Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #17: Give a line some space.
One approach to reading poems aloud is to do a slight pause at the end of each line, whether there is punctuation there or not. That’s the identifying factor of poetry, after all. Poets break their language into lines instead of just writing until they run out of space on the page/screen. Again, this isn’t the ONLY way to read a poem, but it’s a valid approach. It helps you give each line room to breathe and focus on the words. Sometimes you’ll find different meanings and nuances in the line on its own (as opposed to considering it as part of the poem as a whole) that add something to your understanding or interpretation of the poem. Or you’ll notice syllable counts in a new way. Or you’ll see a pattern that didn’t announce itself on a more fluid reading. Other times, it just makes you realize that certain words are stronger or weaker or have a different context. Give it a try, especially with free verse or other non-rhyming poems like the one I’ll share below. Don’t expect revelations with every poem (including the one below)–just add it to your poetry-reading repertoire. Sometimes it will pay off in interesting ways!
Now, for my 15 Words or Less writers–and anybody else who would like to join in–it’s another 15 Words or Less flashback to 2007!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s my?first draft.
And here I am reading it aloud, exaggerating the line breaks.
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Now it’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)?
52 Responses
Thick velvet night ascends
Making way
For the bloody satin
of dawn
What a beautiful sunrise!
Ooh, that “bloody satin.” So unexpected, and pairing violence and luxury or beauty. Great description, Amelia!
Laura, I am submitting my 15 WOL as a reply to your reply to Amelia. This is the only way I have been able to access the site today to comment. The “sigh“berspace
gremlins are at it again.
Anticipation
B right day dawning
I nfant clamoring
R eaching toward light
T rees’ arms
H erald a new life.
I love Acrostics. This in honor of my daughter’s birth 56 years ago today. I remember a scene just like this (plus a few leaves on the trees) as I labored
and wondered “how much longer.”
I like this, Martha. Good connection made.
Let me know if you receive this comment. Everything is kind of weird today.
I love that your poem spells out birth lie the begging of spring
Oh, dear. Sorry, Martha! I am having big blog problems…and I’ve been out of town 3 days. I don’t think it’s emailing anyone who has an email subscription, and it’s not letting me reset that. Working on it…glad you found a way to Comment!
What a great acrostic–I especially like the clamoring infant. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Dittos on the “bloody satin of dawn.”
Thick velvet night ascends
Making way
For the bloody satin
of dawn
What a beautiful sunrise!
Ooh, that “bloody satin.” So unexpected, and pairing violence and luxury or beauty. Great description, Amelia!
Laura, I am submitting my 15 WOL as a reply to your reply to Amelia. This is the only way I have been able to access the site today to comment. The “sigh“berspace
gremlins are at it again.
Anticipation
B right day dawning
I nfant clamoring
R eaching toward light
T rees’ arms
H erald a new life.
I love Acrostics. This in honor of my daughter’s birth 56 years ago today. I remember a scene just like this (plus a few leaves on the trees) as I labored
and wondered “how much longer.”
I like this, Martha. Good connection made.
Let me know if you receive this comment. Everything is kind of weird today.
I love that your poem spells out birth lie the begging of spring
Oh, dear. Sorry, Martha! I am having big blog problems…and I’ve been out of town 3 days. I don’t think it’s emailing anyone who has an email subscription, and it’s not letting me reset that. Working on it…glad you found a way to Comment!
What a great acrostic–I especially like the clamoring infant. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Dittos on the “bloody satin of dawn.”
Circes Lights Bright Like
Cotton Candy Sky
I will not
ride crying
kicking
scramming
African elephant’s
trunks turn to sky
Me being terrified
Laura I love all the images in your pome my poem is true when I was little I had to be taken of an Elephant because I was crying I have been enjoy 4 of the books from your sears they are wonderful
This is awesome. I completely get the panic, and I don’t think you even need that last line. Between the title and the kicking and screaming–and then that wonderful image of elephant ears turning to sky, so we realize how very close the narrator is to that elephant, completely gets across the terror. Really vivid!
Jessica, I can relate — took one ride on an elephant and promised self and anyone else who was in earshot that if I got safely back onto the ground I would never, ever get on another one.
Circes Lights Bright Like
Cotton Candy Sky
I will not
ride crying
kicking
scramming
African elephant’s
trunks turn to sky
Me being terrified
Laura I love all the images in your pome my poem is true when I was little I had to be taken of an Elephant because I was crying I have been enjoy 4 of the books from your sears they are wonderful
This is awesome. I completely get the panic, and I don’t think you even need that last line. Between the title and the kicking and screaming–and then that wonderful image of elephant ears turning to sky, so we realize how very close the narrator is to that elephant, completely gets across the terror. Really vivid!
Jessica, I can relate — took one ride on an elephant and promised self and anyone else who was in earshot that if I got safely back onto the ground I would never, ever get on another one.
Red the morning,
gold the sky,
black branches
like a boat?s masts
sailing by.
?Kate Coombs
this is wonderful love the first line and can see as reading the last 3 lines
I really like that the branches can be sailing ships (passing in the dark?).
Ooh, lovely! I like the idea of boat’s masts!
Oh, I love the rhythm and chant/prayer feeling of this…
Red the morning,
gold the sky,
black branches
like a boat?s masts
sailing by.
?Kate Coombs
this is wonderful love the first line and can see as reading the last 3 lines
I really like that the branches can be sailing ships (passing in the dark?).
Ooh, lovely! I like the idea of boat’s masts!
Oh, I love the rhythm and chant/prayer feeling of this…
I didn’t get the email this morning, but I went to Facebook and clicked a few dozen times and I arrived here. Looks like others may have had trouble, too.
I immediately saw a sunset, instead of a sunrise.
“Sailor’s Delight”
Setting sun,
blazing sky,
stunning view
for weary eye.
Tomorrow’s
weather will be dry.
Ooh, I love the lines, “stunning view for weary eye.”
love this line also stunning view
for weary eye
I didn’t get the email this morning, but I went to Facebook and clicked a few dozen times and I arrived here. Looks like others may have had trouble, too.
I immediately saw a sunset, instead of a sunrise.
“Sailor’s Delight”
Setting sun,
blazing sky,
stunning view
for weary eye.
Tomorrow’s
weather will be dry.
Ooh, I love the lines, “stunning view for weary eye.”
love this line also stunning view
for weary eye
Pinks and purples vie
for dominance of the sky.
Who won?
The sun!
Pat, I did connect and read yours. Lovely and it’s good that the pic could stand out as a sunrise or sunset. I understand the weary eye.
Cindy, what a vista. A perfect description.
Ooh! Love that unexpected last line!
Pinks and purples vie
for dominance of the sky.
Who won?
The sun!
Pat, I did connect and read yours. Lovely and it’s good that the pic could stand out as a sunrise or sunset. I understand the weary eye.
Cindy, what a vista. A perfect description.
Ooh! Love that unexpected last line!
enfant branches
swirling words across
pastel parchment
a letter from mother
sinned with Love
I like that pastel parchment!
enfant branches
swirling words across
pastel parchment
a letter from mother
sinned with Love
I like that pastel parchment!
Lashes of trees shield my eyes
From the infrared shock
Of such majestic power!
I love this, Karen. That “Lashes of trees” is so evocative, like the earth is a giant eye with forests for eyelashes:>)
Lashes of trees shield my eyes
From the infrared shock
Of such majestic power!
I love this, Karen. That “Lashes of trees” is so evocative, like the earth is a giant eye with forests for eyelashes:>)