A Definition of Poetry Here, you'll find a definition of poetry based on some of its important characteristics. This is just one of many pages on this website about poetry techniques, types of poetry, and how to write poems. At the bottom of this page, you'll find links to related topics. What is poetry? The question "What is poetry" used to be easier to answer. If it rhymed and had a regular meter (a type of rhythm), it probably was a poem. As they say, "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.� These days, not all poems rhyme or fit into standard forms. And if you look for a response to the question, "What is poetry?" you'll find lots of musings about how extremely important and meaningful poetry is, how it's the true essence of our world, the oxygen that keeps us alive, etc. Some of this is interesting, but most of it isn't very helpful if what you're looking for is an actual explanation. One reason why it's so hard to get a straight answer on the subject is that people disagree about what should and shouldn't be considered poetry. But here are some general differences between poetry and prose (prose is writing that's not poetry), that you can use as a practical definition of poetry. Definition of poetry - line structure: The easiest way to recognize poetry is that it usually looks like poetry (remember what they say about ducks). While prose is organized with sentences and paragraphs, poetry is normally organized into lines. Here's part of a poem by Robert Herrick (1591–1674). See how it looks like poetry? Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying. The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he 's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he 's to setting. Now here's the same part of the poem, organized in a paragraph as if it were prose. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: and this same flower that smiles to-day to-morrow will be dying. The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, the higher he 's a-getting, the sooner will his race be run, and nearer he 's to setting. If you print a page in prose, the ends of the lines depend on where the margin is. With a bigger font size or a bigger margin, the lines are shorter. But in poetry, the poet decides where the lines end. This choice is an essential part of how we hear and see a poem. It affects how fast or slowly we read, and where we pause when we're reading. It causes certain words to stand out more or less. It affects the way the poem looks to us on the page; for example, is there a lot of white space, giving us a feeling of lightness and air, or are the words packed solidly together?. Definition of poetry - importance of physical aspects of language: Poetry, more than prose, communicates through the way the words sound and way the poem looks on the page.
Think of how music can make us feel things - angry, irritable, peaceful, sad, triumphant. Poems work in the same way, but instead of sound and rhythm created by instruments, they use the sound and rhythm of words. In songs with good lyrics, the melody combines with the words to create an intense feeling. Similarly, in poetry, the sound of the words works together with their meaning for more emotional impact. The look of the poem on the page adds still another dimension. Some poems have smooth shapes, some have delicate shapes, some have heavy, dense shapes. The breaks in the lines lead our eyes to certain areas. There are even poems with shapes that intentionally imitate what the poem is about, for example, a poem about a waterfall could have lines that trickle down the page. Definition of Poetry - concentrated language: The words in poems are doing several jobs at the same time. They do one thing with their meaning, and another thing with their sound. Even their meaning may be working on more than one level. An important characteristic of poetry is compression, or concentrated language. I don't mean "concentrated" in the sense of paying close attention. I mean it in the sense of concentrated laundry detergent, or concentrated orange juice. A half-cup of concentrated laundry detergent does the same work as a cup of regular detergent; a poem typically gets across as much meaning as a larger amount of prose. Concentrated orange juice has the water taken out; a good poem has similarly been intensified by removing the nonessential words. This is one reason why poems are often short. Definition of poetry - emotional or irrational connection: Prose normally talks to the logical part of the reader's mind. It explains and describes things; it makes sense. Poetry does all this too, but it also tends to work at an emotional or irrational level at the same time. Often, some part of a poem seems to speak directly to the readers' emotions. It gives readers a peaceful feeling or an eerie feeling, goosebumps, or it makes them want to cry, even though they may not be sure why they are reacting this way. One way that poems do this is through the use of sound. Poems also tend to suggest things beyond what they actually say; often what causes the strongest emotions is not what the poem describes, but what it make the reader imagine. Some parts of poems come like dreams from deep places in the mind that even the poet may not understand, and they touch something similarly deep in the reader. A few quotes on the definition of poetry
Percy Bysshe Shelley: "Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar." Here, Shelley points out an important aspect of poetry, which is to find fresh ways of looking at things we think we know well."
Sir Philip Sidney: "Poetry is a speaking picture..." This idea emphasizes the physical aspect of a poem, that it's a piece of artwork made out of words.
Adrienne Rich: "Poetry is above all a concentration of the power of language, which is the power of our ultimate relationship to everything in the universe...." She means "concentrated" in the sense of concentrated laundry detergent. Language, she says, is our way of relating to the universe. So by strengthening language, poetry strengthens our relationship with the universe.
