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  1. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    Forms and Techniques

    Discussion in 'The Craft of Writing Poetry' started by Torana, Apr 10, 2007.

    Ok well there are so many different forms and techniques with poetry so I have decided that I would start a thread where people can come and find out about different areas of poetry.

    Here is a list of the poetry that will be listed here in the near future:


    ~Abecedarian
    Abecedarian poems are now most commonly used as mnemonic devices and word games for children, such as those written by Dr. Seuss and Edward Gorey.

    ~Anaphora
    As one of the world’s oldest poetic techniques, anaphora is used in much of the world’s religious and devotional poetry, including numerous Biblical Psalms

    ~Ballad
    Their subject matter dealt with religious themes, love, tragedy, domestic crimes, and sometimes even political propaganda

    ~Ballade
    One of the principal forms of music and poetry in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century France

    ~Blank and Free verse

    ~Blues Poem
    A blues poem typically takes on themes such as struggle, despair, and sex

    ~The Bop
    Not unlike the Shakespearean sonnet in trajectory, the Bop is a form of poetic argument consisting of three stanzas

    ~Cento
    From the Latin word for 'patchwork,' the cento is a poetic form made up of lines from poems by other poets

    ~Chance Operations
    A chance operation can be almost anything from throwing darts and rolling dice, to the ancient Chinese divination method, I-Ching, and even sophisticated computer programs

    ~Cinquain
    Examples of cinquains can be found in many European languages, and the origin of the form dates back to medieval French poetry

    ~Dramatic Monologue
    The poet speaks through an assumed voice—a character, a fictional identity, or a persona

    ~Elegy
    The traditional elegy mirrors three stages of loss. First, there is a lament, then praise for the idealized dead, and finally consolation and solace

    ~Epic
    Elements that typically distinguish epics include superhuman deeds, fabulous adventures, highly stylized language, and a blending of lyrical and dramatic traditions

    ~Epigram
    An epigram is a short, pithy saying, usually in verse, often with a quick, satirical twist at the end

    ~Found Poem
    The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems

    ~Ghazal
    Traditionally invoking melancholy, love, longing, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani musicians

    ~Haiku
    Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression

    ~Limmerick
    A popular form in children’s verse, the limerick is often comical, nonsensical, and sometimes even lewd

    ~Ode
    Originally accompanied by music and dance, and later reserved by the Romantic poets to convey their strongest sentiments

    ~QULIPO
    Although poetry and mathematics often seem to be incompatible areas of study, OULIPO seeks to connect them

    ~Pantoum
    The pantoum originated in Malaysia in the fifteenth-century as a short folk poem, typically made up of two rhyming couplets that were recited or sung

    ~Prose Poem
    Just as black humor straddles the fine line between comedy and tragedy, so the prose poem plants one foot in prose, the other in poetry, both heels resting precariously on banana peels

    ~Renga
    Renga began over seven hundred years ago in Japan to encourage the collaborative composition of poems

    ~Rondeau
    The rondeau began as a lyric form in thirteenth-century France, popular among medieval court poets and musicians

    ~Sapphic
    The sapphic dates back to ancient Greece and is named for the poet Sappho, who left behind many poem fragments written in an unmistakable meter

    ~Sestina
    The thirty-nine-line form is attributed to Arnaut Daniel, the Provencal troubadour of the twelfth century

    ~Sonnets
    From the Italian sonetto, which means 'a little sound or song,' the sonnet is a popular classical form that has compelled poets for centuries

    ~Tanka
    One of the oldest Japanese forms, tanka originated in the seventh century, and quickly became the preferred verse form in the Japanese Imperial Court

    ~Terza Rima
    Invented by the Italian poet Dante Alighiere in the late thirteenth century to structure his three-part epic poem, The Divine Comedy

    ~Triolet
    The earliest triolets were devotionals written by Patrick Carey, a seventeenth-century Benedictine monk

    ~Villanelle
    Strange as it may seem for a poem with such a rigid rhyme scheme, the villanelle did not start off as a fixed form


    These are the types of poetry that will be appearing here for explanation and discussion.

    I hope this provides some useful information and help to you all, and look foward to your participation within the discussions.

    If there are any others that I have left out feel free to add them to the list so that all areas can be covered and discussed.

    Thanks
    Torana
     
  2. wordwizard

    wordwizard New Member

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    I never knew there were so many. I am very excited to go through these and figure them all out. It's greatly appreciated that you went to all this effort. Do you plan on going through all of them on this discussion board? if so I think it's a good idea.I will do some research on them all and hopefully I will be able to contribute to the discusions adequetly.
     
