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One thing we have started to have with some frequency at the bar is to invite participants at the bar an occasion to show themselves at the bar, today it’s time for Bryan Ens, who blog from quest4peas.wordpress.com. For every one that has read Bryan’s poetry you know that here you have a poet who is comfortable both with writing various forms and whose poems always touch with it’s rhythm and gentleness mingled with humor. Please welcome Bryan Ens.
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A while back, Bjorn approached me and asked if I might be interested in doing a prompt for Meeting the Bar because of my interest in form poetry.
When I was younger, I wrote the occasional poem, but avoided rhythm and rhyme at all costs, because I was sure that I couldn’t maintain the form and still have anything to say. When I started writing poetry again, I decided to try my hand at form, more to see if I could actually do it.
When Bjorn asked me to write, though, I began to consider why form poetry? Can you say something in a sonnet or a rondeau that you can’t say in free verse? Or vice versa? Why?
This led me to do a bit of research into prosody…or how the sound of poetry affects the meaning.
The Shakespearean, or Elizabethan sonnet contains 14 lines of iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line, with even numbered syllables receiving the stronger beat). The first 12 lines have a rhyme scheme of ABAB,CDCD,EFEF and then a concluding couplet that rhymes GG. The first three quatrains, with the rhymes alternating between lines, serve to build up an argument, and then the final couplet, because of two consecutive rhyming lines, alerts the ear “something is different here”, and therefore this couplet acts as a perfect conclusion or punch-line.
A limerick, on the other hand, has a more sing-song rhythm, making it suitable for more humourous pieces. Have you ever seen a limerick devoted to a serious topic?
Haiku, in their minimalism, often say more in what they do not say.
Free verse has the advantage of being more conversational in sound.
Of course, each of these forms could be discussed in much greater depth, and there are countless other forms that could be discussed…and I think that every poet has their own reasons for choosing the form that they choose. So today, my prompt is less about the type of poem you write as to why. Write a poem in any form that you choose (and yes, I will accept free verse as a form) – but after your poem, include a brief note on your form, and why you chose that form for your piece. How does meter and rhyme (or lack thereof) affect the meaning of your piece? If you used alliteration, onomatopoeia, or some other poetic device, why?
There are a few excellent articles that have been written on dVerse that go into much greater detail on things like metrical feet, poetic forms, and numerous poetical devices (such as alliteration, personification, and simile. For some far better descriptions that I could possibly give myself, check out these posts by Gay Reiser Cannon https://dversepoets.com/2013/08/08/formforall-prosody-line-and-meter/ or https://dversepoets.com/2013/02/14/5463/ (poetic tools)
So with that now it’s your turn:
- Enter a link directly to your poem and your name by clicking Mr Linky below
- Enter a comment below, and participate in the discussion, it’s part of the fun
- There you will find links to other poets, and more will join during the next 33 hours
- Read and comment on other poet’s work, we all go here to have our poems read
- Promote your site and poetry you like on social media of your choice
- Have fun
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hello all, and welcome.. I will soon be back .. The concert is just over..
claudia said:
concert sounds nice…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Last for the season .. An amazing piece from a forgotten female composer..
Mary said:
Have a great time at the concert, Bjorn! Welcome , everyone. Looking forward to reading some interesting forms today.
claudia said:
hey mary – how are you?
Mary said:
I’m good, Claudia. At last we have a bout of nice weather here. Sunny, and I can wear short sleeves & no jacket. Just had lunch outside on the deck. Perfect!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Wonderful.. Here it’s still a little cooler than normal
claudia said:
hmmmm – that sounds great
kanzensakura said:
Already hot here – I think this summer will be a blister! but at least it is not yet Richmond humid meaning….199% humidity. I frequently have my morning coffee on our patio now. But then, I do in the snow as well. Glad you can take off those jackets and wear short sleeves!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
And I meant to say that Bryan will be a bit late.. He is still at work.
Mary said:
I do enjoy playing with forms once in a while. My favorite form is a triolet (smiles), and that is the form I used today! But mostly I write free verse, though sometimes my free verse has a certain kind of form as well. 3 line stanzas, 4 line stanzas, etc.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I find that my free verse has difficulties to release from the prison of iambs
Mary said:
Interesting, Bjorn! You seem MOST at home with a variety of forms!
Mary said:
And…Bryan…your prompt should prove interesting. It gives poets a lot of leeway.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Actually I think the most important was to think about why we have written as we do.
claudia said:
hey – good to see you behind the bar bryan…. i chose free form with internal rhymes.. that’s what comes most naturally to me…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Oh yes.. That is the perfect form for you
Mary said:
You have mastered that form, Claudia!! You have claimed it for yourself. Smiles.
claudia said:
not really – you know – there’s someone else who’s frickin’ good with it…smiles
MarinaSofia said:
Ah, yes, my comment has just been lost – was logged out and forgotten by my WordPress account…
Anyway, just wanted to say that I struggle with form, unless I am dragged kicking and screaming towards me. But, surprisingly, I’ve always found that in such instances I seem to produce some of my best work. The freedom of constraint and all that…
I also wanted to say that I’m afraid I can’t participate this time round (visitors, commitments etc.) but I’ll try to read as many of your poems as possible. Happy storming and forming!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I find that my free verse is not free at all usually.. But avoiding end-rhymes can be a great release
Bryan Ens said:
Just checking in briefly…I’m at work, so can’t do much reading just yet, but I am really looking forward to reading all of your poems, and also, through your explanations of your forms, learning a bit about you all as well!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I love the process notes.. This is something I try to do..