Jean Cocteau: "Poetry is indispensible - if I only knew what for."
How to Write a Poem Writing a poem is all about observing the world within you or around you. A poem can be about anything, from love to the rusty gate at the old farm. As long as you are enjoying it or finding a release of tension through it, you're on the right track. Here's how to get started.
Getting Creative Find a spark. A poem might start as a snippet of verse, maybe just a line or two that seems to come out of nowhere, and the remainder of the poem need only be written around it. Here are a few ways to generate sparks:
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Play "Grand Theft Poetry." Gather a variety of books of poetry by different authors, or print 10 or 12 random poems off from the Internet. Then randomly pick a line out of each poem, trying to focus only on the first line you see instead of picking the "best" one. Write all these different lines down on a separate piece of paper, and try to arrange them into a coherent poem. The juxtaposition of two entirely different lines of poetry might give you an idea for your own poem. Write down all the words and phrases that come to mind when you think of that idea. Allow yourself to put all your ideas into words. It may sound difficult, but do not be afraid to voice your exact feelings. Emotions are what make poems, and if you lie about your emotions it can be easily sensed in the poem. Write them down as quickly as possible, and when you're done, go through the list and look for connections or certain items that get your creative juices flowing. Try to fit into a particular scene you want to write about. For example, if you want to write about nature, try to visit a park or a small forest nearby. The natural scenery may inspire few lines, even if they're not perfect.
Read and listen to poetry. Get inspired by seeking out the work of poets you admire. Explore a wide range of works, from poems that are widely regarded as classics to popular song lyrics. As you interact with more poetry, you'll find your aesthetic becoming more shaped and refined.
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To train your ear and meet like-minded people, attend poetry readings (check your local college or bookstore's calendar for these, or look for events you can stream online). Find some of your favorite song lyrics and read them like poetry. You might be surprised at how it reads on the page, instead of being spoken or sung aloud.
Think about what you want to achieve with your poem. Perhaps you want to write a poem to express your love for your boyfriend or girlfriend; perhaps you want to commemorate a tragic event; or maybe you just want to get an "A" in your poetry class. Think about why you are writing your poem and who your intended audience is, and then proceed in your writing accordingly.
Decide which poetry style suits your subject. There are a ton of different poetic styles. [1]. As a poet, you have a wide variety of set forms to choose from: limericks, sonnets, villanelles, sestinas, haiku ... the list goes on and on.
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You may also choose to abandon form altogether and write your poem in free verse. While the choice may not always be as obvious as the example above, the best form for the poem will usually manifest itself during the writing process.
Letting the Creativity Flow
Choose the right words. It's been said that if a novel is "words in the best order," then a poem is "the best words in the best order."
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Think of the words you use as building blocks of different sizes and shapes. Some words will fit together perfectly, and some won't. You want to keep working at your poem until you have built a strong structure of words. Use only those words that are necessary, and those that enhance the meaning of the poem. Choose your words carefully. The differences between similar sounding words or synonyms can lead to interesting word play. A computer spreadsheet such as OpenOffice.org Calc, is very efficient for rearranging words and checking rhythm through columns' alignment. Put one syllable in each cell. You can transfer the text to a word processor for fancier printing when you're done.
Use concrete imagery and vivid descriptions. Most poetry appeals to the senses in some way, in order to help the reader become more fully immersed in the text. Here are some things to consider when you're constructing descriptions.
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Love, hate, happiness: these are all abstract concepts. Many (perhaps all) poems are, deep down, about emotions and other abstractions. Nevertheless, it's hard to build a strong poem using only abstractions - it's just not interesting. The key, then, is to replace or enhance abstractions with concrete images, things that you can appreciate with your senses: a rose, a shark, or a crackling fire, for example. The concept of the objective correlative may be useful. An objective correlative is an object, several objects, or a series of events (all concrete things) that evoke the emotion or idea of the poem. Really powerful poetry not only uses concrete images; it also describes them vividly. Show your readers and listeners what you're talking about — help them to experience the imagery of the poem. Put in some "sensory" handles. These are words that describe the things that you hear, see, taste, touch, and smell, so that the reader can identify with their own experience. Give some examples rather than purely mental/intellectual descriptions. As a silly example, consider "He made a loud sound", versus "He made a loud sound like a hippo eating 100 stale pecan pies with metal teeth."
Use poetic devices to enhance your poem's beauty and meaning. The most well known poetic device is rhyme. Rhyme can add suspense to your lines, enhance your meaning, or make the poem more cohesive. It can also make it prettier. Don't overuse rhyme. It's a crime.
