'Name That Format' + Inspiration From the Archives

[poetree_admin]

jjhunter

If you are intrigued by the possibility of a pt_lightning poetry project but aren't sure where to start, this is the post for you!

Last summer, the POETREE community hosted a two-week icebreaker for Pod Together 2013. Like pod_together, Pod Together Lightning is a transformative works collaboration challenge for writers and podficcers, or in the case of poetry, poets of any experience level and performers. Poets write poems specifically to be performed, and performers record audio versions of their performances. The 'Lightning' aspect of pt_lightning makes it especially accessible for incorporating poetry, in that the works produced can be quite short (100 words minimum).

POETREE's archives offer a number of handy posts for the aspiring poetry-inclined participant. Never written a poem in your life? Try ysabetwordsmith's post 'You Can Write a Free-Verse Poem'. Writing with performance in mind new territory for you? Check out cadenzamuse's posts on Atlanta slam poetry for insights, examples & exercises to get yourself started. (We especially recommend 'Become a slam poet in five steps', by Gayle Danley — scroll up for video.) Recording poetry not your usual cup of tea? luzula has a pitch you should hear at Recording poetry: why does it appeal to me? (Her other posts on the pleasures of poetry read aloud are also a delight.)


Let's get the ball rolling with a little game to remind ourselves of how rich a variety of poetry forms there are to play with in addition to free verse. In addition to any questions, comments, observations, lamentations, exaltations, exclamations or further resource recommendations you might choose to share in the comments (all most welcome), please feel encouraged to offer a non-free verse poem of some kind in English or with an English translation. Can be your own poem, or one by someone else; either's fine. Others are then likewise encouraged to identify the format of that poem, and offer a new poem in a different format for everything to guess. Let's see how many different formats we can think of!

Bonus points for describing or linking to what makes a $format poem a $format.

Comments

in honor of lnhammer

[jjhunter]

This excerpt from Phillip Sidney's cycle Astrophel and Stella. Name its format? :o)

Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That the dear She might take some pleasure of my pain:
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe,
Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain:
Oft turning others' leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sun-burned brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting Invention's stay,
Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame Study's blows,
And others' feet still seemed but strangers in my way.
Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite,
"Fool" said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart and write."

Re: in honor of lnhammer

[alexseanchai]

I know this one but I'ma let somebody else answer it. I just want to comment on how excellent a summation of the writing process this is.