This is Day 10 of 30 Poems in 30 Days
Thoughts on Meter
I rarely focus on meter when I write poetry. In my college days I took many of my style cues (though not my content cues) from William Carlos Williams, Charles Bukowski and others who wrote in an imagistic style. Meter will always have a place in poetry, but in the 20th century the move was away from forms and meter and towards less structured styles. The beauty of poetry though, is that there is room for everyone. If you want to write sonnets, you are still welcome at the party. If you want to write stream-of-consciousness free verse, that’s fine too. People who rhyme? Well that’s kind of like inviting smokers to the party. You still like them; you just wish they would stop (that’s a joke).
Here are some arguments for and against the use of meter and form:
What are the reasons to use meter?
- It adds structure. It is a framework on which you can build a poem.
- It forces you to think about word choice and word order. This helps you develop and reinforce language skills.
- By dividing a poem into beats and feet, you create the same patterns as music. For many, this musical quality is one of the primary reasons to listen to poetry.
- It was the choice of poetic masters for thousands of years and some consider it to be the only true poetry.
What are the reasons to avoid meter?
- Structure adds predictability. I love Emily Dickinson, but I am distracted by the fact that I can sing any of her poems to the tune of “Yellow Rose of Texas”.
- Meter can force you to avoid the most meaningful word or phrase in favor of a word that “fits”.
- Meter often forces people to use “padding” words to fill out a line.
- After 4000 years of iambic pentameter, we could use a little break.
There is nothing wrong with writing poetry in a metered form. Just don’t become a slave to the meter. Also, be bold enough to move beyond iambic pentameter to some of the lesser used and often more interesting styles of meter.
Today’s Assignment
Write a three or more stanza poem that uses a metered style for the first two stanzas and a non-metered format for the remaining stanzas. As always, feel free to post your poem in the comments section for others to see.
Today’s Recommended Poet
Sarah Vap is a new poet who published her first two books this year. Her poetry combines her knowledge of the rural west with spirituality and a distinct feminine perspective. Her language is direct and rich. While she does not write in forms, meter and rhythm clearly have a strong influence on her poetry.
Poems on the web:
Books:
American Spikenard
Dummy Fire
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I love freeform poetry. However, I find myself distracted by the necessity of late that many stanzas end with a sentence completed in the next stanza (enjambment?). It’s become boring to me as I have been using and encountering this device ad nauseam. It seems a bit overworked. Additionally, today’s poetry examples seem meaningless except perhaps to the poet, like word salads, or aphasia among the mentally ill or folks who have suffered from strokes. I find it difficult to relate, but again, that’s just me. Even dischordance needs a little enharmonic. This poet is not my cup of tea, or at least, these examples are not. I was quiet taken witht the pevious two poets in spite of the use of the above mentioned practice from time to time. Cerebralmom is on cruise control with this form. Kudos.
I don’t know what it is about blank verse.
Or is it me? I’ve started three times now
and each time very soon wax libellous
about close relatives – who might not sue
but would be much incensed to be lampooned
in such a public venue, or indeed
in any forum. So, where to from here?
Forgive me for the lack of imagery,
a fault I normally conceal quite well
… or fairly well, I reassure myself.
I think our Maestro, John, might have a point
about the struggle to be great in form;
and have we hit on why, as Connie notes,
a modern sonnet tends to make us laugh?
Well this is no sonnet –
too many lines, no rhyme.
And any more of that metre,
it would have gone sing-song,
which is one reason why it gets funny.
But at this point we’re told to drop it.
A pity, really …
just when I was shaping up
to lay claim to being the new McGonagall!
And I was going to try a rhyme
of sorts. What do you think?
Can free verse still qualify as doggerel?
Oops, got a bit confused with my days here. This started out to be my metric piece, and the third verse did follow suit and did indeed get very sing-song. But somehow I found myself here, thought, “I’ve got it wrong!” and did a hasty rewrite. Will go back and put a new fully metrical piece on the previous page some time soon.
Hi Connie,
I understand your criticism. I am trying to promote a variety of voices, and I know you probably won’t like every one. I am also trying to promote relatively new voices, which means some poets aren’t as polished as others. For me, this has been a process of discovery too. As I read new poets, I find the variety of styles invigorating. I’ve been holding back on some of the more controversial choices, so be prepared. It might get bumpier.
Rosemary: That poem just blew my mind!
P.S. Connie, Sarah V. doesn’t grab me either. And “direct” is not a word I’d use about her language myself. (Though as a general thing I don’t mind that device of continuing from one stanza to the next; it can be done well.)
I think I must be getting old. I want a poem to make sense to me! I don’t mind having to work a bit for it, but then the message needs to be powerful enough to reward the work, or the expression beautiful enough.
And I want to be moved by poetry! (Even if only to a bit of a giggle, as hopefully my piece of mere verse above.) I am not moved by clever-clever incomprehensibility.
And yes, I understand about remaking language – I am of the same Aussie generation of poets as PiO, Ania Walwicz and others who excel at this – but it needs to lead to a deeper understanding, surely.