Victoria C. Slotto said:
Bryan, so nice to have you hosting. Thank you!
katiemiafrederick said:
This is a great prompt Bryan; I’m not much for anything but Free Verse poetry as far as my writing goes; but I do love to learn new stuff; and I am very interested in what I will certainly learn today; but anyway more on that in my comment in regard to my poem; and I will be back later to read and comment; as duty calls..:)
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Ah.. to play around with both form and free verse … to be versatile in prose and verse is what I like best.
claudia said:
i have to leave early today – so tired – was a long day at work – will make my reading rounds tomorrow…
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Just got home, so very soon it’s bed time, but I know that you are an early bird.. goodnight Claudia.
DELL CLOVER said:
Applauding both Bjorn and Bryan–yaaayyy! I’m always glad to be here–my “happy place”. Will return later–save me a tall diet Pepsi!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
There is always diet Pepsi here.
DELL CLOVER said:
Yaay!
Bryan Ens said:
not too sure about that…I typically steer my customers in the direction of Coca-Cola products. smiles
DELL CLOVER said:
The eternal question: Coke or Pepsi?
billgncs said:
form with defined rhyme is hard for me – it’s a bit like a sprinter bursting out of the box and faltering… I admire those who can write long poetry.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
For some long poetry is a sonnet.. for other that’s short… But rhyme is normally more limiting than meter for me…
billgncs said:
it’s hard to avoid getting sing-songy which makes it hard to read.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I found that using a little slanted rhyme and maybe some nesting .. yes you can get it that way…
kanzensakura said:
I like free form but my true loves are classic haiku and tanka…I enjoy the discipline of writing with limited syllables and within a set concept. I don’t care much for American haiku and have been known to get snippy about it! smiling. I wrote about some of the concept behind classic haiku and the cultural differences. It is as much writing in a disciplined form as a sonnet, villanelle, acrostic….but Japan is deep in my heart and soul and hpe to climb Fuji-san one more time before I die. To again watch the snow falling at my heart home, Ryoan-ji.
This is a good prompt Bryan and while it is a way of learning more about other forms, it is also a great way to learn more about each other. Bravo! I will be back later to read the postings and comments.
Mary said:
I did enjoy your haiku today, Toni! The form does seem to fit you.
Victoria C. Slotto said:
Bryan, as I said, it’s nice to have you here and I enjoyed thinking about why I chose the forms I do. Very often I turn to form poetry when I’m stuck. The discipline is good for me. But today I went with free form and explained why along with some of the poetic devices that “happened.”
Gabriella said:
I had too little time to write, all the more so as forms are not my forte so I would have needed even more time but I have read some of the poems and will read some more.
Bryan Ens said:
and I am FINALLY able to sit down and read for a bit!! Really looking forward to it!!
Mary said:
Great to see you, Bryan!
Linda Kruschke said:
Hey Bryan, thanks for tending bar today. Great prompt. Now I’m off to read some poems before making dinner. Peace, Linda
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com said:
My comment has disappeared, and I can’t remember what I said. – my early poetry was all formal, sonnets, villanelles, sestinas and pantoums, to name but a few, and I do find writing to form liberating yet disciplined. Nowadays, if a subject seems to need a form, I go for it, but I am also equally at home in free verse – but free verse which respects the rules of prosody – musicality, subtle rhyme – slant, internal or full on end rhyme. It’s horses for courses.
Thank you, Bryan, for making me think!
Vagrant Rhodia said:
I play with words any way that I can. Today is a little free form but later? Only the Shadow knows! 🙂
Mary said:
Hi Vagrant Rhodia….I have left comments on your poem twice: once early morning and one right now. I don’t see them. Could you check your spam or something?
Vagrant Rhodia said:
Hi Mary!
I looked for your earlier message, but could not find it. If you have a concern or question for me unrelated to content on my blog, please use my “Contact Me” page. It is located on the right side of my blog.
Bryan Ens said:
Some wonderful poems and explanations of why you have used those forms! Tending the bar has been a lot of fun!!
X said:
I wasn’t but I did.
Late to the party but will make rounds to those that usually visit.
Imelda said:
Thanks for the prompt, Bryan. 🙂
mishunderstood said:
So happy to see you a guest host, Bryan! Unfortunately,I had so much gardening to do that I didn’t finish the prompt in time. Will have to save it for OLN but I think I will make the rounds as well. 🙂
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Great seeing you 🙂 but may is such a good time for gardening