Try Some New Poetic Forms

By TheRaven6825 on February 26, 2017 • ( 1 )

Poetry forms have evolved over the centuries, and there are still many that writers are not aware of. Some of them are common among poets like haikus, sonnets and acrostic, while others like the villanelle, sestina and pantoum can be more difficult to write. Prose poetry seems to be the most popular form these days, but if you feel up to a challenge, here a few other forms you can try:

Haibun â this is a combination of two poetry forms: prose and haiku. It became popular in 17^th Century Japan because of poet, Matsuo Basho. A traditional Haibun can be a descriptive poem or a poem about a journey. Here is a sample from Basho:

Spring is leaving too!

birds cryÂ Â Â Â even the wet eyes

of fish fill with tears

Found Poetry â this form takes existing text to refashion them as a poem, kind of like a collage of poetry. You can pick and choose words & phrases; put them together with few additions or omissions to create a brand new poem in any form. This example is from William Whewellâs âAn Elementary Treatise on Mechanics:

Hence no force, however great,

can stretch a cord, however fine,

into a horizontal line

which is accurately straight.

Nonet â this is a simple 9 line poem where the first line has 9 syllables, 8 in the second, 7 in the third until the 9^th and final line is only 1 syllable. Poet Robert Lee Brewer tackles this Nonet with ease:

There’s a life curled in the darkness

sweating out the evening storm

beneath leaves covered with rain

and an urge to bolt like

the lightning before

thunder. Under

here we run

free of

why.

https://twitter.com/robertleebrewer

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nonet-nature/

Written by:Â Donna J. Sanders

Donna is a freelance writer and blogger in West Palm Beach, FL. She is the author ofÂ Ataraxia,Â Cardboard Signs, Devour MeÂ andÂ Charcoal Kisses.

Find out more about her here:

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