellipses after "So Many Questions... [...]" Leads the reader to trail on, knowing questions are emitted... but they are there. The part of the title that says "... So Few Answers..." Signifies the answers you don't know, but hope to find out. Okay, I have the feeling that you're confused... Scratch this idea. Onto the next one.

There are many important grammatical symbols. Along with each one, I will give you a few examples of each:

*The Semi-Colon (personally, one of the most productive grammatical symbols in my opinion, this is used to pause between to closely related subjects. It is not so much a period as it is a comma, but of course, in the middle. Here is an example of a semicolon in text:

I tried to find a sweet escape,
but you could not be found.
I looked inside my dreams;
my fantasies were tied and bound.
(scratch, original)

Something like that.

Now, in place of the semi-colon, you may use the infamous -dashes-. The dashes work pretty much the same way, except they either cut into a complete sentence with a related, but abrupt, thought, or they make an additional pause and exclaim something important, sort of as a replacement of Bold Font.
The above verse would look like this with dashes instead of a semicolon:

I tried to find a sweet escape,
but you could not be found.
I looked inside my dreams
-my fantasies were tied and bound...
(scratch, original....)

I know that my examples may not be perfect, but they are the way it seems to work for me.

*The Comma

The comma is simple. It separates two things, such as in the verse:

I tried to find a sweet escape,
but you could not be found.
I looked inside my dreams
-my fantasies were tied and bound...
(scratch, original....)

A comma calls for just a slight hesitation, not a big one...

THE PERIOD:

Lemme stress one thing. At the end of your titles DO NOT PUT PERIODS!!!!! If you want to add ANY punctuation at the end of your title, the ellipses are your only option. Trust me, if I ever see a period at the end of a title, I ignore the poem completely. Some people have all their poems titled with a period at the end and so I just ignore all of their poems. It's just so.... distasteful.

But, on the other hand, the period is something you will often see in your poetry.
Lemme tell you one thing. A period calls for seriousness. A period does not call for the end, but it just calls for a delay.
In this example you will know what I mean:

He wanted everything to be okay,
but still, he knew he'd fail.
Everything was out of whack,
and evil on his tail.

(lol. Orignial, scratch.)

In the above verse, the first period could also be most likely replaced with a semicolon or even an ellipses... that's how short the pause for that period is.
The last period IS the end. It's just telling you to stop here. Why am I explaining a period to you? Geez... what do I think, you're stupid? Hee Hee....

*Sigh*

Let's see, any other important grammatical symbols...
:o
o_O
The Parenthesis.....

The parenthesis are important in the English language. In poetry, many poets are afraid that parenthesis will confuse the reader. First of all, don't worry about the reader... worry about your own satisfaction... Second of all, most reader's understand that what's in parenthesis is either being embellished or minimized. It is just common knowledge. Here is an example of parenthetical use in a poem:

No one saw her walk away.
(her bags: full to the brim...)
They all just went along their way
like she did not exist.
(Original, Scratch)

Okay, so you see how the second line is just giving you a little glimpse of how obvious her escape was, and proving the obliviousness of the people who were around her... if you don't, oh well =] Lol.

*Sigh* I'm running out of idea's. I'd be surprised if anyone actually has gotten to this point alive... If you do, Kudos... glad I didn't dig you an early grave.

Well, that's the extent of my second article.

Well, except for one thing...

I want to explain why all of this is important.
First of all, I can't help but stress the vitality your poem receives when you have proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, syllabication, and capitalization. It makes a big difference in the way that people look at your poem(s), and you as a poet, as well. The signs of a lazy person are obvious: All of the poem is clumped into one paragraph, the i's aren't capitalized, the spelling is off or nowhere near correct, and there are few, if any, signs of grammar use, and that's not even specifying whether the grammar is used correctly or not... Look at Lost@ngel's poems... her poems have that ring to them that everyone loves. Imagine if ALL of lost angels poems were just thrown together carelessly... people may still enjoy her poetry, of course, because there are people who see through those kinds of things, but many people would turn away in disgust and contempt. Instead, Danika puts her heart and soul into her poetry and makes it perfect... not just good, but perfect. I looked at one of her poems, and was amazed to find not one mistake... grammatically, spelling, syllabically, or even in capitalization. Her poems were just images of perfection.

On the other hand, there are other people who are just plain horrible (and, at one point I admit, I was one of them)... Their poems lack the spunk, the creativity; they prove laziness, ignorance, and incoherence to proper English. I actually saw a poem that had the word "Them" spelled this way, "Thum" throughout the poem... I mean seriously, get a clue!

