subject – Almost An Author

I don’t know about you, but once in awhile my poetry springs from the oddest of inspirations.

Not too long ago I was driving home from judging a high school poetry competition, and I was in a very poetic mood.

As I came around a curve in our neighborhood, I noticed someone had placed an old toilet by the road. For some reason I thought it sad and humorous at the same time to see the commode on the curb.

Don’t ask me why. I’m not making this up.

[bctt tweet=”Sometimes poetry springs from the oddest of places. #poets #poetry”]

And then I realized so many words rhymed with commode and road that it kept going from there.

By the time I pulled into my driveway, I had “Ode to a Throne” rambling through my brain.

I highly doubt it will ever get published anywhere else, but for your entertainment, I’ve decided to share it below.

Ode to a Throne

Against the green, green grass you sit,

abandoned and alone—

a symbol of our progress

thrown beside the road.

Maybe you malfunctioned

and coughed up a filthy load,

or maybe you refused to swallow

the refuse that you bemoaned.

Throne of Plain White Porcelain,

how you long for a loving home,

But never shall you have one—

Oh woeful commode, dethroned!

I’d never claim that this is my next award-winning poem, but it was fun to write—a break from reality. And that’s all that matters.

A note on rhyming

Rhyming is not a technique I use often because to make it work effectively, you have to have patience, an extensive vocabulary and a good sense of syntax (word order). The exception would be children’s poetry which lends itself to rhyming much more easily.

A challenge of rhyming is that many beginning poets make the mistake of forcing rhyme which makes it sound contrived rather than natural. You’ll see when you try to use rhyme. It’s really not that easy. And it will give you a new respect for William Shakespeare, Emily Dickenson, and Robert Frost.

Also note that I use approximate rhyme to make it work. No, that’s not cheating. Poets have done it throughout history, including the ones listed above.

Assonance is another technique I used for the purposes of rhythm and rhyme. So many words have the long “o” sound. And conveniently, a number of those words related to my subject.

Despite the Oddity

This poem was meant to be written despite its ridiculous subject.

Therefore, the point is that you don’t have to look far for inspiration. Poetry can morph out of everyday life experiences and from places you’d least expect.

So the challenge is to find out where your next poem is hiding. The trick is to pay attention to what inspires you even if it seems bizarre at the time.

[bctt tweet=”Poetry can morph out of everyday experiences and from places you’d least expect. #poetry #poets”]

Have you ever been inspired to write a poem or story by an absurd object or event? Tell me below.

5 Ways to Keep Your Poetry Simple

Simplicity is extremely valuable when it comes to communicating through poetry. I’ve always wanted my poems to positively impact the reader rather than turn them away.

From my experience, here are five things to keep in mind as you craft your own poems that will allow readers to appreciate them fully.

1: Relatable Subject

First, choose a recognizable subject that will resonate with your audience. If the reader can relate to the subject, he or she will appreciate the poem that much more. Many poets, if not all, write from the unique inspirations of everyday life. Example

2 : Simple Language

You might be tempted to use academic words or jargon in poetry, but I recommend that you do this sparingly and only for a certain effect, such as humor or reverence. Your ideas can still be complex, and you should use unique words and phrases. Just make sure your poem on the whole is decipherable. Example

3: Comprehensible Message

What meaning do you want to convey through your poetry? Whatever it is, try to make sure that it fits our common experience. People understand themes such as beauty, death, joy and disappointment. Choosing a simple message will make sure that the reader “gets it.” Example

4: Clear Imagery

Every poet should use figurative language and poetic devices to create imagery and mood in their poetry. That’s where the true complexity and skill comes into play. Whatever techniques you use should create easily visualized images that touch one or more of the five senses. Example

5: Familiar References

Allusion is a powerful poetic tool, but it can often leave the reader confused. If you make references, try to allude to people, places, events, etc… for which most of your readers will have some knowledge. If you make an obscure reference, the readers might miss the entire point. Example

Knowing Your Audience

Most of these suggestions have to do with knowing your audience. As you consider these ideas, also keep in mind your readers. If they will understand academic vocabulary, obscure subjects and references and extraordinary topics, then by all means use them.

Warning: Simplicity Doesn’t Mean Easy

[bctt tweet=”If it’s too easy to write, then you probably didn’t try hard enough. #writers #poets”]

I want to be very clear about what I mean by keeping poetry simple.

When writing poetry using my suggestions, you may be tempted to simplify the techniques. For example, forcing rhyme in a poem at the expense of your diction (word choice). Or using clichés instead of coming up with original similes, metaphors, etc…

Be reminded that writing poetry shouldn’t be an easy task for you, the poet. It takes much skill to craft a commendable poem that resonates with a reader. If it’s too easy to write, then you probably didn’t try hard enough.

Just saying.

Because poetry is an art, we want it to be worthy of appreciation as well as accessible to the world. We want our readers to understand it, but not oversimplify it so it loses its aesthetic value.

And I’m not suggesting that you should never write poems that have mystery and depth—both add value to poetry.

I simply believe that the complexity should mostly challenge the poet rather than the reader.

Do you have any other suggestions for writing understandable poetry? Tell me below.

[bctt tweet=”Let the complexity of poetry challenge the poet rather than the reader. #poets #poetry “]