SarahSweet
Just call me Firethorn
Hey everyone!
I hope it's ok for me to be using the tutorial prefix. I didn't see any rules about it being solely for admins or those hardworking members with fancy colorful names. If I'm not supposed to be using it, just let me know!
So... as to why I'm posting this... I worked for a couple of years as the Editor in Chief of the Literary Mag at my university, and I have a degree in English. Editing (especially helping good writers get better) has been one of my favorite things to do. So I hope this post helps some people.
When writing poetry, it's important to think about the end of each line of your work. If you're writing rhyming poetry, you're probably already doing this, since you have to consider the rhyme (though you should never try to force a rhyme...). But free verse is a little different.
When you're reading a poem, your eyes naturally stop at the end of each line. There is a subtle pause here when reading the poem, as it takes a moment to return to the start of each new line.
Think of a the swish when you're writing by hand, as you swing your pen back to the start of the page, or the time it takes you to press the enter button on your keyboard (... I have a habit of hitting mine extra hard for emphasis... as if readers can hear that...)
So, this makes that last word of each line important. Your reader will have that word or phrase in their mind. Also, when scanning the poem, the last word of each line jumps out at the reader.
I know that when I started writing, I had a super bad habit of starting new lines after words like and, if, of, or... pronouns, articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. These words are great because they help us string sentences together, but they don't have a lot of meaning behind them.
For me, I find it's best to write, write, write. But then, when I'm done writing, and the poem unfolds before me, I go back and examine it line by line. This helps me fix lots of things. But I take a look at the end of each line and make adjustments so that the words at the end of the line are poignant, powerful, and pack a punch (how's that for alliteration!).
So, take a look at some examples if you like:
I hope it's ok for me to be using the tutorial prefix. I didn't see any rules about it being solely for admins or those hardworking members with fancy colorful names. If I'm not supposed to be using it, just let me know!
So... as to why I'm posting this... I worked for a couple of years as the Editor in Chief of the Literary Mag at my university, and I have a degree in English. Editing (especially helping good writers get better) has been one of my favorite things to do. So I hope this post helps some people.
On to the meat: The End of the Line!
When writing poetry, it's important to think about the end of each line of your work. If you're writing rhyming poetry, you're probably already doing this, since you have to consider the rhyme (though you should never try to force a rhyme...). But free verse is a little different.
Why, you ask? Well that's a great question:
When you're reading a poem, your eyes naturally stop at the end of each line. There is a subtle pause here when reading the poem, as it takes a moment to return to the start of each new line.
Think of a the swish when you're writing by hand, as you swing your pen back to the start of the page, or the time it takes you to press the enter button on your keyboard (... I have a habit of hitting mine extra hard for emphasis... as if readers can hear that...)
So, this makes that last word of each line important. Your reader will have that word or phrase in their mind. Also, when scanning the poem, the last word of each line jumps out at the reader.
I know that when I started writing, I had a super bad habit of starting new lines after words like and, if, of, or... pronouns, articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. These words are great because they help us string sentences together, but they don't have a lot of meaning behind them.
So how do you fix this problem?
For me, I find it's best to write, write, write. But then, when I'm done writing, and the poem unfolds before me, I go back and examine it line by line. This helps me fix lots of things. But I take a look at the end of each line and make adjustments so that the words at the end of the line are poignant, powerful, and pack a punch (how's that for alliteration!).
So, take a look at some examples if you like:
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the
sidewalk ends and before the street begins and
there the grass grows soft and
white and there the sun burns crimson bright and
there the moon-bird rests from his
flight to cool in the peppermint wind.
OR
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps on
the back of the wind and
floats downstream till the
current ends and dips his wing in
the orange suns rays and dares to
claim the sky.
OR
A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.
Ok, so I might just be posting this because The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy is one of my favorite collections ever...
Little Red Cap by Carol Ann Duffey
He stood in a clearing, reading his
verse out loud in his wolfy drawl, a
paperback in his hairy paw red wine staining his
bearded jaw. What big ears he had! What big eyes he
had! What teeth! In the
interval, I made quite sure he spotted me sweet sixteen, never been, babe, waif, and
bought me a drink
OR
He stood in a clearing, reading his verse out loud
In his wolfy drawl, a paperback in his hairy paw
Red wine staining his bearded jaw. What big ears
He had! What big eyes he had! What teeth!
In the interval, I made quite sure he spotted me
Sweet sixteen, never been, babe, waif, and bought me a drink
http://genius.com/3007188/Carol-ann-duffy-little-red-cap/Bought-me-a-drink[/URL]
I'm not saying it can never be done. Obviously sometimes poets do end lines on words that generally have little punch for the sake of drawing attention to something, or to make another point or style choice. However, it's worth reviewing your work, keeping in mind how powerful each word of your poem is. Since poetry is much shorter than prose, it tends to be much more concise. You, the author, choose each word carefully, in order to convey an image, an emotion, a feeling.
I hope that some of you find this useful.
There is a place where the
sidewalk ends and before the street begins and
there the grass grows soft and
white and there the sun burns crimson bright and
there the moon-bird rests from his
flight to cool in the peppermint wind.
OR
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps on
the back of the wind and
floats downstream till the
current ends and dips his wing in
the orange suns rays and dares to
claim the sky.
OR
A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.
Ok, so I might just be posting this because The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy is one of my favorite collections ever...
Little Red Cap by Carol Ann Duffey
He stood in a clearing, reading his
verse out loud in his wolfy drawl, a
paperback in his hairy paw red wine staining his
bearded jaw. What big ears he had! What big eyes he
had! What teeth! In the
interval, I made quite sure he spotted me sweet sixteen, never been, babe, waif, and
bought me a drink
OR
He stood in a clearing, reading his verse out loud
In his wolfy drawl, a paperback in his hairy paw
Red wine staining his bearded jaw. What big ears
He had! What big eyes he had! What teeth!
In the interval, I made quite sure he spotted me
Sweet sixteen, never been, babe, waif, and bought me a drink
http://genius.com/3007188/Carol-ann-duffy-little-red-cap/Bought-me-a-drink[/URL]
I'm not saying it can never be done. Obviously sometimes poets do end lines on words that generally have little punch for the sake of drawing attention to something, or to make another point or style choice. However, it's worth reviewing your work, keeping in mind how powerful each word of your poem is. Since poetry is much shorter than prose, it tends to be much more concise. You, the author, choose each word carefully, in order to convey an image, an emotion, a feeling.
I hope that some of you find this useful.