I, personally, try my best in my poetry. I have to admit, I put my heart out to write the poems, but not necessarily to edit them, revise them, etc... Lately, though, my motivation has been clear: Perfection.
In order to achieve perfection, I feel I must master the skills of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling... And Microsoft Word isn't going to do all the work for you.

When you are writing your poetry, think of it this way:

Do you want to be remembered or forgotten?

One last thing before I end this article:

Would you like to know the perfect thing to download onto your computer that will help you with grammar, spelling, syllabication, AND rhyming at the same time!? Well, here is how you get it:

Go to * GOOGLE.COM
Type *VERSEPERFECT DOWNLOAD into the search engine.
Click on * ONE OF THE RESULTS and go from there.

Trust me, it's a lifesaver. I don't use it too often 'cause all the stuff VersePerfect does for you is done in my head, but some of you out there... WHEW! You need it!

My next article will hopefully explain the use of *Asterisks, /slashes/, and syllabication (A subject I wish I could have spoken about here, but I limited myself to 2000 words and I have gone over that with 2100 total.)

I'll leave you with that, and hopefully complete a second part to this. If not, then sayonara!

Please comment accordingly... I would appreciate anything that will make my next article 10x better!

Yours Truly,
~Stephen White

P.S. If anything is wrong, please correct me in a comment.

Stephen I read both of your articles and commented on them.

*Sigh* Thank you very much =] There's a reason why you're on my fav's, besides me having two of your poems on my favorite's list =]

Wow, this whole thing was extremely helpful. I definintly learned TONS about poetry. I just want to say thank you to all who took the time to write this or whatever because you have imporved not only my way of writing but probably many others.
Thanks again!
Amber

I found some writing definitions that I don't think were listed in any of the vocabulary sections so I thought I'd post them.

Dramatic Monologue
"The poet speaks through an assumed voice a character, a fictional identity, or a persona."

The Bop
"Not unlike the Shakespearean sonnet in trajectory, the Bop is a form of poetic argument consisting of three stanzas."

Spenserian stanza
A fixed verse form invented by Edmund Spenser for his epic poem The Faerie Queene. Each verse contains nine lines in total: eight lines in iambic pentameter followed by a single line in iambic hexameter. The rhyme scheme of these lines is "ababbcbcc."

I also thought Id add some more types of poetry that I didnt think were added.

Clerihew
A Clerihew is a comic verse consisting of two couplets and a specific rhyming scheme,
aabb invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956) at the age of 16. The poem
is about/deals with a person/character within the first rhyme. In most cases, the first
line names a person, and the second line ends with something that rhymes with the name
of the person.

Diamante
A Diamante is a seven-lined contrast poem set up in a diamond shape. The first line begins with a
noun/subject, and second line contains two adjectives that describe the beginning noun. The third line
contains three words ending in -ing relating to the noun/subject. The forth line contains two words that
describe the noun/subject and two that describe the closing synonym/antonym. If using an antonym for
the ending, this is where the shift should occur. In the fifth line are three more -ing words describing
the ending antonym/synonym, and the sixth are two more adjectives describing the ending
antonym/synonym. The last line ends with the first noun's antonym or synonym.

To make it a bit simpler, here is a diagram.

Line 1: Noun or subject
Line 2: Two Adjectives describing the first noun/subect
Line 3: Three -ing words describing the first noun/subect
Line 4: Four words: two about the first noun/subect, two about the antonym/synonym
Line 5: Three -ing words about the antonym/synonym
Line 6: Two adjectives describing the antonym/synonym
Line 7: Antonym/synonym for the subject

Example #1:
Rain
humid, damp
refreshing, dripping, splattering
wet, slippery, cold, slushy
sliding, melting, freezing
frigid, icy
Snow

Copyright © 2000 Marie Summers

Didactic Poetry
Didactic Poetry is a form of poetry intended for instruction such as for knowledge or to teach.

Example:
Recipe For Heavenly Destination

To get to Heaven
And stay with Christ
Follow this recipe
And his face you will see

Love
Love your neighbor
Love everyman
Spread the love as much as you can

Pray
Talk to the Lord
Show Him you care
With Him your feelings and worries share

Follow
Follow his teachings
Follow his way
Wherever he goes, follow you may

Lead
Lead the ones who don't see
Lead the ones that don't feel the love
Lead them to the Lord above

Copyright © 2000 David Arlaud

Fable
A fable is a poetic story composed in verse or prose with a moral summed up at the end. Usually
using animals as characters to teach a valuable lesson.

