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
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*
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!
