POETIC STRUCTURE
Poems have many ways of being beneficial in the
expression of one’s inner feelings. In order to write successfully, poetry
requires that every aspect, even down to the lengths of lines, shape and form every
piece a writer is about to begin. As the reader lays eyes upon the work,
easiness, associated with the frame and body of the poem, must be in
correlation to the eye of the reader. Rhythm should be consistent through use
of long lines against short lines, repetition, and contrast. Emphasis is the
only way to magnify the overall message. Strategic use of punctuation is key,
and a well-placed comma could be what the reader needs to catch their breath or
it could be needed to change the mood of the piece entirely. In detail it’s the
lines and stanzas that are the “Ground Zero” of building a great poem.
Lines
Where there are stanzas there must first be a well
implemented variance of length in the lines. In many cases, more words used in
a sentence tend to create a faster pace; using shorter lines will slow the pace
and create emphasis on the last word of the line. Properly placed line breaks
make the last word of each line stand aside from the rest, allowing the reader
to examine the authors’ intention, and develop a response to the authors’ idea.
Through strategic use of the number of syllables in each line, it becomes
easier for the reader to understand the writers’ purpose in every ascending
level of the poem. Gwendolyn Brooks in her poem, “We
Were Cool” was intricate in how she wrote her lines, requiring the amount of
syllables in each line to build a pace or, flow, through repetition of count.
Emphasis upon the last word at the end of each sentence, within stanzas, plays
a role in the transition from the end of one sentence to the beginning of the
next as also shown in (figure 1). Brooks holds the greatest power behind the
idea of “we” by using line breaks on every use of the word. By taking advantage
of stanza structure, Brooks allows the reader time to think of the last thought
as the final word of each sentence introduces the new idea of each line.
Stanzas
A stanza is to poetry, what a paragraph would be in
comparison to an essay. Similar to paragraphs, stanzas can be a means to reveal
points of contemplation and enlightenment throughout the body of the poem. A
process that should progress as the poem reaches its climax. Upon realization
of the sentence make-up and message that binds the sentences; this compilation
will create the first stanza. The formation of stanzas gives another element
for the writer to tease and tinkle with. The look of the stanzas sets the tone,
and lets the reader aware of the tempo of the piece. The stanzas tell the reader
if the piece will be a long or short. Parallelism, (figure 2.) for example, is
when the stanza has an even amount of syllables. The style refers to
grammatical structures within a stanza that resemble one another. Parallelism
can also be used to demonstrate contrasting meaning, comparing two unlike ideas
in a similar way. This would open the
window for expression through imagery, and imagination. By using parallelism in
a contrasting form one could use the placement of the line breaks to emphasize
the contrasting nature of the poem, or to relate the shared ideology by two
unlike ideas. Rhyme scheme is another important aspect of the principles of
stanza and the lines. Rhyme scheme creates sound markers inside the stanzas;
they make sounds into patterns that then become the flow of a stanza, which
ultimately becomes the tempo of the entire piece. Free verse, leaves the author to decide the
makings of the rhyme scheme, and is the best form of writing if sticking to
most poetic guidelines is a problem. Poetic styles expand as far as limericks,
haiku, and many more, all having their own required characteristic that sets
one away from the other.
Analysis
In order to begin a poem the best way possible one must lay
the foundation of the poem, the organization of lines and stanzas. Difference
in the length of lines within the poem and detailed placement of line breaks
give an up and down flow that pulls the reader throughout the piece. Emphasis
on sounds and keeping count of syllables will lead to descriptive sentences and
theme. Interesting and inviting sentences with a significant rhyme scheme
should lead to the shaping stanzas and helping get the poems message to the
reader. As the message stands away from all ideas, the theme should swing the
reader. With good lines and great stanzas any poem is off to a start that will
win the race every time.
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