Most commonly found example of fables are the Aesop's Fables, but here are two poetic examples.

Example #1:
A Grain of Salt

While me Irish eyes be smilin`
I be here to tell me story,
Those blyme things that me hates most
not one is in me glory.
Once me was an usher
for a very special settin`
Would not have minded half so much
but it was ME weddin`, that was upsettin`

Me wife insists, and has me wear
those scratchy three piece suits,
If truth be known, me`d rather own
green pants, green hat and boots.
Around me neck a noose of sorts
a tie from me graduation,
Me feels like someone`s got me throat
the fear of strangulation.

Oh judge me not, don`t take me wrong
me wife, me loves most sweetly,
When I get back from work at night
the home is picked up neatly.
She pulls me shoes off when I ask
and helps me light me pipe,
She brings in Shamrock blooms each day
so me really shouldn`t gripe.

It matters not the little things
that push us up the wall,
If one has patience, love and trust
may the flaws we bare be small.
To ease the creases from thy brow
put aside each nagging fault,
And heed this moral to the end
take only with a grain of salt.

Copyright © 2003 Sally Ann Roberts

Free Verse
Free Verse is an irregular form of poetry in which the content free of traditional rules of versification,
(freedom from fixed meter or rhyme).

In moving from line to line, the poet's main consideration is where to insert line breaks. Some ways
of doing this include breaking the line where there is a natural pause or at a point of suspense for the
reader.

Following the direction of Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound and T.S.Eliot, many modern day poets use
this particular form of expression.

Example:
Ode to Job

Job came down
in a
woosh, outstretched
and gliding into the horizon.
Blue shadowed
flight
arrested by
the beckoning marsh.
His greatness bears
much
yet not
the anguish of ancient
prophecy.
Situated grievances weigh
feathery
on this long,
strong back. Unconscious
emotion
numbs while
time drifts out
another
sun salted
day.

Copyright © 2001 Lachlan Ivy

Kyrielle
A Kyrielle is a French form of rhyming poetry written in quatrains (a stanza consisting of 4 lines),
and each quatrain contains a repeating line or phrase as a refrain (usually appearing as the last
line of each stanza). Each line within the poem consists of only eight syllables. There is no limit
to the amount of stanzas a Kyrielle may have, but three is considered the accepted minimum.

Some popular rhyming schemes for a Kyrielle are: aabB, ccbB, ddbB, with B being the repeated
line, or abaB, cbcB, dbdB.

Mixing up the rhyme scheme is possible for an unusual pattern of: axaZ, bxbZ, cxcZ, dxdZ, etc.
with Z being the repeated line.

The rhyme pattern is completely up to the poet.

Example #1:
My Bouquet

Some days I sing, some days I cry.
My soul's the one determines why.
Sometimes it laughs, sometimes it mourns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.

Wake up each day, face a dark cloud.
My happiness wrapped in a shroud.
The day begins; to me it scorns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.

Lay down my head, dark nights begun.
With the sad setting of the sun.
From all my sorrows my heart mourns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.

Copyright © 2003 Floria Kelderhouse

Example #2:
Beyond Mere Mind

A blue-white light appeared to me
at the innocent age of three.
Guiding me strongly, yet so kind,
beyond horizons of mere mind.

Given choices, each step I took,
good would tingle and evil shook.
Some paths in life, perhaps, would wind
beyond horizons of mere mind.

At times, I stumbled into pits,
drowning in darkness - causing fits.
Again, I'd see that blue-white find
beyond horizons of mere mind.

As long as I have energy,
onward, I go, on Life's journey.
Spirit, nothing will ever bind,
beyond horizons of mere mind.

Copyright © 2003 James Dean Chase

Kyrielle Sonnet
A Kyrielle Sonnet consists of 14 lines (three rhyming quatrain stanzas and a non-rhyming couplet).
Just like the traditional Kyrielle poem, the Kyrielle Sonnet also has a repeating line or phrase as a
refrain (usually appearing as the last line of each stanza). Each line within the Kyrielle Sonnet
consists of only eight syllables. French poetry forms have a tendency to link back to the beginning
of the poem, so common practice is to use the first and last line of the first quatrain as the ending
couplet. This would also re-enforce the refrain within the poem. Therefore, a good rhyming scheme
for a Kyrielle Sonnet would be:

AabB, ccbB, ddbB, AB -or- AbaB, cbcB, dbdB, AB.