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If you are opting for the rhyming route, there are three basic types to choose from: the couplet, tercet, and ballad stanza. The couplet is two phrases that each rhyme at their end. This will be a couplet when the final word is penned. Did you catch that meter?! The tercet has three lines. 1 and 2 rhyme, as do 4 and 5, 3 and 6. As in, "My dog has a toy, it resembles a boy. A boy with a dark colored glasses.
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His lightning scar can be seen from afar and gee, does he love molasses." A ballad stanza's second and fourth lines rhyme. For example:
I just met you. And this is crazy. So here's my number. Call me, maybe? Other poetic devices include meter, metaphor, assonance, alliteration, and repetition. If you don't know what these are, you may want to look in a poetry book or search the Internet. Poetic devices can establish a poem, or, if they bring too much attention to themselves, can ruin it.
Add a "turn" to the end of the poem. Save your most powerful message or insight for the end of your poem. The last line is to a poem what a punch line is to a joke — something that evokes an emotional response. Give the reader something to think about, something to dwell on after reading your poem.
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Resist the urge to explain it; let the reader become engaged with the poem in developing an understanding of your experience or message.
Bringing It to Life Listen to your poem. While many people today have been exposed to poetry only in written form, poetry was predominantly an aural art for thousands of years, and the sound of a poem is still important. As you write and edit your poem, read it aloud and listen to how it sounds.
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A poem's internal structure commonly focuses on rhythm, rhyme, or both. Consider classic styles like sonnets and Greek epics for inspiration. A lot of spoken English is based on iambic pentameter, in which speech follows an alternating pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables for a total of 10 syllables. A lot of poetry written in iambic pentameter, such as that of Shakespeare, begins with an unstressed, one-syllable word such as "an" or "the" to start the alternating pattern. This is where poems can become songs. It is easier to find a tune for regular meter, so maybe you want to cut words out or put some in to get the same number of syllables in each line. Memorize it. If you believe it, then maybe someone else will learn it and love it before it is a song.
Edit your poem. When the basic poem is written, set it aside for a while and then read the poem out loud to yourself. Go through it and balance the choice of words with the rhythm. Take out unnecessary words and replace imagery that isn't working.
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Some people edit a poem all at once, while others come back to it again and again over time. Don't be afraid to rewrite if some part of the poem is not working. Some poems have lines that simply don't convey an element well, and can be replaced.
Share your work. It can be hard to critique your own work, so after you've done an initial edit, try to get some friends or a poetry group (there are plenty online) to look at your poem for you. You may not like all their suggestions, and you don't have to take any of them, but you might find some insight that will make your poem better.
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Feedback is good. Pass your poem around, and ask your friends to critique your work. Tell them to be honest, even if it's painful. Never apologize for your work as it's being critiqued, and focus instead on listening to the opinions of your readers. Filter their responses, heeding and ignoring, then edit as you see fit. Offer to critique the work of others, as well. Offering someone else feedback on their work can help you develop a critical eye, which you can apply to your own work.
Emotion is a big part of poetry. If some sort of emotion isn't intertwined with the poem, it's as though you threatened your muse at gunpoint. Your reader will probably see through your forced effort.
When you start writing poems, it may help to write a single "subject-word" in the middle of a sheet ("Love," for instance), and begin to think of words matching with the "subject-word" ("friendship" or "happiness"). When you do this before you write your poem, you already have a foundation of words you can use. This is of real value to beginners. Solve poet's block by carrying a notebook (some people call them Living Books) with you everywhere, in which you can jot down poem ideas as they come to you. Creative ideas don't always strike at the most ideal times. Then, when you're ready to write, get out the notebook and find an idea that catches your fancy. Don't frustrate yourself by too persistently sharing your work with people who do not appreciate poetry. This is a mistake that can discourage you from being a poet. It is often difficult to explain that you are just trying your hand at something new. The best thing to do is ask someone supportive (who also happens to appreciate the art of the written word) to kindly critique you. If you want others to read your poetry, ask yourself "If somebody else showed me this, would I like it?" If the answer is "no," continue editing the poem. Avoid cliches or overused images. "The world is your oyster," is neither a brilliant nor an original observation.
Poetic Forms How to Write a Sonnet While you may not be the next Shakespeare, that doesn't mean you can't write a great sonnet. An exacting and rhythmical poem, the sonnet has a long tradition behind it, with many great poets crafting their own sonnets. For general guidelines as well as instructions for Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnet forms, follow these steps to write the sonnet you will be proud of!
