Thursday, May 05, 2005
Poetry Paneling II
So the poetry panel I'm part of is going to be this Saturday. Here's a bare-bones outline of what I'm going to talk about:
Elements of poetry:
1. Diction & Syntax - the building blocks of any good writing
2. Figurative & Descriptive Language - metaphors, images, & allusions, the most frequently used elements
3. Sonics - Not just straight rhyme and meter but other effects of sound
4. Line & Stanza - an area beginning poets are most likely to neglect
5. Argument & Theme - perhaps the most important, definitely the most delicate
Tired poem subjects:
1. I was walking in nature and had a sudden epiphany at the end
2. Dead friends/relatives/pets/Sylvia Plath
3. It sure is difficult/inspirational/Important to write poetry
4. "Riffing" on language or metaphysical pseudophilosophy
5. Condescending poems about pitying the poor/disadvantaged
Things to do:
1. Know the rules before you break them
2. Know your target audience and think about how you deploy each of the above poetic elements to reach them
3. Be aware of a world outside the self and what the average person can see everywhere
4. Be willing to employ humor, even in a serious poem
5. Don't be afraid to lie - "it really happened that way" is no excuse for not improving your poem
Read Sarah Lindsay's "Olduvai Gorge Thorn Tree" as an example of a good poem
Elements of poetry:
1. Diction & Syntax - the building blocks of any good writing
2. Figurative & Descriptive Language - metaphors, images, & allusions, the most frequently used elements
3. Sonics - Not just straight rhyme and meter but other effects of sound
4. Line & Stanza - an area beginning poets are most likely to neglect
5. Argument & Theme - perhaps the most important, definitely the most delicate
Tired poem subjects:
1. I was walking in nature and had a sudden epiphany at the end
2. Dead friends/relatives/pets/Sylvia Plath
3. It sure is difficult/inspirational/Important to write poetry
4. "Riffing" on language or metaphysical pseudophilosophy
5. Condescending poems about pitying the poor/disadvantaged
Things to do:
1. Know the rules before you break them
2. Know your target audience and think about how you deploy each of the above poetic elements to reach them
3. Be aware of a world outside the self and what the average person can see everywhere
4. Be willing to employ humor, even in a serious poem
5. Don't be afraid to lie - "it really happened that way" is no excuse for not improving your poem
Read Sarah Lindsay's "Olduvai Gorge Thorn Tree" as an example of a good poem