Example:
Make Believe

In a realm some call Make Believe,
they promised they would never leave.
Where crystal blue waters still flow,
Fairies dance beyond the rainbow.

Elves and Unicorns join along
with magical refrains of song.
Through fresh morning dew - all aglow,
Fairies dance beyond the rainbow.

Where Spring is, always, in the air,
iridescent wings - flutter there.
Playfully, putting on a show,
Fairies dance beyond the rainbow.

In a realm some call Make Believe,
Fairies dance beyond the rainbow.

Copyright © 2003 James Dean Chase

Lanturne
The Lanturne is a five-line verse shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of one,
two, three, four, one.

Example #1:
Swift
Winds blow
threatening,
a tornado
grows.

Copyright © 2003 Crystal Rose

Minute Poetry
The Minute Poem is rhyming verse form consisting of 12 lines of 60 syllables written in strict
iambic meter. The poem is formatted into 3 stanzas of 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables.
The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff

Example:
I Need Someone

I need someone to hold me tight
Through dark of night,
Who wont go away
At break of day.

Someone whose love will mend the seams
Of broken dreams,
And give me back
The trust I lack.

For love, it holds the magic key
To set me free,
To heal my soul
And make me whole.

Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman

Mirrored Refrain
The Mirrored Refrain is rhyming verse form constructed by Stephanie Repnyek.

The poem is formed by three or more quatrains where two lines within the quatrain
are the "mirrored refrain" or alternating refrain.

The rhyme scheme is as follows: xaBA, xbAB, xaBA, xbAB, etc..

x represents the only lines that do not rhyme within the poem. A and B represent
the refrain. The first four stanzas of the example poem are labeled for better
understanding.

Example:
Child of His Earth

Spirits moving passionately (x)
Soaring with the wind� (a)
I am a child of the Earth, (B)
From the beginning to the end. (A)

God paints his canvas around me (x)
I come alive�a new rebirth (b)
From the beginning to the end (A)
I am a child of the Earth. (B)

Teardrops fall while giving thanks (x)
I hear the voices of the wind (a)
I am a child of the Earth, (B)
From the beginning to the end. (A)

When Im lonely and blue� (x)
His touch shows me my worth (b)
From the beginning to the end, (A)
I am a child of the Earth. (B)

My sorrows are replaced with happiness
A touch of love is what He gives
I am a child of the Earth,
From the beginning to the end.

I thank Him for the blessings he sends
In my life, He is always first
From the beginning to the end,
I am a child of the Earth.

Appreciating all that surrounds me
I give thanks to Gods all for him
I am a child of the Earth,
From the beginning to the end.

His breath of wind eases my fear
He makes me strong when times are tough
From the beginning to the end,
I am a child of the Earth.

Spirits moving passionately
Soaring with the wind
I am a child of the Earth,
From the beginning to the end.

The world may crumble and fall
But my spirit will live through His love
From the beginning to the end,
I am a child of the Earth.

I want to be remembered for my spirit
Its all for God he made me who I am
I am a child of His Earth,
From the beginning to the end.

Copyright © 2003 Stephanie Repnyek

Monody
A monody is a poem in which one person laments another's death, as in Tennyson's
Break, Break, Break, or Wordsworth's She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways.
(Also see Dirge, Elegy, Epitaph)

Monorhyme
A Monorhyme is a poem in which all the lines have the same end rhyme.

Example:
Late for Class

I realized it was half past four
When I, quite late, ran out the door.
My history class I so abhor,
But I missed two sessions the week before.
I failed a test on ancient lore
And forgot the date of the Second World War.
(Man, my brain was really sore.)
Up the marble stairs I tore,
And slid across a just-mopped floor:
I banged my knee and loudly swore,
To wake -again- at half past four!
These nightmares I can stand no more...

Copyright © 2001 Dendrobia

Naani
Naani is one of Indian's most popular Telugu poems. Naani means an expression of one and all.
It consists of 4 lines, the total lines consists of 20 to 25 syllables. The poem is not bounded to
a particular subject. Generally it depends upon human relations and current statements. This
poetry was introduced by one of the renowned Telugu poets Dr. N.Gopi, presently working as
vice-chancellor to Telugu University, Andhra Pradesh.

