What is a poem?

by susan Russell
12th March 2014

What exactly is poetry? I'd love to be able to write it but really don't know where to start. Are there worthwhile books on the subject? I've shared a short work that perhaps is a poem, or perhaps not!?

Replies

its the old axiom, read some poetry and you'll see the difference in structure. It quite often is meant to evoke emotions - hence the numerous love poems. Awe the best Jinge.

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Alasdair Watt
13/03/2014

Hi Susan,

I don't follow hard or fast rules where poetry is concerned. I tend to think of anything written in paragraphs as prose ... anything thing else is poetry to me.

:) Love your poem by the way

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Renee Paule
13/03/2014

There are many forms of poetry. Villanelle, Sestina, Pantoum, Sonnet, Ballad, Blank Verse, Heroic Couplet, Stanza, Pastoral, Ode, Elegy. Each have their own unique style, rhythm and structure.

I suggest you get a copy of, The Making of a Poem - A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms, by Mark Strand and Eavan Boland.

I hope that helps.

Good luck.

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Adrian Sroka
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