a question for all poets

[octofryed]

hi all,

i have a question... can anyone suggest some good books or websites about the art of writing poetry? i'm interested in learning about different poem structures, rules and techniques.

the reason i ask is that i am new to writing poetry and i've had no training whatsoever... i just started writing a few months ago and all i do is imagine a song playing in my head and then i write down the lyrics... but after joining this site and reading all the poetry i've found myself most impressed with the poems that don't necessarily rhyme or follow a strict verse > chorus > verse structure.

i'd also love to hear suggestions on different poets to check out... i'd probably be most interested in modern poetry but i'm open to any suggestions. i've been out of school a long time and would rather teach myself what i need to know using the internet or the library. thanks in advance for any help.

namaste,
doug

[marcella312001]

I don't know what to tell you. I just kind of write down what ever pops into my head.

[KittenX]

I don't really know how you can be taught how to write poetry. I suppose it can be taught same way painting is, some people can just sit down and paint a Mona Lisa with their eyes closed, while others would need a book, a tv show and maybe a tape recording.
For me poetry is a constant learning process, I've been writing for 4 years and I've never had any special training, instruction or inside info from famous poets. I just did it, I practiced a lot and I tried to write things the way I saw them, not the way I thought other people might see things and would like me to see things. A lot of it was corny, childish, cliche etc, but it was a learning experience and baby steps will get you to the top. You can't possibly expect to start writing poetry and right away jump from being a newbie to being an expert. That's not how it works. (unless you're a genius)
And don't be afraid to make mistakes and experiment. Ya never know experimentation might lead to great things.

*steps off her podium*

[octofryed]

thanks to all that replied... i surfed the web a little and here's a cut and paste of what i was looking for...


Acrostic: poetry in which the first letter of each line, when read vertically, spell out a word. The word is usually the subject of the poem.

Vanilla
As I eat it on my brownie
Not doubting it's sweet
Ice cream is a tasty treat
Lots of lingering taste
Lasting to the end
Always my favorite!


Haiku: an ancient Japanese form with no rhyme. Haiku often deal with nature. This type of poetry has three lines with a fixed number of syllables:
Line 1= 5 syllables
Line 2= 7 syllables
Line 3= 5 syllables

The dying plant bends
And drips its dew to the ground
It falls like a tear



Couplets: two-line poems with a fun and simple rhyming pattern. Each line has the same meter and their endings rhyme with one another. Couplets are often humorous.

My English teacher wants me to
use imagination
So I go to math class and let my
mind go on vacation!



Tanka: another Japanese form that depends on the number of lines and syllables instead of rhyme:
Line 1= 5 syllables
Line 2= 7 syllables
Line 3= 5 syllables
Line 4= 7 syllables
Line 5= 7 syllables, rhymes with line 4

I have my own place
Where I can go for hours
I go there to write
It is not difficult to find
Search within your heart and mind.



Cinquain: a form consisting of five lines. Each has a required number of syllables, and a specific topic.
Line 1:Title (noun)- 2 syllables
Line 2: Description- 4 syllables
Line 3: Action- 6 syllables
Line 4: Feeling (phrase)- 8 syllables
Line 5: Title (synonym for the title)- 2 syllables

Flowers
Pretty, fragrant
Waiting, watching, weeding
Enjoying all the while they grow
Gardens



Diamonte poems: diamond-shaped poems of seven lines that are written using parts of speech. The Diamonte is a form similar to the Cinquain.
Line 1: Noun or subject
Line 2: Two Adjectives
Line 3: Three 'ing' words
Line 4: Four words about the subject
Line 5: Three 'ing words
Line 6: Two adjectives
Line 7: Synonym for the subject

Home
Safe, caring
Loving, sharing, talking
Friendship, food, car, travels
Living, loving, enjoying
Joyous, adventurous
Family



Limericks: whimsical poems with five lines. Lines one, two, and five rhyme with each other and lines three and four rhyme with each other. Rhyme pattern: AABBA

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were caught, so what could they do?
Said the fly, "Let us flee."
"Let us fly," said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.



Proverbs: have been called the shortest art form. They use devices associated with poetry- rhyme, rhythm, and metaphors. They provide vivid imagery to teach a moral lesson.

"If one thinks he is the wisest, he is not wise at all."



Rap: spoken-word expression of urban activists that began in the 1960s. In the early 70s "rapping" evolved into spoken rhymes about street life put to the beat of DJ-manipulated drum machines and turntables.

Don't wait to beat the street
Stay in school and keep your seat
The entire eight parts of speech
Will your reading, writing, and speaking teach!



Free Verse: poetry without rules of form, rhyme, rhythm, or meter.

What do the oceans do at night?
Do they tease and tickle the bottom of boats?
Do they ripple away in fright?
Or are the beaches like coats
That keep them still and quiet
And once the day breaks and it's breakfast time
Do the oceans wish for some other diet than fish?



Sonnets: poems of 14 lines that begin with three quatrains and end with a couplet. The couplet usually contains a surprise ending or "turn." William Shakespeare is one of the most famous sonnet writers in history.

Why do we continue to kill in various ways?
Why do we waste time with jealousy and hate?
Why not take advantage of the current date?
Stop the violence now, don't let it grow.
Love is important, a fact that we all know.
As the fires of hate continue to burn
The hands of clock continue to turn.
No one can find reason to our madness today.
The gift of life is extremely short
Demand no more violence of any sort!
With kindness, life's quality we can improve!
As those hands on the clock continue to move.
Day becomes night and night becomes day
The hands of the clock keep ticking away.



Narrative poems: tell stories and are usually long. Epics and ballads are narrative poems.

There once was a man named Bob
Who was out looking for a great job
He really needed money to feed pets
His cat's name was Tiger
His dog's name was Ted.
His pets were hungry most of the day
The animals were hungry - they couldn't play
Bob had been laid off for a month or two
There was plenty of work that Bob wouldn't do.
Bob was really hungry.
His stomach was an empty tank
He decided to go rob a local bank.

He walked through the door and looked around
He pointed his gun and yelled "Get down"
Bob took the money and headed for the door.
If only he had seen the officer in the store.

The policeman came out with a shout
Bob thought for a second and then pulled his gun out
One shot, two shots and with a deafening sound
Poor old Bob's body hit the ground.

With his last breath
He thought back to his pets
He sure hoped Tiger and Ted
Would have a great life after he was dead!




Quatrains: rhyming poems of four lines. Poets use letters to express the rhyme pattern or scheme. The four types of quatrain rhyme are: AABB,(shown at right) ABAB, ABBA, and ABCB.

Picnic planning in July
Traveling up the mountains so high!
What an adventure for me
Because I prefer mountains to sea!

[octofryed]

free verse is what i was wondering about... and you are all right... there are no rules.