(This page contains the latest Glossary
article as well as those from past issues of Sol. The latest article
will always be at the top.)
Glossaries:First Person: Personal vs. Invented (Aug2004) Lines Break with End-Stops and Enjambment (July 2004) Lyrics and Poetry (Mar 2004) Piece (Feb 2004) The Sapphic Stanza (Jan 2004) About the Carol (Nov 2003) Compelling: Blank Verse (Oct 2003) Rhythm—Measured Motion (Sept 2003) Lune, the Western Version of Haiku (July 2003) From Laurel to Laureate (May 2003) Bridging Title (Apr 2003) Blended Words (Jan 2003) Personification (Dec 2002) Approximate Rhyme (Nov 2002) Allusion (Oct 2002) Found Poem (Sep 2002) Indentation (Aug 2002) Description without Excessive Embellishment (July 2002) Common Talk (Apr 2002) When 'Perfect' is 'Full" it's Rhyme (Mar 2002) Re-Shaping the Poem (Jan. 2002) Aubade (November 2001) Refrain: Poetic repetition (October 2001) Onomatopoeia (August 2001) The French Sonnet (June 2001) Denotation vs Connotation (May 2001) Samisen (April 2001) Strophic Turning (Feb. 2001) Hypercorrection (Nov. 2000) Synesthesia (Oct. 2000) More Than the Arrangement of Three Lines (Sept. 2000) Poet (Aug. 2000) Stanza (May 2000) Tone (Apr. 2000) Pantoum (Mar 2000) Internal Rhyme (Feb. 2000) Sestina (Nov. 1999) Imagery (Sept/Oct 1999) Assonance (Aug. 1999) Figures of Speech (May 1999)
August 2004
by Mary Burlingame, Features Editor |
There are two types of first person speakers: the personal "I" speaker and the invented "I" speaker. Either approach helps to set the tone of your work. Many poets use the personal "I" voice. This voice does not make clear who the speaker of the poem is, the poet or someone else, so a writer might use this in order to obscure the identity of the speaker and create an intimate and direct voice. Another approach to first person is the invented "I" speaker, where it is obvious that the speaker is a definite character, often fictional or historical. With this voice, it seems as if the reader is overhearing someone's conversation or the thoughts inside the speaker's head. A writer might use this voice instead of third person to give a character power to speak with her own voice. Personal or invented, the choice is yours.
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July 2004
by Mary Burlingame, Features Editor |
Line Breaks
Line breaks help separate poetry from prose. They do not just occur where lines end, but also where words are broken into segments of thought instead of stretching across the page like prose. End-stopping and enjambment help create a series of winding steps to reach a poem's conclusion. End-stopped lines: When each line contains a complete thought creating a natural pause between each line, the effect is called "end-stopped" lines. Used effectively, end-stopped lines can replace punctuation. Example: Chase me away from my fire
Mary Burlingame, Houston, TX, USA Enjambment: When a thought continues from line to line with no pause at the line break, the effect is called "enjambment." This tool creates tension as the reader is pulled forward to the next line. Example: I knew you had been there for too long - your
Mary Burlingame, Houston, TX, USA Unlike punctuation, line breaks have no defined rules, but it is better to end a line on a meaningful word rather than on an article, preposition or other connective word. Experiment with line breaks. They can change the meaning and the flow of your poetry. |
March 2004
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
In earliest times, poetry was sung. We still call the words of
songs lyrics, and although lyrical poets have increasingly written poems
that are not intended to be accompanied by music, poetry still includes
many forms similar to songs, from ballads to sonnets, and elegies to odes.
The term lyric can refer both to the nature of the language used, and to the emotions expressed in a work, so both the narrative and dramatic aspects of a poem may be lyrical. This musical element conveys emotion through a regularity of cadence and interworking sound. More than the melody of verse, the art of lyrical poetry reveals the secret of and the passion for some personal emotion. Sung or not, a lyric is music. |
February 2004
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
A "piece" may be defined as a patch or segment that renews or completes
a larger work. In music, this may be called a "coda," or a "movement."
In literature or poetry, this may be called a "part," such as Section One,
or Part Two, etc.
"Piece" may also be defined as a separate and self-contained entity.
