1. Stammis

    Stammis Banned

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    In story poem

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Stammis, Nov 28, 2015.

    I was thinking of adding something subtle to explain the backstory of the world in my book, something short that the MC can read on a monument or something. What do you guys think?

    Long ago, the world was divided in three. Three races lived in constant conflict.

    Unification would mean extinction of the other, for their kind was never meant to be merged.

    Until the day that their world was destroyed. Forced on a journey for new lands, they was forced to cooperate.

    A new world was found, though already inhabited, their race was puny and were disposed off. United was the former enemies, into an empire said to last forever.

    Though the peace would last for centuries, problems still remained. From fear of extinction of their kind, old conflicts began to erupt. There could only be one to reign supreme some claimed. And so the world was torn again.

    Once the world was divided, now ruled under one, one to reign supreme.

    I am not sure it can be classified as a poem though...
     
  2. ReproveTheCurlew

    ReproveTheCurlew Active Member

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    Well, defining what a poem actually is, is always rather difficult to accomplish. If you want my personal opinion, I would say this is too prosaic to be classified as one; it is more or less just a description of what the world is without invoking much meaning, feeling, insight &c.

    Is it for a fantasy novel? In that case you might wish to do some research on meter and form in poetry; I believe a rather traditional form would work well in fantasy (think Lord of the Rings which often uses accentual verse &c.)
     
  3. Stammis

    Stammis Banned

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    Well it is not important wether it is a poem or not. The purpose is to provide a summery, a short insight into the backstory so that the reader will become curious.
     
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  4. Tella

    Tella Active Member

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    You have absolute right to whatever you insert in the story.

    Assuming it takes form like an epitaph which the MC reads, and assuming your world is fantastical, I would - on personal preference and orientation with convention - pitch the language up a bit and detail in more of an archaic language. Fantasy worlds (unless sci-fi) tend to use higher forms of speech, and considering these are historical verses, I'd expect the language to be sanctimonious, as if written by a monk.
     
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  5. KhalieLa

    KhalieLa It's not a lie, it's fiction. Contributor

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    I think it's a great idea.
    I'm writing about a non-literate society so much of their history would be transferred in oral traditions. I use songs and poems scattered throughout my novel to give backstory. (So that means that I am clearly biased in favor of your idea.)
     
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  6. oTTo

    oTTo Member

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    You have introduced HOW a poem can be introduced. Your MC isn't the first to see the monument or heard the fables, tales, rumors, whispers, stories, legends, wall paintings, or graffiti that came from way back when. The culture that exists stemming from knowledge of that past age, or the backstory as you have it, can be expressed by using secondary characters.

    I wrote a story and used a story teller to move the story along. The story teller traveled, intermingled with others and opened up the reader to more of the greater world and story that is happening, while also telling stories within the story that further link the past to the present. The stories are told with the story tellers perspective of a future's past, while having stemmed from stories that are from our very real, very old past, The Arabian Nights (1000 Arabian Nights).

    You can introduce a poem spoken by a passerby, your MC hearing part of it and then knowing some tune from childhood long forgotten. The poem is later heard again, someone different and a different verse. Slowly, throughout the story you can introduce a poem that means a great deal to the MC and plot. Or not. Maybe its scrawled on the floor of an abandoned building, long ago written by a mad survivor of the fallen past.
     
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