Poem Shapes/Concrete Poetry
There are styles of poetry, but the shape of a poem can impact the reader as well.
When you are writing your concrete poem:
1. Decide on the topic.
2. Decide on the image.
3. Write the words that will go in your poem first.
4. Find an outline of your image and fit the words into the outline.
5. Delete the outline and allow the words to stand by themselves.
Read the following poems and think about how the shape affects the meaning:
When you are writing your concrete poem:
1. Decide on the topic.
2. Decide on the image.
3. Write the words that will go in your poem first.
4. Find an outline of your image and fit the words into the outline.
5. Delete the outline and allow the words to stand by themselves.
Read the following poems and think about how the shape affects the meaning:
"Easter Wings" -by George Herbert
Lord, who createdst man in wealth and store, Though foolishly he lost the same, Decaying more and more Till he became Most poor: With thee O let me rise As larks, harmoniously, And sing this day thy victories: Then shall the fall further the flight in me. My tender age in sorrow did begin: And still with sicknesses and shame Though didst so punish sin, That I became Most thin. With thee Let me combine, And feel this day thy victory; For, if I imp my wing on thine, Affliction shall advance the flight in me. |
The title, "Easter Wings" gives us an idea that this is going to deal with the main ideas of Easter Sunday.
The shape of the poem jumps out at us right away, looking like wings, and we can see that Herbert's poem gets thinner and thinner as it talks about how humans are sinful and unable to save themselves. His poem gets wider as he talks about Christ's victory over death, which is the basis of Easter Sunday. In short, the negative ideas start big and end small, and the positive ideas start small and end big. |
Day Bright, sunny Laughing, playing, doing Up in the east, down in the west Talking, resting, sleeping Quiet, dark Night |
A diamante antonym poem has a prescribed shape:
Noun Two adjectives that describe the noun Three -ing words connected to the noun Four words connected to the noun and four words connected to the opposite noun Three -ing words connected to the opposite noun Two adjectives connected to the opposite noun Opposite Noun This author used a similar idea as "Easter Wings"--the bright side grows, and the dark side shrinks. |
"Silencio" -by Eugen Gomringer
silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio silencio |
This author puts a box of emptiness in his poem about silence.
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In "The Mouse's Tale," the mouse is explaining to Alice about a very sad tale (story) that explains why he hates dogs (Fury is a dog). She mistakenly believes he has a sad tail; hence, the sad tale in the shape of a tail. Text: "Fury said to a mouse, that he met in the house, 'Let us both go to law: I will prosecute you - Come, I'll take no denial; We must have a trial: For really this morning I've nothing to do.' Said the mouse to the cur, 'Such a trial, dear Sir, with no jury or judge, would be wasting our breath.' 'I'll be judge, I'll be jury,' Said cunning old Fury: 'I'll try the whole cause, and condemn you to death.'" |
Swan and Shadow by John Hollander