For instance, a musician may patch single ideas and images into a musical
arrangement or a song, while a writer may splice ideas and images into
words for a literary composition or a poem.
|
January 2004
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
Named after the ancient Greek poet, Sappho, who invented it, the Sapphic
stanza is a form of quantitative verse that depends on the measurement
of long or short syllables. Though she used several metrical patterns for
her poetry, Sappho is most famous for the Sapphic stanza (derived from
her name). Sapphic stanzas consist of four lines, the first three composed
with a meter of eleven syllables each, and the fourth line, five syllables.
In simplest terms, this sounds out in this way:
DA da DA da DA da da DA da DA da
Example: Strange and difficult she is often chosen
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA A remarkable rhythm, several contemporary poets have used the form. As with other poetic forms, it is not uncommon to find poets taking liberties with the syllable count and meter, but if asked to use this form in a Sol Magazine competition, please stay within the basic form and save experimentation for another time. |
November 2003
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
CAROL: A poem often sung by a group. Like the Ballad, the Carol is a song that tells a story and has its origins in folk music. During the 1400's, lighter joyous songs, later known as Carols, were introduced in Renaissance Italy. The first known English Carol, by Ritson, appeared about 1410. Open-air religious drama in Europe inspired the writing of Carols to be sung during performances of mystery plays, and the English Carol became popularized. Throughout the sixteenth century, England enjoyed tunes associated with ballad singing and country dancing, and had an important impact on the creation of the Christmas Carol as we know it today. |
October 2003
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
BLANK VERSE: Unrhymed poetry, usually with a meter of iambic pentameter. IAMBIC PENTAMETER: Iambic pentameter is 10 syllables, five of which are stressed, forming a beat sounding like: Ta DA, Ta DA, Ta DA, Ta DA, Ta DA. This form does not specify a line count. Example: One Keeps With sorrow she must leave tomorrow, sharp
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA Shakespeare wrote his plays in Blank Verse in order to solve the dilemma of finding “fresh” rhyme schemes. The five-beat meter is a powerful one; after Shakespeare, many of the greatest poets such as Milton, Keats, Auden, Tennyson, and Frost used this and the verse form for the larger proportion of their work. The rhythmic effect is compelling. © 2003 Sol Magazine |
September 2003
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
Rhythm, the recurring motion of sound in speech, refers to the
rise and fall of syllabic stress. Poetry is measured in beats, as
words or parts of words form a pattern of rhythm. This effect adds interest
to any poem and may be used to both prevent monotony and to also reinforce
meaning.
Arranging a pattern of alternating lengths of measure at fixed intervals of time creates a rhythmical pattern. Meter, the kind of rhythm we are tempted to tap to, is arranged so that accents appear at equal intervals. A foot of poetry is somewhat equivalent to a measure of music. The process of measuring feet of poetry is called scansion. While not all poetry is metrical, rhythm is a necessary element in the composition of poetry. Common Units of Measure or Feet Iamb: Two syllables, the second accented.
Trochee: Two syllables, the first accented.
Anapest: Three syllables, the third stressed.
Dactyl: One stressed syllable followed by two unstressed. Example: Fantasy. (Dactylic - Triple Meter) Spondee: Two consecutive syllables, both stressed.
References: The Intimate Art of Writing Poetry, Ottone M. Riccio, Prentice Hall Press, NY, © 1980. The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms, Teachers & Writers Collaborative, NY, NY, © 1987. © 2003 Sol Magazine |
July 2003
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
Poet Robert Kelly created the Lune in the 1960's, and named this form after the French word for moon because its results reminded him of a crescent moon. The Lune is similar to Haiku in that it must have three lines, a syllable count of 5, 3, 5, and must focus on one subject, however Kelly's Lune has no other rules. Example: Monday Morning streaming the office
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA Another poet, Jack Collom, presented the Lune to American schoolchildren, but because of a faulty memory, his version required counting words, rather than syllables. Collom's Lune asked for 3 lines, a word count of 5, 3, 5, and focus on one subject. Example: Elsewhere headphones cupped over their ears
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA Whichever version of the Lune you choose to practice with, note that Sol Contests require the original version created by Robert Kelly. |
May 2003
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
In Ancient Greece, where the laurel tree was considred sacred, poets
who won distinction were crowned with a wreath of laurel, hence the origin
of the title, "Poet Laureate." The custom remains today and is practiced
world wide.
Joyce Jenkins, a California assemblywoman, is quoted in MetroActiveArts as saying she believes, "The poet laureate's job should be to enliven the art of poetry--how the art itself can help people and teach people and inspire people." Honored for artistic achievement, a Poet Laureate serves as representative
of the body that bestowed the honor, and is often expected to provide poems
for occasions of importance.