Connie,
I should mention that the poems on the web by Sarah Vap have a different style than the ones in Dummy Fire, which is the book of hers that I have read and that I based much of my recommendation on. You might want to take a look at it before you make a final judgment. One of the problems with providing web examples is that you often have very few options to choose from compared to the contents of an entire book or several books.
John, I posted that just before your reply to Connie went up. Well, I still feel as I have stated, but I take your point about promoting a variety of new voices. OK, bring on the controversial, just so long as you’re prepared for this little-ole nit-picker to wax opinionated. When poems provoke heated discussion, something’s working!:-D
Rosemary,
I’ll put one of the more strident voices out there tomorrow. We’ll see where that takes us.
Rosemary, this one of yours has a little bit of everything, and it’s humerous as well. I like it.
Dagnabit, gettin’ old causes plumb dang contrariness; next thang ya know they’ll be a callin’ me a reprobate.
I do so understand that getting examples on the web can be difficult at times. I like the idea of using poets that are emerging, regardless of age or education. Many fine poets are overlooked because of the lack of publication or credentials.
Let me reiterate cerebralmom, I really like your work, carry on.
I’m on the case, Connie – just some real life stuff going on at the moment (re: my elegy)and these last couple without the content cues are a struggle. I’m a little drained.
As for the form that I’m on cruise control with, I am beginning to feel a bit like a one note. I used to write in very different styles.
Rosemary, you made me laugh. I’m so glad you called John “Maestro”. It’s so stuck in my head now. I think he may have to whack me with something!
As for Sarah Vap – the first two links I found hideous, but those in 5 Poems I thought wonderful and could read and read again.
John – I have posted my elegy several times but it hasn’t appeared????
The house echoes emptily
Not because it is not full
But because the hardwood floors are bared
And the rugs have been pulled out from under us
The wood is cold and eerily
Creeks with the sounds childhood rules
Long nights travel past my curious stare
As my history fades in and out of my prospectus
Cool Aid stands and my dad coming up the walk whistling cheerily
Crawling under barbwire and running from the pasture bulls
Lying on the flat pan of the weedy lot with my feet bare
Knowing that the Gods in their dreaming were generous
I watched the carpenters build these walls and
Dreamed this house was mine,as it would be in time
My initials scratched into the concrete of the pier and beam foundation
Self fulfilling prophecies. already there are answers for
All my questions, and manifestations for all my dreams
I watch the days drift by, drift by, drifty by,
Fail to recognize my aging friends withering faces
Forget I am more than fourteen, until the creaking floor
Spins me back to the present, flickering more than memories
Like bodies, houses fall down if neglected, there is work to do
Mighty effort, Connie, fulfilling and transcending the assignment!
Cut Fabric, Sweat and Regret
Tonight the rain came fast
Then left just as quickly
The air turned into sweat
Hard smacks on the wooden
Balcony and hot steam
From the concrete below
My phone snuck deep into
My couch beyond my hand
Teasing taunting mocking
My wide round grasp until
I cut the fabric up
To get the damn thing back
I sat there panting with anger
Sheathed in the dirt of tonight’s rain
Holding my phone and staring at the rip
In the neat fabric of the first new couch
I had ever bought for myself
Cursing the night
Cursing the rain
Cursing the phone
Cursing whoever designed this couch
Cursing myself
Then I put up my knife
Put he couch back where it had been
Returned my text messages
And carried on
Another perfect ending
Some really good phrases John, “sheathed in the dirt of tonight’s rain,” “sweat turned into rain,” and oh boy, the phone “sneaked deep” into the couch. For me, this poem ends however with “Cursing myself.” Every writer finds self in the quagmire of writing their way into a work and also finding the right ending. I do however see that you want to resolve the conflict and to experience closure on the event. I have a friend who is a marvelous artist, however she refuses to allow conflict in her work. I don’t know if this is good or bad, it just is; I myself, find conflict creates “remarkability.” Does that make sense???
I find myself in agreement with Connie – as I so often do.
Thank you for the advice. The ending does feel weaker and the syntax is off. Better to quit while I am ahead.
John,
I love all of you poems and expressions, even this one, but I find myself agreeing with Connie and Rosemary. Keep on writing, you put a smile on my face. Your a great writer, I was once told, expect to write a bad elegy, you might surprise yourself.
Thanks for the advice everyone!
[Apologies. Bit of a takeoff on the assignment.]
$1250/month
We were shopping houses in bad neighborhoods
where they don’t pick up after their dogs,
taking turns carrying our baby in front of us
like maybe one of those fruitcakes
people pretend to enjoy receiving as gifts,
we were in our late twenties
on a sagging porch in front of a small
unexplained hole in the house’s front wall
with a dog’s snout poking through it,
while inside the house the other dogs barked
and the current tenant ran around
lighting incense in every room,
and hiding the crack pipe,
and in the kitchenette his girlfriend
shot rays of hate through a cloud
of greater indifference toward the ceiling fan,
when the baby squealed,
filled with sudden delight,
realizing she was some place new.
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