Example #1:
A dialogue
When lengthens
Remain questions
Without answer as criticism.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Example #2:
A dream
As a particle in eyes
Remains as tear
Wounded desire.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Example #3:
Obstinacy
Of words with grip
Essence of expression
Looses its density.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Example #4:
With a smile
Throws commendation
To an envy
A beautiful praise.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Example #5:
Black clouds
In her eyelids
It's time certainly
To drizzle.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Example #6:
Nectation of pen
On the white paper
Lattice
A poem.

Copyright © 2001 Bollimuntha venkata Ramana Rao

Nonet
A nonet has nine lines. The first line has nine syllables, the second line eight syllables, the third line
seven syllables, etc... until line nine that finishes withone syllable. It can be on any subject and
rhyming is optional.

line 1 - 9 syllables
line 2 - 8 syllables
line 3 - 7 syllables
line 4 - 6 syllables
line 5 - 5 syllables
line 6 - 4 syllables
line 7 - 3 syllables
line 8 - 2 syllables
line 9 - 1 syllable

Example:
a pirates playground

the ocean is a pirate's playground
they live their lives upon the sea
battles are fought to the death
the loot is divided
they drink to those lost
set sail again
a pirate's
life for
me

Copyright © 2003 Mark Williams

Ottava Rima
A Ottava Rima is a poem written in 8-line octives. Each line is of a 10 or 11 syllable count in
the following rhyme:

one octive poem. abababcc
two octive poem. abababcc, dededeff
three octive poem. abababcc, dededeff, ghghghii

...so on and so on

Example:
He is There

When sorrow lies entrenched within your heart
And doubts, like ocean waves, around you churn,
When chaos reigns over life and wont depart
And for the peace of yesterday you yearn,
When evil thoughts are tearing you apart
And there is nowhere left for you to turn,
When dark of night persists throughout your day,
It�s time to fall upon your knees and pray.

For God is there, Hes always by your side,
He is your lifes companion and your friend,
Hes with you through each bitter storm you ride,
From morns first light to sunset at days end.
You must give up your bitterness and pride
And to your Lord extend your hand again.
He only wants for you to ask Him in
And you will be forgiven for your sin.

Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman

Quatern
A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle
and the Retourne. It has a refrain that is in a different place in each quatrain. The first line of
stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three, and fourth line of stanza
four. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme
scheme.

line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4

line 5
line 6 (line 1)
line 7
line 8

line 9
line 10
line 11 (line 1)
line 12

line 13
line 14
line 15
line 16 (line 1)

- Sent in by Crystal Rose.

Example #1:
True Love, Redefined

One day she hopes true love to find,
One soul, one mind, two hearts entwined;
Somewhere out theres the perfect guy,
For Youth has set her standards high.

He must be rich, handsome, refined,
One day she hopes true love to find;
Yet no one seems to measure up
And disappointment fills her cup.

The years go by, her nights grow long,
Her aging voice sings sorrows song.
One day she hopes true love to find,
Her definition redefined;

Simply a plain and faithful friend
To see her to lifes journeys end;
For though her face with age be lined,
One day she hopes true love to find.

Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman

Quinzaine
Quinzaine
The English word quinzaine come from the French word qunize, meaning fifteen. A quinzaine is
an unrhymed verse of fifteen syllables.

These syllables are distributed among three lines so that there are seven syllables in the first line,
five in the second line and three in the third line (7/5/3). The first line makes a statement. The next
two lines ask a question relating to that statement.

Example:
I'm a very strong woman
Are you a woman?
Are you strong?

Copyright © 2003 Katie Schmidt

Rondel
A French form consisting of 13 lines: two quatrains and a quintet, rhyming as follows:
ABba abAB abbaA. The capital letters are the refrains, or repeats.

Example:
A Rondel for Margarita

On the carousel, on a summer's day,
As the rest of the fairground goes gliding by,
We coast together, now low, now high,
But how quickly the moment slips away.

She laughs at the music, elfin and fey,
She laughs for joy at the sapphire sky,
On the carousel, on a summer's day,
As the rest of the fairground goes gliding by.

How sweet her delight in simple play,
Someday, without me, she'll take to the sky,
Brave little fledgling, ready to fly.
We must hold these moments while we may
On the carousel, on a summer's day.