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April 2003
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
In classical times, poems were often known by their first lines or
by the author and general subject. Around the time of Shakespeare,
titling a poem as a separate element became popular. Some modern
poets complete a poem without adding a title, but the canny poet uses a
title to lure the reader into the poem, for titling is virtually essential
in the competitive contemporary marketplace.
A title may define the work, or tantalize by letting slip an alluring clue. It can be used as a play on words, or simply summarize a poem to let the reader know what to expect. While succinct titles generally work well, sometimes using the title as the poem's opening line can make for an interesting beginning. This type of form, called a Bridging Title by Sol Magazine's staff, can provide real finish even at the very start of the work. In a Bridging Title poem, the title is read as the first line of the poem it introduces, and the actual first line does not repeat the title. Why not take advantage of this excellent form? Try the Bridging Title for your next poem. (See BRIDGING TITLE.) |
January 2003
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
PORTMANTEAU: 1. A case or bag to carry clothing in while
traveling, esp. a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves.
2. Portmanteau word: A blend of two or more words. (Reference:
Webster's
New Universal Unabridged Dictionary.)
Just as suitcases have two sides, Portmanteaus combine two or more words to make one. In these humorous examples, "snuggle plus "hug" may become "snughuggle;" "wiggle" plus "giggle" could become "wigliggle;" an un-housetrained puppy might be called a "poundpuddlepup." Some Portmanteau words are metaphors of a sort, while most create new meanings, similar to what happened when "motor" and "hotel" were first combined into "motel," and "lunch" and "breakfast" became "brunch. Here's an example ("mountain" & "climber" = "mountlimber") used in a poem: Janice is quite mountlimber and
Sometimes the most economical way to convey two meanings in a brief passage of poetry is to make use of the Portmanteau. |
December 2002
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
PERSONIFICATION A figure of speech, personification can be an abstract quality or thing that is treated as if it were human, and it can also be a person regarded as the embodiment of a quality. We often attribute human traits and feelings to natural or inanimate objects. For example: "Peeking out from a somber cloud, an early sun smiles down at the sleepy town." Equally common is the practice of attributing the qualities of an abstract principle to a person. For example, "Generosity itself, she insisted on making us comfortable in her own tiny rooms." Personification has existed since the beginning of art. Some artists created imaginary situations where animals, birds, trees, and stones "spoke." Many poets throughout history have used the human/nonhuman comparison, especially in surreal poetry. For example: "A jukebox swallows our tongues, and raises to stand as a flashing light and a mega boom boom." More complex personification may be found in legends and myths representing moral concepts, attitudes and forces of nature. Used skillfully, personification is a poetical device that can produce startling effects of comparison, offering fresh reactions from a reader. |
November 2002
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry Editor |
Approximate rhyme is entirely a matter of sound, and includes alliteration,
assonance, consonance, or any combination of these poetic tools that depend
on sound similarity. It is sometimes substituted for perfect rhyme
at the ends of lines.
Example: hurt/heart Approximate rhyme includes half-rhyme, also known as feminine rhyme, where only half of the word rhymes. With half-rhyme, the reader may feel the effect without necessarily being aware of the device used. Examples: brightly/nightlife
Many other combined sound similarities employed at the end of lines can add organization and structure to the poem. Example: rite/die Like many other tools of poetry, approximate rhyme can not only provide pleasure to the ear, its use may also add dimension to meaning. |
October 2002"Allusion"
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorWhen a poet makes a brief reference to an event or a person or a place, it is called an Allusion. Usually a well-known and easily recognizable reference, the poet assumes readers will recognize the Allusion, thus it is a device that encourages quick understanding and enrichment of the mind. Example:
Connection
Local artists focus
on American history--
landscapes and seascapes, quaint
as Old Mystic by the sea.
And clearly I connect
with oil on canvas-- expressing light
like paintings of Carlton T. Chapman
and others at Boston's
Childs Gallery.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA
September 2002"The Found Poem"
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorA Found Poem is a piece not intended to be a poem, but discovered in a newspaper article or magazine, or from bits of conversation, or even from the contents of a note, then announced as such by its finder. Though not "created" by the poet per se, the Found Poem does require skills for the craft. The finder must be sensitive to exceptional material that will evoke a response. Essentially, the finder may not change, add to, or omit words, but may choose its arrangement of line breaks and punctuation.