General Guidelines Understand the basic rules of a sonnet. A sonnet is a poem that expresses a single, complete thought, idea, or sentiment. A sonnet must consist of 14 lines, usually in iambic pentameter (see below), with the rhymes arranged according to one of certain definite schemes. Learn the basic definitions. Before tackling the sonnet, you'll need to understand the meaning of some of the elements of a sonnet. They are:
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Iambic: An "iamb" is a variety of the rhythmic unit called a foot. It has a single unstressed syllable followed by a single stressed syllable. Examples of words that naturally follow this pattern include: today myself because unless toward Pentameter: This refers to the need to repeat the iamb five times (pentameter). Keep in mind that the iambs don’t need to be perfectly built into two-syllable words; they can also stretch out across separate words or even repeat within a single word provided that the stresses still work. Examples include: Today I know I’ll find my other shoe The man I love is quite illiterate Quatrain: Four lines of a stanza or poem. Sestet: Six lines of a stanza or poem. Octave: Eight lines of a stanza or poem. Rhyming couplet: Two consecutive lines that must rhyme. 2. 3
Use iambic pentameter consistently throughout each line. As discussed in the definitions above, this stresses every other syllable and is sometimes represented as da-DUM, da-DUM. Since there are ten syllables in each line, five will always be emphasized. The opening line of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is a perfect example (the stressed syllables are underlined in blue):
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Don’t be afraid to change the word order to better suit the rhythm. For example, “When I look at myself in the mirror” doesn’t quite work because the natural emphasis in the word “mirror” is in the first syllable (mirror), not the second. To work around this, you might change the line to “When in the mirror I myself do see; it might not have as modern a feel to it, but hey, that’s a sonnet for you. 3. 4
Use methods to help you. When writing a sonnet, there are some techniques you can use to help your planning and writing:
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On a piece of paper draw a straight line. Divide it into five even portions. Each of those portions can then be filled with one stressed, one unstressed syllable until you reach the end of the line. You should find this gives you 10 syllables in iambic pentameter. Continue this process for every line of the sonnet to create a consistent rhythm. Whenever you're trying to use a word or concept that upsets the syllables, use a thesaurus to find a word that will work better. Read How to Find Rhyming Words for Poetry. 4. 5
Keep writing and stay flexible in your attempts. It will probably take you a few drafts to be happy with your sonnet, but don't get discouraged. This style of writing is tight, precise, and very expressive with few words; and with practice, this tends to be a lot of fun for the poet. Keep the thesaurus by your side and you'll be fine. And you don't need to feel that it is necessary to stay within the strict patterns of the most common sonnet styles; poetry is a fluid art form, so feel free to alter the rhyme scheme or shape of a sonnet to suit your vision. (For example, "Sonnet 145" was in tetrameter.) It's always the prerogative of the poet to push things to new boundaries.
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Read other poets' sonnets for examples and inspiration. Many poets have written in this style, including Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barret Browning, William Wordsworth, John Milton, P. B. Shelley, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Pablo Neruda, and more. Many of the sonnets will be available online for you to read on screen.
Shakespearean Sonnet Understand the rhyme scheme. The Shakespearean style is three quatrains followed by a couplet: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. (In The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets, Helen Vendler describes it as Q1, Q2, Q3, and C.) Each letter (A or B, for example) stands for the ending sound of the line.
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ABAB means that the first line and the third line rhyme (A with A), as do the second and fourth (B with B). CDCD and EFEF follow the same structure as ABAB but with two new word endings; if A and B end in “-at” and “-ey” sounds, for example, C and D might end in “-oh” and “-us,” whereas E and F might use “-en” and “-off” to avoid any overlap. GG means that the final two lines of the sonnet rhyme – again, using a new word ending (ex. “-ar”). Extra attention should be paid to the couplet at the end, which is usually a very strong rhyme to provide a sense of closure. (For this reason, it is sometimes called a “heroic couplet.”) Let's use Sonnet 18, Shall I Compare Thee To a Summer's Day, as an example:
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Create the argument. Writing lines that conform to the sonnet rhyme scheme isn’t enough: for a true sonnet, remember that each quatrain usually represents a different stage in the development of an idea (or argument), while the couplet sums up the essential premise of the poem. In other words, a sonnet should "build up" by presenting an argument that is resolved by the end. In a Shakespearean sonnet, the breakdown is usually as follows:[1]
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Quatrain 1: Express the main theme and the main metaphor. Quatrain 2: Expand both; be imaginative, provide an example perhaps. Quatrain 3: Add a twist or a conflict (peripeteia), which may begin with a word like "but"; this is often in the ninth line. (See above: “But thy eternal summer shall not fade…”) Couplet: Resolve the theme and leave the reader with a new way of looking at things, or a "discovery."
