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Other Forms and Traditions in Poetry 652 Views


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Have you ever read a sestina in a cantina or a villanelle in your holding cell? The great thing is that... not every type of poetry needs to rhyme. So if you’d like, you can read a sonnet while you’ve got a bee in your... hoodie.

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English Language

Transcript

00:04

Other Forms and Traditions in Poetry, a la Shmoop.

00:10

While gazing out your bedroom window, you just witnessed a bluebird land on a nearby

00:13

tree branch, whistle a little tune, and then fly away.

00:19

It’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.

00:22

Okay, so you don’t get out much. Nevertheless, you know you want to write a

00:27

poem about your experience…

00:28

…to share that moment of simple beauty with the rest of the universe.

00:33

The only question is… what type of poem do you write?

00:36

There are seemingly too many options… like when you stop in at a 7-11 for a snack to

00:41

take on your road trip.

00:43

Don’t give us that look, Corn Nuts. We’re going with the beef jerky this time.

00:47

You’ve got your structured poems…

00:49

…your sonnets, your villanelles, your sestinas…

00:52

…but then there’s also free verse. The structured poems are nice, because they’re

00:57

a great way to nod to the tradition of the old guard…

01:00

…and when you can cohesively and effortlessly fit your thoughts and feelings into a predetermined

01:06

format…

01:06

…it’s a good way to strut your stuff and show off your mad rhyming skillz.

01:11

On the other hand, you’re not sure you want such restrictions placed on your description

01:18

of that bluebird.

01:19

Shouldn’t your poem be at least as footloose and fancy free as your fine feathered friend?

01:24

A villanelle might be the right fit.

01:26

The 19-line form would give you plenty of space in which to communicate what you felt

01:30

when you laid eyes upon your new avian pal.

01:33

Better yet… a sestina. Those puppies are 39 lines long.

01:37

With that much room, you could describe to your reader everything from the colored markings

01:41

on the bluebird’s belly…

01:42

…to that strange look it shot you, as if to say, “You’re going to write a poem

01:46

about me, aren’t you?” Then again, there are no restrictions on free

01:51

verse.

01:51

If you wanted to, you could write 39 pages.

01:54

Although, as far as we know, the only people who’s been able to write that much about

01:57

birds is the Audubon Society. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really

02:03

matter which you choose.

02:04

No form is better or worse than any other.

02:07

It’s all about listening to your gut… and letting the subject matter be your guide.

02:13

As a matter of fact…

02:14

…you are now so intrigued by this idea of having different ways of writing your poem…

02:18

…that you decide you’re going to forget about that stupid bluebird and write a poem

02:21

about that topic instead. Aw. Somebody’s feelings are hurt.

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