Example One (quoting conversation) Snapshot
I see
from the window
my cat
heading up toward
the kitchen door.Guess I'd better go
feed
him.
Example Two (quoting a newspaper article) Through the Mist
Through
Misted Windows
Firefighters SprayWater To Symbolize
The Collapse of the World
Trade Center.
Example Three (quoting combined headline and article) For Basketball
girls travel
team forms
basketball is more
than a game.It's a passion
the family of four
regularly attends.
August 2002Indentation
By Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorAn indentation is a device used to organize a specific pattern of blank space in from the edge of the margin, as in typical paragraph usage. Patterns can help keep a poem organized. In the past, poetry indentation was often used as a method to emphasize the first line of each stanza, to change a mood, to set off particular sounds or rhyme change, to inset quotations, or to prevent short lines of a poem from dangling.
Example #1- indenting the first line of each stanza:
After the unthinkable "Attack On America"
we face the long, difficult cleanup, eyes fixed
on our land and our skies, on the innocent
as our country rings with sounds of sudden unity.A stream of red, white and blue flags flutter
across our streets and doorways, all across America
sharing the hope, the dreams, the glory of all colors
races, religions, economic statues and lifestyles
as our country rings with sounds of sudden unity.Example #2- indenting lines of similar rhyme:
May he have sons of his own, loving and living
So like his own level of wanting to claim
Pride in his work toward a great thing.
A man's heart arises as an arrow follows his aim.Example #3-- indenting short lines in the central body of a poem:
Sounds from the nearby woodland
Remind me of spring frequencies
Enamored with a sense
Of resplendent
Ring.Traditionally, sonnets were set up with a pattern of indentation to show similar rhyme sounds, and particularly in the concluding couplet. Though indentation has been mostly eliminated by modern poets, its usage is still relied upon by some poets to help create structure.
July 2002Description without Excessive Embellishment
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorAn adjective is a type of modifier used to qualify, define, or limit nouns or pronouns and make them more definite. For example, a car becomes more vivid as we describe its color, its manufacturer, the model, etc. Also, an adjective may not always be placed next to the word it modifies. See "smaller" in the following narrative: "As she meandered through the used car lot, it was the smaller one that caught her eye, the classy chartreuse Ford Mustang."
Adjectives can create detail, but we may depend too much upon them, especially when filling in the missing beat in a line of poetry. This type of "filling in" is called "padding the line."
Sometimes we may use modifiers unnecessarily:
"The Mustang's color was chartreuse green."
Here, since "chartreuse" is already distinctive color, "green" is not needed.
In poetry, the need for precise descriptors is imperative, so while it is important to be specific, avoid excessive embellishment. Choose functional words. After the first draft, ask if the lines convey the meaning clearly, without the use of any modifier. If the answer is yes, then the modifier may be redundant.
Just for fun, why not write a short poem using no adjectives?
Example:
Connecting Time and Space
Do dreams exist?
I think, yes
reflecting accuracies of life
and even inaccuracies
like balloons
dancing across moonlight.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA
April 2002Common Talk
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorWhen we use everyday speech in our poetry, we infuse our words with everyday life, permitting a sharper understanding of the way it is lived. And the poem will suffer no loss, for direct, clear, ordinary language can more strongly sustain (as highly poetic languae cannot) an attitude of wonder at the universal. Example:
Breath of LifeEager in its first yawn
every morning it dispels the darkness
earth's star; star of day
flooding the earth with light...
And all of me depends on this
image of the daisy field
stretching upward into sky
heavenly bodies flooded with shine
daisy-bud eyes of yellow
yellow and round like the sun.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA
In the example poem, structural and emotional tensions build into a powerful presence, and what has been seen or heard remains in the mind. Flowery language would detract from the message.
March 2002"When 'Perfect' is 'Full' it's Rhyme,"
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorRhyming is a brain activity that often induces poetical imagination. In serious verse, rhyme pattern is a potent shaper, but poets' choices are limited by the limitations of language. FULL RHYME, also called "perfect rhyme," "pure rhyme," "true rhyme" or "complete rhyme," is the type with which we're most familiar in English poetry. An authentically rhymed poem deals exclusively with sounds, and has nothing to do with spelling or word form.