Copyright © 2004 Gail Kavanagh

Rondelet
The Rondelet is a French form consisting of a single septet with two rhymes and one refrain:
AbAabbA. The capital letters are the refrains, or repeats. The refrain is written in tetra-syllabic
or dimeter and the other lines are twice as long - octasyllabic or tetrameter.
Example #1:
Such Happiness

Such happiness
Has crept up on me without sound,
Such happiness
Has touched my heart with soft caress;
All lifes sharp corners have gone round,
Since Ive met you, my friend, I�ve found
Such happiness.

Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman

Example #2:
Happy Am I!

Happy am I!
For I have found a friend in you.
Happy am I!
The sun is shining in my sky.
I know that you will see me through,
No more will I be feeling blue.
Happy am I!

Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman

Septolet
The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words with a break in between
the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.

Example #1:
Untitled

Lion
moving swiftly
across the plain,
most intent.

Antelope
grazing contently
on his meal.

Copyright © 2003 Crystal Rose

Example #2:
Lion Woman

Prowling,
Lion woman
Seducer of men.

Trembling heart
Naked, heat
Rising from skin,
Ecstasy!

Copyright © 2004 Megan Lutz

Terzanelle
The Terzanelle is a poetry type which is a combination of the villanelle and the
terza rima forms. It is a 19-line poem consisting of five interlocking triplets/tercets
plus a concluding quatrain in which the first and third lines of the first triplet appear
as refrains. The middle line of each triplet is repeated, reappearing as the last line
of the succeeding triplet with the exception of the center line of the next-to-the-last
stanza which appears in the quatrain. The rhyme and refrain scheme for the triplets
is as follows:

1. A
2. B
3. A

4. b
5. C
6. B

7. c
8. D
9. C

10. d
11. E
12. D

13. e
14. F
15. E

Ending Type 1:

16. f
17. A
18. F
19. A

Ending Type 2:

16. f
17. F
18. A
19. A

Each line of the poem should be the same metrical length.

Tetractys
Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10
syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit
with an inverted syllable count. Tetractys can also bereversed and written 10, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Double Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

Triple Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

and so on.

"Euclid, the mathematician of classical times, considered the number series 1, 2, 3, 4 to have mystical
significance because its sum is 10, so he dignified it with a name of its own - Tetractys. The tetractys
could be Britain's answer to the haiku. Its challenge is to express a complete thought, profound or
comic, witty or wise, within the narrow compass of twenty syllables." - Ray Stebbing

Example:
freedom

free
from you
your ego
your blaming me
i am a free spirit who has no past

Copyright © 2001 Terri Anthony

Tyburn
A six line poem consisting of 2, 2, 2, 2, 9, 9 syllables.

The first four lines rhyme and are all descriptive words. The last two lines rhyme and incorporate
the first, second, third, and fourth lines as the 5th through 8th syllables.

Example #1:
Death

Blackest
Darkest
Coldest
Oldest
Burning in the Blackest, Darkest night
There in lives the Coldest, Oldest fright

Copyright © 2001 Mike McCann

These are not my definitions or examples, I wanted to share with you some less known forms of poetry.

If A Picture Paints A Thousand Words, Then How Many Words Does It Takes To Paint A Picture?

This is a question that has been asked for many years. In using descriptions, metaphors, and imagery in your poetry, you give the reader a more balanced view of your feelings and emotions.

For example:

You could write a simple statement like "the river was dark against the night sky", But by rearranging a few words and changing others, you could bring a whole new depth to the write. "The river was darkened by the moonless night" Sometimes, just by doing that you have improved the flow of the poem. When using descriptive words in a write you can change the emotional pull that the reader may experience. To make a statement like "she cried", does not have the same effect on the reader as "her tears fell like rain". By addressing the depth of her pain, you have put the reader in her shoes; Therefore, the reader has no choice but to feel the pain also.

Metaphors are a good way to add life to a poem. If you were to write a poem about a senior citizen, you could write about driftwood, or perhaps sands in an hour glass. Using those things to describe the life of an ageless beauty. Or perhaps writing a poem about a vampire may be a dark poem, but could also be about the one who broke your heart. Metaphoric writes make good reading for people who want to dive a little deeper in the well and see what may lay beneath the surface.

When someone tells you that your poem had good imagery, it means that you made your write so well worded, that the person who was reading it got lost in its content. They could see the picture you were describing unfold before their very eyes. To have this kind of compliment is what we, as writers, strive to accomplish with every word we pen.

In summary, I have just a few words to add. Although I have listed several ways to give your poem body and depth, you must remember that too many descriptions can be just as lethal to a poem as too few. You must take the words and make them your own.

Jeannie [Twisted Heart]