30 Poems in 30 Days: Free Verse
September 29, 2007 by John Hewitt
This is Day 26 of 30 Poems in 30 Days
Trading Safety for Freedom
I’ve touched on the subject of free verse before, most notably in the article about the pros and cons of meter. Free verse is poetry that does not use a regular meter or rhyme. While poetry without rhyme dates back many centuries, the practice of using neither meter nor rhyme was a poetic movement that began in French and Europe during the 1800s. The first popular American poet to write in free verse was Walt Whitman.
Free verse does not mean that there are no patterns or rhythms at all. Instead, the rhyme is determined, sometimes subconsciously, by the poet. The lines come in the form of thought patterns, breath patterns, visual patterns, and syntactic patterns. More to the point, the form tends to mirror the voice of the poet.
While in some ways, free verse does not require the discipline of metered and rhymed poetry, it creates new requirements. The poet must determine, without the crutch of form, when the line ends and what makes for the best line. They must find a way to make the poem still feel poetic without relying on some of the most accepted tools. With free verse, you cannot defend the use of a word or phrase simply because it fits the meter. You must determine where to end the line because there is no set length to fall back on. Even the length of the poem is now completely up to you. So, while you have less limitations and restrictions, you have more responsibility.
While free verse is ultimately freeing, it is not for the lazy of for those who think it will be easier than writing metered or rhymed poetry. There is no safety net without form. There is no literary excuse for a mistake, because you have all the power. If you choose to write in free verse, you sill have to learn to be confident in your own voice, because that is what you will be relying on.
Today’s Poetry Assignment
Write the first draft of your poem in paragraph form and then change it into a free verse poem. Don’t be surprised if you have to change lines, words and phrases. That will probably be a part of the process.
Today’s Recommended Poet
Bruce Bond is a highly respected poet, teacher and the poetry editor for the American Literary Review. In this interview, he explains part of his poetic philosophy. “white space is one way of suggesting a kind of silent listening, an openness to the strange and what the language longs to accommodate, how words are taken to their limits. I like poems with silence in them, both the formal resonance of literal silence, and silence as a metaphor for the unknowable, the erotic, the sublime.”
Poems on the Web
Books of Poetry
- The Anteroom of Paradise 2006
- Cinder 2003
- The Throats of Narcissus 2001
Related links
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Persona Poems (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: About Forms and Lists (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: A Brief Glossary of Meter (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: The Good the Bad and the Meter (1.000)
- 30 Poems in 30 Days: Syllabic Verse (1.000)
Contact John Hewitt
Writing Content and Web Consulting
Email: hewitt@poewar.comPhone: (520) 261-6104
LinkedIn: poewar
Twitter: @poewar
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Well well, I did a blog on this very topic only yesterday. Click on my name if you’d like to read it.
Have just been reading Bruce Bond. I think most of the poets you’ve told us about are terrific – and this one is so superb I really must say so!
Ignorance of other countries’ poets cuts both ways. Very few books by American poets make it into libraries and bookshops here, and it’d take a while for me to acquire them all from Amazon. So I’m very glad you have also included individual poems when possible, as well as interviews etc. It’s a treat to make all these new discoveries!
Outside The Box
The failures of our television set
Grow more apparent with each passing day
It is only twenty inches corner to corner
It isn’t flat panel or even flat screen
It isn’t high definition or stereo
It isn’t even black
But rather a dull gray
It suffers from depression
Our friends don’t stop by
They have plasma
Or at least LCD
They can’t accept the drop in quality
The heartbreaking loss of resolution
Our Tivo™,
Proud and sleek
Is especially disdainful
When I choose
Best Quality Recording
It asks
Why Bother
It’s old but it fits the room
Our insubstantial living room
Packed with oversized unimpressed furniture
Even the couches resist facing the TV
They don’t want to look at it head on
I am always finding ads from
Best Buy™
And
Circuit City™
Lying casually on the coffee table
With circles drawn around the finest
Most handsome sets
My wife swears it isn’t her
We don’t get the newspaper anyway
This is a deeper rebellion
They are turning against us
These brave grumpy new machines
Stuffed with dreams of grandeur
They want their new TV
Here is the original paragraph I wrote:
The failures of our television grow more apparent with each passing day. It is only twenty inches, corner to corner. It isn’t flat panel or even flat screen. It isn’t high definition or stereo. It isn’t even black, but rather a dull gray. Our friends won’t come by anymore. They have plasma, or at least LCD. They can’t accept the drop in quality or the loss of resolution. Our Tivo, proud and sleek, seems especially disdainful of the television. Once, when I chose “best quality recording” it asked, “Why bother?” It old it, It fits the room. Our inconsequential living room packed with oversized furniture. Even the couches resist facing the TV though. They don’t want to look at it head on. I am always finding ads from home electronics stores on the coffee table. My wife swears it isn’t her and I believe her. They are turning against us, these brave, grumpy new machines. They want their new TV.
Hi Rosemary,
I am always happy to include poets from other countries. It can be difficult to find them. I’ll see if I can find a UK poet to feature in our final days.
AUNTY EV
My aunty over in Perth is very old.
I send her my poetry book.
I send it to please her,
knowing she can’t take it in –
in the hope that its being sent
will be enough to please her.
My cousin Elizabeth emails.
My aunty is cranky now,
disoriented, and must be supervised.
She no longer has
her own little house
in the retirement village,
the house where she planted roses.
I think of my aunty fifty years ago
when she rescued me in my teens,
and my little brother too,
from cruel stepmother and weak father.
I think of her on her doorstep
smiling and opening her arms.