For example, "pox/clocks" forms a perfect FULL RHYME. "Finger/ginger" does not adhere to the required criteria. Another form of FULL RHYME occurs when two or more words, such as "satin/flat in" are placed in close proximity.
Couplings like this are more appropriate to light and humorous verse than to serious poetry. FULL RHYME does not permit a pairing of words like "sing/thinking." In "thinking," stress is place on the first syllable, whereas the unstressed second syllable rhymes with "sing."
Words that satisfy the eye but not the ear, like, "love/prove," are referred to as "eye rhyme," or "near rhyme."
A few words in the English language are thought to have no perfect rhyme. Among them are: "month," "orange," "elephant," and "radio." These are best used in the body of the poem and not at the end of a line.
For more on rhyme you might also take a look at a good rhyming dictionary, such as Merriam-Webster's "Rhymes for the Times, Rhyming Dictionary," by Merriam-Webster Incorporated, Springfield, MA.
For online help with rhyme, please check out http://www.rhymezone.com/,
formerly known as "The Semantic Rhyming Dictionary."
January 2002"Re-Shaping the Poem,"
by Betty Ann Whitney, Poetry EditorThe basic components that shape a poem are the same as those that shape a paragraph. Word-order and line-order make up the framework. Each part must connect properly so the reader does not get lost. As a consequence, one of the most important questions to be asked after writing the first draft should be, "Does this poem really say what I want it to say?" While the practice of reading aloud can uncover a variety of problems, beware. Over-familiarity with a subject may keep us from hearing our own faulty connections.
Consider the following:
Example #1Too much description in front of a subject may suggest a different role from the one intended. Example #2 makes that thought clear by bringing the action (nodding and bending of thistles) closer to the verb (reflecting) that describes the action.Reflecting the lopsided harvest moon,
Filled with one hundred thousand mysteries,
Disturbingly, hauntingly grandiose--
Dark, jade thistles glisten--
Their nodding and bending
Like lords in the starlit night.Example #2To make it as easy as possible for others to understand our poems as we do, we must pay special attention to the placement of lines and words. Some may need to be adjusted or re-positioned to avoid confusion and to correct faulty connectors.Filled with one hundred thousand mysteries,
Dark jade thistles glisten--their nodding and bending,
Disturbingly, hauntingly grandiose,
Reflecting the lopsided harvest moon,
Like lords in the starlit night.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
November 2001AUBADE
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant EditorAUBADE: From the French, meaning dawn an AUBADE may be a pensive composition for the piano, a poem greeting dawn, a morning love song, or a song or poem of lovers parting at dawn. Example:
Dawn's Early Rise
Reflecting from huge pine needle puddles
the unnaturally pigmented sky peeks in
and out of view here and there
promising a pleasant morning to us, like
an endless echo--like a tropical bird sound
asking for nothing at all.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
October 2001Refrain: Poetic repetition
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant EditorIn poetry, repetition serves several purposes: to please the ear, to emphasize the words in which the repetition occurs, and to add structure to a poem. In addition to repeating individual sounds and syllables, poets often repeat words, phrases, lines, or groups of lines. When such repetition is done according to some fixed pattern, it is called a "refrain." Example:
Aftermath
After the unthinkable Attack On America
We face the long, difficult cleanup, eyes fixed
On our land and our skies, on the innocent,
As our country rings with sounds of sudden unity.A stream of red, white and blue flags flutter
Across our streets and doorways, all across America,
Sharing the hope, the dreams, the glory of all
Colors, races, religions, economic statuses and lifestyles, as
Our country rings with sounds of sudden unity.And on this day of mourning, we speak of love
--of wishes for the futures of all children;
In the awful aftermath of smoke and silence,
Our country rings with sounds of sudden unity.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
August 2001ONOMATOPOEIAIn the craft of poetry, the poet's sensitivity may be finely attuned to sound. Certain effects are enhanced as language mimics the meaning or action that its words convey. Words such as buzz, plunk, boom, and snap suggest this effect by vocal imitation or association. These words carry with them a harmonic resemblance, so we immediately perceive a connection, as meaning appeals to the imagination. This imitative harmony is ONOMATOPOEIA.
Example:
Clearly visible
and with whiz-bang zing
the blue fish swims
in a huge bowl of soup.