Petrarchan Sonnet Understand the rhyme scheme. The Petrarchan sonnet consists of two quatrains (or an octave) and a closing minor group of six lines (the sestet). The rhyme pattern is usually: ABBA ABBA CDE CDE.
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ABAB means that the first line and the third line rhyme (A with A), as do the second and fourth (B with B). This four-line pattern repeats twice, using the same ending sounds each time. If A and B end in “-at” and “-ey” sounds in the first quatrain, for example, they should do the same in the second. CDE means that these three lines all end in sounds that are different not only from one another, but also from the endings you used in the AB lines (ex. “-oh,” “-us,” and “-en”). This three-line pattern repeats twice, using the same ending sounds each time. Note that the sestet is somewhat flexible and can also be structured as CDC CDC or CDC DEE, for example.[2]2
Create the argument. It’s not enough to follow the rhyme scheme, as a true sonnet uses its structure to develop an idea (or argument). Much like a plot line, this structural development should "build up" by presenting an argument that is resolved by the end. In a Petrarchan sonnet, the breakdown is usually as follows:
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Quatrain 1: Express the main theme, usually a problem Quatrain 2: Expands on the theme. Sestet 1 and 2: Comment on the theme and/or solve it, creating a noticeable change in tone.
For those special occasions, say it with a sonnet -a 14-line poem in iambic pentameter. You don't have to be Shakespeare, either, just follow these tips. Tips
Try reading every other syllable louder and harder; this makes it much easier to follow the iambic pentameter. Try reading sonnets to be able to write them, efficiently. Alway use your feelings and knowledge when you write a poem, especially a Sonnet.
Sample Petrarchan Sonnet Oh catcher of dreams that hangs upon my wall, You’ve lied to me! You have not done your work. For in my sleep a dreadful dream still lurks— That of a face I’d like not to recall. That face—his face—how does it still enthrall? Those deep brown eyes, above that charming smirk, Have value, sure, but they’re those of a jerk. And now he dares invade my dreams? What gall! Dreamcatcher, please, I need your help, and fast. Without you I may never be at rest. It's true: I loved the face that haunts me so But now, I'm sure, that love has long since passed. To me, his face is not a welcome guest. Remove from me the dreams of my old beau. Sample Shakespearean Sonnet My world before you came was black and white, No shades of gray, no varied hues to see, But then each day was wonderful and bright, Because you brought the color back to me. Look there! A sky so vast and deeply blue, Green grass that gleams as brightly as a jewel With golden-yellow flowers peeking through, Reflected in your eyes, pure crystal pools. But then you left, one stormy winter’s day, And took with you the gift you had bestowed. All yellows, blues, and greens faded away; My eyes were left to see in black-white mode. Yet maybe when the spring returns once more, I might recall the vibrant days of yore. Sonnet 18 Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd, And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd: But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st, So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Sample Limerick Limerick Basics: A limerick has five lines that rhyme AABBA. The first, second, and fifth lines should have eight or nine syllables, while the third and fourth lines should have five or six. A limerick also has a specific rhythm, or “meter,” that is created when syllables are stressed in different ways. Sample Limerick: A woman who once heard a mouse ran screaming all throughout her house. She sent in the cat to dispose of the rat to find it was only her spouse.
Sample Tanka Tanka Basics: A tanka has five lines that don’t usually rhyme. The first and third lines have five syllables, while the second, fourth, and fifth lines have seven. The third line usually represents a turning point in the story: reading the first three lines together give you one image, while reading the last three lines give you another. Sample Tanka: Snow-covered pine trees line the frozen pathway home, but we turn away. The world is a lake of ice, and we have one warm hand each.
Sample Cinquain Cinquain Basics Cinquains have five lines that usually follow a specific structure:
First line: One word (noun) that will be the subject of the poem; two syllables Second line: Two words (adjectives) that describe the subject; four syllables Third line: Three words (-ing verbs) that have something to do with the subject; six syllables Fourth line: Four words (a phrase) that relate to the subject; eight syllables Fifth line: One word (noun) that is similar to the subject; two syllables
Sample Cinquain Water Restless, rugged Flowing, crashing, smashing Creator of valleys and crests Power