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You Can Write a Free-Verse Poem
Oct. 12th, 2011 12:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithA common form of poetry is free verse, also known by its French name vers libre. Free verse has appeared throughout history and around the world, although it was made famous by some 19th-century French poets. The term "free" means that this type of poetry leaves the cadence and verse structure up to the poet, rather than following a form that prescribes a specific set of rhyme, rhythm, stanza lengths, etc. You've already seen one example of free-verse poetry this week in "A Knot of Thyme," with more to come later.
Despite the snobby remark by Robert Frost, free verse does NOT mean "playing tennis without a net." Instead, it means using poetic tools other than rhyme and meter. Popular options include metaphor and simile, irony, alliteration and assonance, onomatopoeia, repetition and parallels, personification, and allegory. The poet may also create meaningful shapes with the lines and stanzas, such as beginning with one line, then two, and making each subsequent stanza one line longer. Free verse can employ quite subtle aspects of linguistics, or can be straightforward, as the poet pleases.
1) Begin by choosing a topic for your free-verse poem. If you're not sure what to write about, try picking two different ideas -- such as "freedom" and "purple" -- then combining those in some way. You can also use a randomizing tool such as Creative Idea Generator or Quick Story Idea Generator.
2) Brainstorm a bit. Jot down some words and phrases that relate to your poem's main idea(s). Feel free to doodle on the page -- you may find it helpful to circle or draw lines between related concepts.
3) Look at what you've got so far. Pick the best pieces and mark them. Identify things that don't look as promising. Consider rephrasing them or substituting something better. Cross out any junk that you don't want to keep. Choose a method of organization and try to put the good bits in order.
4) Connect the dots. By now you should have a core concept for your poem, some nifty words and phrases about it, and at least a partial structure. Develop this into a rough draft by adding material to bridge the parts you already have. Move things around some more if necessary. Look for opportunities to use poetic techniques. Do you have a terrific phrase? Consider repeating it at the beginning or end of several stanzas. Check your poem's balance. If it's all abstract, add some concrete details; if it's all mundane, add some figurative language. Have you engaged the reader's senses? If not, add some sensory input, preferably at least two different senses. A complete rough draft should cover all the major aspects of your concept.
5) Polish your poem. Look at the line breaks: they mean something in free verse. End-stopped lines have a comfortable, contained mood because they break at a natural place. Enjambed lines can create tension or anticipation by breaking in unexpected places. An extremely short or long line might need to be adjusted. Examine your word choice, using a thesaurus if necessary. Could you find a more interesting or precise term in some places? Maybe there's a synonym that would alliterate with other words you already have. In free verse, make sure you don't have any unwanted rhymes or stretches of regular meter. Fix any of those you find. Finally, read your poem aloud. That will help you catch accidental tongue-twisters. A finished poem should feel good in your mouth and ears when you read it.