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
June 2001Variations on a Form: The French Sonnet
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant EditorGlossary --
Traced back to the 14th century, there are many variants of the major Petrarchan and Shakespearean Sonnet patterns. In 1999 Robert DeWitt, who was president of Louisiana State Poetry Society, developed this form. The French Sonnet has a 14-line fixed form, written in iambic tetrameter, and is expressed in stanzas as outlined below:French Sonnet
lines 1/2 (couplet) introduce the subject, rhymed AA
lines 3/4/5 (tercet) develop the subject, rhymed BAB
lines 6/7/8/9 (quatrain) show a new aspect of the subject, rhymed CDCD
lines 10/11/12 (tercet) resolve the subject, rhymed EFE
lines 13/14 (couplet) may compliment, beautify, polish, rhymed GGExample:
Morning Light
1-It's not about how far and long
2-That time stands caught where you are gone3-While I work layers of white on white
4-Canvases on which are drawn
5-From some past stretch of morning light.6-Without a word, your wind may turn
7-My mood around, or was it mine
8-Who found you there--Ah, God! to learn
9-Who keeps her noise names ever, kind.10-Oh! Love that longs for smiling eyes
11-That hope were not devoured by clouds
12-That one day will surrender skies13-paint with rainbows, time apart
14-Then stretch our morning, heart to heart.Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
For more information about SONNETS, see FORMS .
May 2001Denotation vs Connotation
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant EditorDenotation is a symbol for a word's direct meaning or set of meanings or expression, as distinguished from ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it, where one thing represents something else. We generally establish a word's denotation without any emotional association. Example: "Wind" DENOTES air in natural motion.
Connotation signifies or suggests, in addtion to a word's explicit meaning. When we choose the right word with all its associative implications (those that suggest feelings, attitudes, opinions and desires) then we add emotional input. Example: "Fireplace" often CONNOTES hospitality, warmth, or comfort.
Mark Twain says, the difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug. To project your unique point of view, choose particular words that work the hardest with the most meaning, trying for the most accurate word possible. Consult a dictionary if you have any doubt.
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
April 2001SAMISEN
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant EditorThis form was found in Margarette Ball Dickson's "Added Patterns for Poems," Minneapolis, Argus Publishers, (C) 1954. The Samisen was named after a Japanese banjo with three strings. The form, created by Caroline Henning Bair of Strasburg, Ohio, began as a song lyric. It is limited to three stanzas. The words should be light and delicate as the melody of the instrument. The books suggests that writers to this form highlight outdoor beauty, elfin, supernatural, eerie, delicate fancies, or gypsy themes. Dickson states that the rhythm seems tricky but is alluring.
This is not an Oriental form, nor one that imitates one, for it uses iambs and anapests.
Iam: A foot of two syllables, the first short or unstressed, the second long or stressed.
Anapest: A foot of three syllables, the first two short or unstressed, the last long or stressed.
Foot: The abstract pattern that happens when rhythms is formally organized is called meter. It imposes a regular recurrence of stresses or syllables that is intended to parcel a line into equal divisions of time. Each of the temporal periods into which the line is divided is called a foot.
Example:
In the Dusk
By Margarette Ball DicksonComes the trilling of the cricket In the dusk,
In the dusk
And the strum of the cicada, In the dusk;
While the bull frog plays the bass-viol
And the tree-frog wails for rain
And the mourning dove in tree-tops
Seems to sorrow and complain, In the dusk.
Do the white feet of the fairies In the dusk
In the dusk,
tap, tap, tap upon the mosses, In the dusk?
Are there elves among the lilies,
Are there leprechauns in roots?
Are there trolls on banks and bridges,
Dwarves in tiny pointed boots, In the dusk?
Do the green gold humming birds have, In the dusk,
In the dusk
Tiny routines only half-glimpsed In the dusk
Riding in their jeweled saddles
As they flit from bloom to bloom
As the moon in crescent pattern
Shades its blue light in the gloom... In the dusk.
Note iambs and anapests, the echo (repeat lines) and rhymed lines, 5 and 7, in each stanza. When read aloud, it has a marked rhythm.
Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor
February 2001
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
STROPHE: From the Greek word for turning
(as verse comes from the Latin word for turning.)
As traditional poetry moved away from stanzaic patterns such as the quatrain, the tercet, the ballad, etc., modern trends looked for other elements of structure. Ignoring the logical or rhetorical divisions arrived at by line count, Strophe is often used for dramatic pause. In poetry that will be seen more than it is heard, it may be used for its visual affect. Strophe is used also for self expression, as the poet may be moved to break a line and start a new unit to convey emotion, or to generate tension, or to bring attention to or turn the mind. Example: Resumption
In the midst of darkness
sunlight
in a world of indifferent places.
just beginning
more lovely
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
|
November 2000
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
HYPERCORRECTION (pronounced hi-per-kuh-REHK-shun)
.