  3. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    Yes I do plan on going through all of these on this message board.
    I didn't actually know there was quite this many either and so I thought maybe others would be just as interested in finding out about it all as I was.

    Look forward to your participation wordwizard. :)

    ~Torana
     
  4. Sayso

    Sayso New Member

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    Yippee. I'm excited (can you tell). It's a wonderful idea Torana, I'd love to work through them too.

    You forgot my favourite - Sonnets.

    And there's blank and free verse and cacophony too!
     
  5. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    Glad you are interested in joining in with this Sayso.
    I will have the description of Abecedarian poetry written out and pposted up here in the next day sorry it isn't done ready have been very busy.
    But it will all be underway within the next day.

    Looking forward to your participation though and I will add those tot he list, sorry that they were missed and thankyou for letting me know. :)

    Torana
     
  6. wordwizard

    wordwizard New Member

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    I think a good idea would be us making up a poem for each type of poem... I think it would be interesting with what we come up with. PLus it would help us to understand each one more. I am totally floundering on my style. I just write and dont really put any type or technique of poem in to them. Just an idea though. I really appreciate all the meaning to those different types of poetry torana-thanks
     
  7. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    I will go more in depth with them over the next few weeks as i gain more knowledge myself over them.

    Your suggestion I think is a really good one, definately worth looking into I think.

    ~Torana
     
  8. wordwizard

    wordwizard New Member

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    Is there any you would like me to look up? You dont need to carry this large load on your shoulders-I would be happy to help. Just name a few and I will look into the nitty gritty details of what they are supposed to mean lol.
     
  9. Sayso

    Sayso New Member

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    Me too. How about those that want to participate take a few different methods off your hands (if you want) and then we can all discuss them on here. That way we could all learn together.

    I think a new thread for each form would make things easier for future reference too. What do you all think?

    I also like the idea of either trying to write each form OR finding a poem for the form (not forgetting to post who wrote it of course!).
     
  10. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    Sayso that is a wonderful idea and I greatly appreciate that. :)
    I think what you have suggested is going to be the best way of doing this. :)
    Well if anyone would like to participate in this endeavour please feel free to choose 2 - 4 areas in which you would like to describe for the rest of us and create a new thread for each :)
    I am really looking forward to this and hope that you are all as excited about this as I am (sorry for all the smilies people I am in a very good mood lol and can't hold back lol)
    But yes also with the other idea I think that will really work out well so that we can learn much better how these forms work. I have a place in which has some layouts and easy ways to start off with a few of these forms, basic excersises really and will post them up in appropriate threads as they are created.

    If there are any areas you wish to explain please post them up here out of the list so that the rest of us know which are taken and which are not. :)

    Thanks for showing interest, look forward to working on this with you all

    ~Torana
     
  11. wordwizard

    wordwizard New Member

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    I will steal the blues poem, the epic poem, and abecedarian.Unless someone has already chosen those? I will get started soon so let me know!
     
  12. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    No that is fine wordwizard, you can definately have those ones to do if you want them.
    It is appreciated.
    I will be working on:

    ~Ballade
    ~The Bop
    ~Sapphic
    ~Tanka

    for the time being.

    ~Torana
     
  13. Sayso

    Sayso New Member

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    I thought of something at 5am this morning that I think is important before we all dive in and start. Meter. It plays an important part in a lot of poetry forms so if we cover it first it would save us going over it repeatedly in each section. What do you all think and is there anything else we need to cover first?

    Torana - I love smilies, especially when they're directly from the face to the page. Keep it up! :D
     
  14. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    lol I will try lol :)

    But yes that is a very good point you have made Sayso, possible we could have seperate areas for meter, word usage, metaphors and so forth, the general stuff I suppose. Also for punctuation and grammer I think. :)

    ~Torana :)

    (thanks for the suggestion I think it is a great idea :D)
     
  15. Sayso

    Sayso New Member

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    Ok. I'll take:

    Sonnets
    Cacophony
    Free verse
    Blank verse
    Haiku

    for starter (cos some stoopid idiot suggested them :( ) and I like Haiku. I will spread them out a bit over time so we're not bombarded with too many new forms at once.
     
  16. Torana

    Torana Contributor Contributor

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    don't you hate it when that happens lol :)

    but yes spreading them out a bit is a very good idea I think.

    ~Torana
     

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