thought of the day

[reverie]

This may be premature, but I've noticed that my free-verse poetry has improved since I started to learn traditional poetic form. I'd say my poetic form has improved as well, but since I never really wrote in form before last year, save an occasional haiku or two, there is nothing to compare them too. Some of my attempts at form have been decent others were not so much. But I think I understand why my free-verse has been improving

 

See if you think of it in musical terms it make sense, well to me at least. Most musicians I know (guitar players and brass and wind instruments specifically) practice a fair amount of scales and or chord/arpeggio/ fingering exercises.

 

Some only do so in the beginner phase, but generally it's recommended that you never stop practicing scales etc. While the metaphor is not exactly right for a full-blown classical form in music is far from just a mere scale exercise, I think in poetry the effect of practicing various forms is the same as practicing scales and other rudimentary exercises in music. (I.E it can only help you.)

 

In free-verse, you are not following any set form. Typically, you are really just making up your own form whether consciously or unconsciously, i.e. you're making up your own rules as you go along, improvising off whatever base of skills and experiences/impressions you had acquired up to that point. So, I think if you learn something about traditional forms, you have a larger tool box to pull from. Like, as if you writing your own book, the forms could be like an additional layer of research or reference. If that makes any sense.

 

list of works

Edited July 8, 2006 by reverie

[Appy]

It does make sense

 

Pity for me is that I can't be bothered to work with forms other than my own.. but I dare say that it could help a lot. The practising I mean.

The one trap I would look out for is not getting stuck with forms, or with the line of thinking needed for forms, once you return to free-form.

I noticed that once I started counting syllables I had a hard time to stop again. And sometimes, that's really not needed...

 

My 2 cents,

-Appy ~Informed~