From "Merriam-Webster": Noun. A mistaken word or form (such as "widely" used for "wide" in "open widely") used especially to avoid what one believes to be grammatical error but is not. Linguists and grammarians use the term "hypercorrection" for instances in which a new error is made in an attempt to avoid a common grammatical mistake. In this sentence, "Whom should I say is calling," the correct pronoun is "who," while "whom" is a hypercorrection. The writer of this sentence, "He gave it to you and I," is also guilty of hypercorrection. The correct pronoun is "me." The mistake made by people who universally avoid "you and me" in favor of "you and I" is a typical example. "You and me" is considered incorrect when it appears as the subject of a sentence ("You and me own the car"), but "me," and not "I," is the right choice when the pronoun is an object, regardless of whether it appears by itself ("Throw it to me") or as part of a pair ("Call me and Marie.") Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
October 2000
SYNESTHESIA |
From the Greek, syn = together, and esthesia/aesthesia = perception,
feeling, sensibility.
SYNESTHESIA describes something by stimulating one sensation or image (such as color) and combining it with another that normally describes a different sensation (such as sound). To make language understandable, people often use metaphorical expressions or pictorial images to get ideas across. Neither metaphoric nor pictorial, SYNESTHESIA describes with multi-sensory joinings, where a certain association perceived by one sense, either assumed or specified, is related to one or more differing associations. Common examples include such phrases as: a sour smell, their combined experience is totally green, the quilt was made from loud colors and bold plaids, the photograph represents a sweet memory, etc. For practice, write several 5 line poems using 2 or more differentiated senses. Example: At the Dark Sound of Night In his eyes, a twisted bitter shade
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, Fl.
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September 2000
More Than the Arrangement of Three Lines
By Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor (Example poems penned by Betty Ann Whitney.) |
Haiku is a never-titled poem on the theme of nature. Its form
is three lines, with a general syllable count of five, seven, five.
In the classical form, poets do not clutter these lines with prepositions,
connectives, or personal pronouns. Metaphors are merely suggested.
The aim of the Haiku is to express delicate insight through a central image
presented in the first two lines, with the last line revealing its meaning.
Example of a Haiku: ablaze with splendor
The Tercet is three lines of verse that form a group. The term is used synonymously with Triplet, but often distinguished from it as applying to three lines that do not have the same rhyme. Example of a Tercet: Subliminal Message Where the watch synchronizes every thing
A Triplet uses the same rhyme throughout. Example of a Triplet: Portrait of the Mind's Eye Of his own nimbus moon drawn against night
The Terza Rima, also a traditional form of poetry, is a series of Tercets with interlinking rhymes which give a strong effect of continuity with a pattern of aba, bcb, cdc, etc. An extra line is sometimes used to close the poem. Example of a Terza Rima: At Various Times--In Various Ways In the quantity of things unmentionable
where builds suspense and mystery
to punctuate the mind's activity. Though the Terza Rima is often used as a three line poem, Dante created it as a three line stanza for his long poem, "The Divine Comedy." Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
August 2000
POET
By Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
The word "poet" comes from the Greek and means maker. In the
making of poetry, a good deal of ink has been used to illuminate philosophies
of life, geographical images, customs, social classes, unsorted feelings
and devotions of the heart. But unless the writer connects in some
way to the topic at hand, or is acquainted with the experiences involved,
the poem may fail.
