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All These Be Poetry

Some, sequential words arranged
according to forms as old
as Athens or David’s Psalms.
Cascading sounds,
crafted complexity
appearing simple,
fecund with meanings
to birth in us
some pleasant response.

Or

Some, hard hammered chaos,
disjointed cacophony,
strewn across a page to
disparage all harmony.
Misarranged,
these lines,
sounds broken ,
meanings scattered
shouting “Fire!”
on a crowded train.

Or

Some, sibilant as a whisper at midnight
awake us from our lingering apathy,
stir us to some change
and require better of us.

Or

Some, stark as ravens on a fence line
waiting somber,
cry “There be Whales!”
and draw us into
the intrigue of hunting words,
and we become their flotsam,
clinging to the wreck of their
pictured abstractions
and drowning images.

And yet.

And yet, all these be poetry.

What makes poetry poetry?

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Comments

1 - 10 of 10
  • quillsword
    September 9

    Edit | Reply
    Interesting. You are correct in your assessment in what makes poetry. A good read.

    At first, I thought I was reading a syllabic poem, but obviously I was not. Your chosen line arrangement is not the only successful one. Maybe you should play with it more.

    . Rewarded 4

  • Frank E Gibbard
    September 3

    Edit | Reply
    I admire your broad sweep citing style differentials from the multifarious tones on your palatte of poetry. Good and very well written. Thumbs up from me sir. Frank

    . Rewarded 4

  • firefly53633
    August 27

    Edit | Reply

    OOOOOOOH!

    Well done! GREAT wording and examples of various forms! I absolutely loved the form. The word,"OR," broke up the thoughts quite well. Nice flow. Good job!

    . Rewarded 4

  • interesting form

    I myself am terrible at writing with any framework whatsoever, so whenever I see someone who is good at it I am awe-struck. Your word choice is really intriguing and really keeps the eye rolling. Very nice.

    Andrea

    . Rewarded 4


  • ladyjanew gold member
    June 29
    Edit | Reply

    If it resonates

    I think a poem is a poem if it elicits an emotional response from the reader, just like a great song.
    I love free verse imagry, complicated rhyme structure, plays on words, alitteration, and all that poetic goodness, but I think a poem is supposed to get a rise out of the reader; for good, bad, surpised, shocked or anything except indifferent.


    • Gagiikwe
      June 30
      Edit | Reply

      ladyjanew

      To get a rise indeed. All real poetry seeks to elicit some response.

      Know my 'white' poets, whoever they are. No, not at all. [I am not a literary person.] Just Dylan Thomas, The Psalms and Robert Frost.

      JG


  • ladyjanew gold member
    June 29

    Edit | Reply

    Excellent!

    This poem could have been written by a classic 19th century author, it's that good! You really know your dead white poets.

    . Rewarded 4

  • dave ochs silver member
    June 25
    Edit | Reply

    hey G

    this is as a fine a poem as can be. your abiltiy to show the contrast of verse was phenomenal, like an actor with unlimited range to boot you have a great message that weather refined or blunt all falls under the umbrella of poetry. can't say enuf.
    dave

    . Rewarded 6


  • Kiddy
    June 24
    Edit | Reply
    As long as imagination has no shape and limit, poetry would be of any form and style. wouldn't it be, G?

    will get back to this piece sometimes later, dad...just wanna say I am back....

    Lv
    Kiddy


  • Kiddy
    June 24

    Edit | Reply
    As long as imagination has no shape and limit, poetry would be of any form and style. wouldn't it be, G?

    will get back to this piece sometimes later, dad...just wanna say I am back....

    Lv
    Kiddy

    . Rewarded 4

1 - 10 of 10