Clash of the Poems How to keep your poetic styles in line
A poem is the place where I learn to rhyme, but lose my footing halfway through, then call it free verse and float a loan on the next try. from A Poem is the Place by Patty Zion
I wrote these words in 2005 as part of a workshop exercise. They express, in a lighthearted way, one of the biggest mistakes in poetry - poems that start out in perfect rhythm and rhyme, but then ooze off into a sort of poetic mudslide.
When we start writing a poem, we are never quite sure what the result will be. Most works do not come to our minds as finished masterpieces, but rather as a few genius phrases, or perhaps a theme or a strong emotion we want to express. It is literally the job of the poet to develop those phrases, words, and emotions into a finished product.
However, what style should that product be? Let's start by defining the basic styles of poetry.
Traditional rhyming poetry uses a formal, established rhythm and strict rhymes, typically at the end of each line.
Free verse is a relatively newer poetic style characterized by loose, uneven rhythm and few or no rhymes. Rhyme is discouraged in this style; so is formal meter.
Blank verse, a less common form, consists of formal iambic rhythm, but no rhyme. Shakespeare used blank verse in much of his writing, including his plays.
Note that there is no form that uses rhyme without meter.
Each type of poetry has its own varieties as well, but it's of primary importance for the poet to know which general type he or she is writing.
A poetic genius could, no doubt, merge these types of poetry in one poem. But the typical beginning poet had best not try. A poem that starts out in formal rhythm and then fades into free verse instantly marks itself as an amateur work. Nothing is more distressing to the informed reader than to see a few lines of good, strong, metered poetry, followed by lines of careless abandon.
It's important to finish what you started.
On the other hand, if you find that a particular poem does not seem to conform easily to a traditional style, by all means start over and write it in free verse, or maybe even blank verse. The poem will tell you what it wants, even if it takes you a while to hear the opinion of your muse! Do not hesitate to regroup, grab some masterful phrases from your original, and set out to create the most free of free verse. But throw away all those metered, rhyming lines. If need be, utilize a good crosscut shredder.
If you do finally write a traditional, rhyming piece of work, be sure to do a poetic proofread.
Go through the poem line by line and stanza by stanza. Read the first line of each stanza aloud, then the second line of each stanza, and so on. Make sure all the first lines have the same meter and number of syllables. (Yes, there may be exceptions, but they must be carefully considered.)
Then check the rhyme pattern. In the margin next to each line, write a letter to designate the rhyme. Typically, we denote this by abba, abcb, or whatever. In an abba rhyme scheme, for instance, the first and fourth lines rhyme with each other, and the second and third lines rhyme with each other. If you find the rhyme pattern changing from stanza to stanza, chances are you have made a serious mistake. Make it right before you declare it a finished poem.
These few precautions will help you avoid looking like a drowning poet. Paddle your canoe, or steer your powerboat, but never try to paddle a powerboat. The results could be decidedly un-poetic.
Patty Zion
Patty is the staff editor for TJMF Publishing and the Open Mike Cafe You can reach Patty by email at dazzleu@alltel.net
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