Poetry is concentrated, multidimensional language. Its purpose is not to tell about, but to participate in an experience, so that the reader comes away from a poem with deeper awareness. Its purpose may be to reveal certain characteristics, or vivid impressions of a person, place or thing -- or attitudes, not necessarily those of the poet's, but those belonging to the poem. More than understanding, poetry involves the senses, emotions, and imagination. It conveys these extra dimensions through organization and the elements of writing good poetry, such as connotation, metaphor, pattern, imagery, rhythm, tone, mood, etc. These elements provide essential support to the total balance of the poem. But the most important contribution the POET makes is a unique, personal sensitivity to the topic at hand, revealing the life within it. More information about poetry may be found in many sources, including "Literature, Structure, Sound, and Sense," by Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. Arp. Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
May 2000
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor STANZA: A separated group of lines used to complete a form or idea. The stanza is an organizing tool used in poetry as the paragraph is used in prose. Some traditional forms of poetry require an established group of lines related in idea and metrics, forming a pattern throughout the poem. Stanza patterns are many, such as the couplet, tercet, quatrain, ballad, sonnet, etc. In free verse, while divisions are often referred to as stanzas, the groupsings are more properly called "verse paragraphs." These may be of any length and design the poet chooses. |
April 2000
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor Glossary -- TONE In one word, TONE may be defined as attitude. If, for instance, a friend says, "The cardinal's returned," the facts are clear, but the emotional meaning may vary. Our friend's attitude will be discovered in the voice, whether it be an excitement of pleasure or a tone of disturbance. Poetry differs from the spoken language in that we do not have the speaker's voice to guide us at the time we read the poem. The poet's tone calls for more involvement than does spoken language. Tenderness, sadness, toughness, anger, wit or humor may move across a poem through images, language, sentence structure, metaphors, rhythm, music, punctuation, line length and other characteristics. All of the elements of poetry work together to form the tone of a poem. Example: Ninety-four Days or More For ninety-four days or more
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, Fl. |
March 2000
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor PANTOUM: Usually grouped with French forms, the Pantoum (pronounced "pan-TOOM") is the Western version of the Malaysian form, "pantun." First appearing in Malayan literature during the fifteenth century, it had gained popularity earlier, recited orally, by memory. Commonly light in tone and treatment, the Pantoum repeats lines. Lines 2 and 4 of the first stanza become lines 1 and 3 of the next stanza, etc, following this pattern throughout the poem. PANTOUM PATTERN: ________________ (line 1)
Notice each line of the poem is used twice, adding an element of surprise as it reappears. The Pantoum can be of any length the poet chooses. At the end of the poem, the last line becomes line one. Example: Beyond Anticipation Two doves landed a pool of light
(line 1)
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL |
February 2000
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor INTERNAL RHYME: Rhyme is a general term for all varieties of sound repetition. A recurrence of identical or similar elements in a word, a sound, a beat, offers a musical joy and rhythm to poetry. Internal rhyme exists anywhere within lines, rather than at the end of lines, creating a rhythmical pattern and structure. Often used to add tone, it sometimes divides long lines into shorter units, adding strength to a poem, and can produce intricate patterns of sound without calling attention to itself. Example: EarthboundIn general, internal rhyme relies on the repetition of a sound within a single line, but may also flow from line to line, enhancing beat and meter. The poem above begins with the word "lovely," an L sound echoed in the next line in "blazing." "Green...branches," and "brow" use similar sounds. Further down, we return to L sounds in "yellow," "leaf," and "people." Sounds are repeated throughout, adding to the complex tonal structure of the poem. |
November 1999
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor The Sestina, a form of six stanzas of six lines each, followed by a
tercet (half stanza) works very well for the poet who wants to examine
a subject from different viewpoints. The Sestina depends not on rhyme,
but on the repetition of end-words.
For this form, the poet chooses any six non-rhyming words. For
example: a) sunshine, b) poems, c) sister, d) silk, e) wood, f) flowers.
The pattern: Stanza 1: a, b, c, d, e, f.
In a big chair by the light of sunshine,
She hasn't always worked with flowers.
A year ago, you would not know my sister.
But there is something settling in the richness of wood
There is something precious and delicate about silk,
She is the commitment expressed in a Book of Poems,
As the sunshine of spring garden poems
Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor |
Sept/Oct 1999
by Betty Ann Whitney Haven't we heard that a picture is worth a thousand words? Word pictures communicate directly with our senses, providing a concrete visual experience. Imagery may represent sound, odor, touch, taste, or even an internal sensation, such as hunger, thirst, happiness or fear. Imagery can convey shape, texture, color, motion. Imagery helps describe an experience in the following poem: |
August 1999
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor. Assonance, a form of alliteration, is the repetition of vowel sounds for effect. These sounds may be identical or similar, used alone or in combination, but their consonants are different. |
At one time figures of speech were defined as either grammatical or rhetorical, whereas metaphor, simile, personification, and similar devices were considered figures of thought. Current practice has discarded the distinction, and all these devices are now referred to as figures of speech.From "The Intimate Art of Writing Poetry" by Ottone M. Riccio, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1980
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