30 Poems in 30 Days 2009: Day Ten

Line length is one of the many variables you can control in poetry. It is something that you can concentrate on or ignore, as the feeling moves you. In my own poetry, line length is generally linked to phrase and impression. In other words, the length of the line is linked to the thought being expressed. The line might be a single word or a dozen words in length. This is due in part to a style that I have embraced which eliminates as much punctuation as possible. I let the line lengths act as punctuation.

There are many other ways to determine line length:

Letter Count: A set number of letters per line, regardless of the words contained. You can either count the spaces and punctuation between words as letters or count only the actual letters.

Word Count: A set number of words per line.

Syllable Count: A set number of syllables per line.

Meter: A set number of syllables which are either stressed or unstressed according to a pattern. This is historically the most common determinant of line length in poetry.

Visual: Line lengths determined by the look of the poem on the page. Often these are poems that create geometric shapes such as circles, triangles and squares.

Line length influences more than just the look of a poem. It helps determine the language of a poem. The writing has to conform to the constraint you select, which often forces you into use language or constructs other than your natural writing voice. While attempts to move outside your natural voice are not always successful, they do help you to stretch your skills as a poet.

Another interesting challenge is to take a poem written in your natural voice and edit it to conform to a new pattern. This can help you to look at an old poem in a new way.

Today’s Poetry Prompt

Use a letter count as a constraint for your poetry, either writing a brand new poem or rewriting an old poem to fit the new pattern. You can either count the spaces and punctuation between words as letters or count only the actual letters. Keep in mind that you don’t have to use the exact same number in every line, you can also develop at pattern such as 20-25-20-25.

The Last Time We Didn’t Talk

We sit next to each other without a thing to say
It did not end so badly as much as it just ended
We never expected to be stuck in a room together
As our one shared friend stalled in the bathroom
Just a dozen days after we gave up on each other
This sort of thing might work for the movies but
In my life it becomes the longest half hour ever
I sit there feeling the pressure to say anything
That might make this less than raw-hearted agony
That lasts until she takes the initiative to get
Up and walk out the door without giving anything

Related links

• 30 Poems in 30 Days (0.500)
• 30 Poems in 30 Days: Why you should write poetry (0.500)
• 30 Poems in 30 Days: Writing About Yourself (0.500)
• 30 Poems in 30 Days: Writing About Issues (0.500)
• 30 Poems in 30 Days: Poetry of Place (0.500)