Lacking new inspiration just now, and this topic still on my mind, I took these pars from a journal entry written in April:
Aunty Ev is very old now, over in Perth. I send her my poetry book even though I know she probably can’t take it in any more, because to be sent one would please her. Well, I hope it would. My cousin Elizabeth emails that Ev is cranky now as well as disoriented, and has to be under supervision, no longer in her own little house in the retirement village, where she grew all those roses.
I think of the aunty who rescued me in my teens, and my brother too, from the wicked stepmother and weak father. I think of her on her doorstep in Pascoe Vale, smiling and opening her arms.
John dear, I think you have to do another rescue of my poem which was posted here some hours ago and has vanished!
Well, that was quick! No sooner do I post the request, than the poem jumps into visibility ahead of it. How magickal and mysterious are the ways of cyberspace.
John,
your a wonderful writer, Rosemary, very inspiring, love it. Here’s a little something about an aunt that had passed away:
Gone, But not forever
Love, cherish, honor, and grace
These are just some things you’ve shown us
Giving, laughing, and having a good time;
All the things you’ve done with your faith
Bringing in happiness to a sad party
And brightening the room with your smiling eyes
Something I’ve always looked forward too
Seeing you was not just a want but a need
This sea of sadden eyes fall like the sky on a summer’s afternoon
But we know we will see you again
Although not here on earth;
But far away, past the beautiful moon;
Love will never falter
Her laughter will never cease
It will echo through the mountains to the grassy plains
As so will everything else about her
Thoughts of Diddi will flood my mind
She will never be forgotten by anyone
A gift was given to us
And was touched by everyone;
Sometimes the hardest thing;
And the right thing is the same
Although comprehension is near to nothing
The angels will show us to sing
I’ve prayed that she wouldn’t leave
Knowing that changing the inevitable
Is nothing but impossible;
Got lifted away to a bright place for eyes to see
Loneliness is what we feel’
Happiness fills her body
Sorrow and pain attack us
In front of God she’ll kneel
My heart broke in a million pieces
Seeing her get worse and worse;
But she was so strong
It was, and still is, a blessing to be her niece
Just knowing she is standing tall
Healthy again;
Being in God’s arms
She will never again fall
She is waiting for us
And when it’s our time
We will be there
With God and Jesus there, a huge plus;
But I always still let down tears
Because until I can see her again;
Thoughts of her have her replaced
And also replaced my fears;
I love you
And you will be in many hearts
And since 1 day in heaven is like 1 thousand years on earth
We will see you soon
God bless
And give a good word to God about us
To praise God;
We will all do our very best.
I wrote this for her about a week before she had passed I loved her so much, she died of cancer three months ago. I read this poem at her funeral, everyone seemed to love it and my Uncle George gave out copies to everyone.
John: Love your piece about the revolt of the machines!
Rianon: I am working my way backwards through the posts today, so am discovering these probably in reverse order to which you posted them.
Thanks for sharing this one with us. Clearly she was loved by all and you spoke their hearts as well as your own. I love the conversational tone of the ending, “give a good word to God about us” etc.
Thank You!!
[...] 30 Poems in 30 Days: Free Verse [...]
[...] 30 Poems in 30 Days: Free Verse [...]
[...] 30 Poems in 30 Days: Free Verse [...]
Where the Twins Are
He is quieter,
and stiller, and cuddles more.
She swivels and laughs.
Saul Nadatas last blog post..Where the Twins Are
RED MARGINS
the body that doesn’t live up to your expectations
it’s covered with your juvenile bed sheets
you’re pouring your heart onto a cheap piece of paper
it’s red margin unites your emotions, keeps them together, keeps you sane
You’re in a confused other world, other universe, isolatng you from everyone else
breaking through that barrier is the background noise of an ordinary household
the talking of nonsense, that doesn’t even matter to you anymore
the buzzing of a television, which distracts you from reality
is this a normal household? I think not
this family was not written upon a piece of paper
it has no red margin to hold it together
it’s falling apart, your falling apart
i want to know if dis is good cuzz i’m haveing trouble it took my friends help to edit and make it work so i’m hopeing it works so i love feed bk i’ld love some one to help i’m kinda young but swearing fine if i like some feed bk or some one can help me i’ld love to get help on dis alot and plz feel free to leave good commets not mest up ones thank you u and have a good day
errr or night ^_^ and i might give some one my email so that they can help me better : ) and thank u if ur willing to help
Life Is Nothing Without You
Life is nothing without you,
I would be in an eternal abyss without you,
I would still be surrounded by darkness
By hate.
You took me in,
Brought me to see the light,
See love to hide the side,
That would be my end,
To be what would be my death.
You saved my life.
You took me from Death’s hands,
And brought joy and love.
Turned me from dark hate,
You will see love.
For you I’ll show you kindness
and I will be forever yours.
Forever, my love.
I will die for you,
I will bleed for you
I will trabel anywhere
Everywhere.
Even to the dark abyss for you
To stay by your side forever.
For you
Until we die
Or you get rid of me.
end
oh i’m kinda new so use small words not big words couse i’m not all that big on words ^_^ but i seem to wright realy good but spelling not so good : ( but on the other hand my say what i right is moveing so if u like to read some i love to post some or send to a email ur choice as long as no one spams me i’m fine with emailing
but just if i get hack … no one will hear from me couse what i wright is how mest up my life is and how bad of a life i live so i’ld love to get feed bk and help and u can just call meeh volf or wolf which ever if i trust u u can get my real name but volf adn wolf are the same jsut ones a germen person saying wolf adn the other is me saying wolf XD well hope to hear and get help from some one soon by