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 Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:15 pm
The general 'modern' consensus seems to be that this is a choice to be made depending upon the specific piece in question -- the theory being that some themes or tones will be more suited to structure while others will benefit from less constraint.
Admittedly, it's very difficult to maintain solid poetic technique and carry a form or even a solid, natural (unforced) rhyme scheme. Is it worth the trouble?
Free verse often descends into prose or a "journal entry" type feeling -- writings that would lose nothing by reformatting them as paragraphs, and that do not make use of poetic devices. Is this justifiably giving free verse a 'bad name'?
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:04 am
I think free verse opens up a lot of new avenues for a poet to try innovative ideas and styles, myself. Form poetry, if a poet is not used to it, can be constricting in a fashion much like a corset. It can be pulled off in modern times, but there are places and situations in which it is called for.
A lot of times, an inexperienced poet takes a form, and ends up not spending enough time learning how to incorporate female rhymes and proper meter and tend to warp it into a "sad/bad" "cry/sky" type of poem.
I think free verse lets the poetic milk run freer, but not necessarily sweeter.
rofl
I think my point is, form poetry is good in the hands of someone who takes time to learn the essence of execution. As with free verse, but free verse can be more easily regressed into journal-type poetry.
Now, keep in mind... I'm one of the people who will say journal-poetry is still poetry. Maybe not good poetry, but it is poetry, nonetheless.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:52 am
I usually come down on the side of "both sharpen each other" so I definitely love both. I pretty much save my rage in the area for people who think a poet can only write in free or form. That was the debate of a generation ago. We solved it: both are valid, keep it appropriate to the specific piece.
That said, I think form is much more difficult. I'd rather see someone sharpen their imagery and poetic devices, and then tackle rhyme, meter, and form.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:23 am
That's one of the reasons why I began my contest. I was despairing that too few of the poets in the OP/L knew how to execute poetic form, and I wanted to challenge them into trying something new. I'm happy that more people are trying different forms since I started the contest, and also since the arrival of the Minimal. 3nodding
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:39 pm
Aehlae That's one of the reasons why I began my contest. I was despairing that too few of the poets in the OP/L knew how to execute poetic form, and I wanted to challenge them into trying something new. I'm happy that more people are trying different forms since I started the contest, and also since the arrival of the Minimal. 3nodding I saw a lot of people comment on the contest thread that it really did challenge them to try forms. So it was definitely a success. biggrin That said, I kinda feel like pimping forms even more, so I've been suggesting them if I see poems that might lend themselves to a specific one in the OP/L >_>
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:41 pm
I'm much more of a free verse type of person, and I've made a few attempts to do form and actually succeeded by finishing one form for my CW class. That was one of my accomplishments for me! I hope to do more forms.
As mentioned already, free verse gives the poet/writer more freedom, but for me, it is not journal type because I actually incorporate poetic devices in my poems. I try to incorporate poetic devices and styles of modern and contemporary poets such as Wallace Stevens, Elizabeth Bishop, Mary Oliver, etc.
I think in order for most potential poets to keep away from journal type of free verse is to read and study the styles of these modern and contemporary poets like I did. It gives the potential poet a more well-rounded sense of good poetry and style in language.
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