FREE VERSE
The History of Free Verse
Many people consider free verse to be a modern form of poetry. The truth is that it has been around for several centuries; only in the 20th century did it become one of the most popular forms of poetry. Its popularity stems from the belief that free verse is poetry without rules; after all, it doesn't rhyme, and it doesn't have a meter. However, what separates poetry from prose is the arrangement of carefully chosen words into verses.
How to Write Free Verse
There's more to free verse than a sudden thought recorded on paper. It's not that no rules apply to free verse; rather, the poet makes up the rules for each poem! Free verse done well will have rhythm, though it may not have a regular beat. A variety of poetic devices may be woven throughout the piece. There may be patterns of sound elements, figurative language, and repetition. Free verse can be compared to a song that doesn't rhyme because there is still a lyrical quality to it.
In free verse, the poet has more decisions to make. With a haiku, you know the exact measurement of the poem; you need only follow the rules of the pattern. With free verse, there is no pattern until the poet creates one. Without set rules, you are free to decide where to break your poem into stanzas. You may break at each new thought, much like paragraphs. You may break stanzas in mid-sentence to draw attention to a specific word or phrase. Like American poet Walt Whitman, you might break stanzas at the point where one would take a breath when reading it aloud.
Here's an example of a short free verse poem.
"I Dream'd in a Dream" by Walt Whitman
I DREAM'D in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the
whole of the rest of the earth,
I dream'd that was the new city of Friends,
Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led
the rest,
It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,
And in all their looks and words.
Is this poem about a real city, or is it about friendship? How would you interpret this poem?
Take a look at two more poems written in the free verse style. The first one is a simple poem of 21 words written by American poet Carl Sandburg. It gives the reader a different mental image of fog.
"Fog" by Carl Sandburg
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Notice that the first stanza has only two lines, while the second stanza has four. Also, the author used imagery in describing the fog. By comparing fog to a cat the poet is using which figure of speech?
The final poem contains a completely capitalized word, two sets of parentheses, and a creatively spelled word.
"When I read the book" by Walt Whitman
WHEN I read the book, the biography famous,
And is this then (said I) what the author calls a man's life?
And so will some one when I am dead and gone write my life?
(As if any man really knew aught of my life,
Why even I myself I often think know little or nothing of my real
life,
Only a few hints, a few diffused faint clews and indirections
I seek for my own use to trace out here.)
What is Whitman's impression of biographies?
Many people consider free verse to be a modern form of poetry. The truth is that it has been around for several centuries; only in the 20th century did it become one of the most popular forms of poetry. Its popularity stems from the belief that free verse is poetry without rules; after all, it doesn't rhyme, and it doesn't have a meter. However, what separates poetry from prose is the arrangement of carefully chosen words into verses.
How to Write Free Verse
There's more to free verse than a sudden thought recorded on paper. It's not that no rules apply to free verse; rather, the poet makes up the rules for each poem! Free verse done well will have rhythm, though it may not have a regular beat. A variety of poetic devices may be woven throughout the piece. There may be patterns of sound elements, figurative language, and repetition. Free verse can be compared to a song that doesn't rhyme because there is still a lyrical quality to it.
In free verse, the poet has more decisions to make. With a haiku, you know the exact measurement of the poem; you need only follow the rules of the pattern. With free verse, there is no pattern until the poet creates one. Without set rules, you are free to decide where to break your poem into stanzas. You may break at each new thought, much like paragraphs. You may break stanzas in mid-sentence to draw attention to a specific word or phrase. Like American poet Walt Whitman, you might break stanzas at the point where one would take a breath when reading it aloud.
Here's an example of a short free verse poem.
"I Dream'd in a Dream" by Walt Whitman
I DREAM'D in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the
whole of the rest of the earth,
I dream'd that was the new city of Friends,
Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led
the rest,
It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,
And in all their looks and words.
Is this poem about a real city, or is it about friendship? How would you interpret this poem?
Take a look at two more poems written in the free verse style. The first one is a simple poem of 21 words written by American poet Carl Sandburg. It gives the reader a different mental image of fog.
"Fog" by Carl Sandburg
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Notice that the first stanza has only two lines, while the second stanza has four. Also, the author used imagery in describing the fog. By comparing fog to a cat the poet is using which figure of speech?
The final poem contains a completely capitalized word, two sets of parentheses, and a creatively spelled word.
"When I read the book" by Walt Whitman
WHEN I read the book, the biography famous,
And is this then (said I) what the author calls a man's life?
And so will some one when I am dead and gone write my life?
(As if any man really knew aught of my life,
Why even I myself I often think know little or nothing of my real
life,
Only a few hints, a few diffused faint clews and indirections
I seek for my own use to trace out here.)
What is Whitman's impression of biographies?
Turning Prose into Verse
Here is an example of prose turned into poetry.
Here is an example of prose turned into poetry.
Prose (Narrative):
I remember feeling jealous about all the attention my baby brother got. I felt invisible! As I hid behind the bedroom door, I watched the baby fall asleep. His bottle lay beside him half-empty, so I took it and drained it out. That’ll fix that new intruder in my home. |
Verse (Poetry):
Jealousy Hidden behind the door, watching the baby fall asleep, the little girl took its half-empty bottle and drained it. |
Midnight
by Sara Holbrook When it’s Sunday and it’s midnight, the weekend put back in its chest, the toys of recreation, party times and needed rest. When I lie in wait for Monday to grab me by the ear, throw me at the shower, off to school and when I hear the train at midnight from so many miles away . . . when it’s Sunday . . . and it’s midnight . . . the train in passing brays and boasts it’s steel-track-straight, on schedule, arrival times to keep. And I meander to its rhythm, flopping like a fish. Why can’t I get to sleep? Why can’t I get to sleep? |