Poetry 101-1

Okay, I found out that you really can't post much on other pages - it's meant for "content that doesn't change often." <sigh> So my poetry will appear here and I hope you will post some of your own creations. It may well mean that I have more than one post on a given day because they often are separate thoughts or come to mind because of other thoughts that I post.

I also want to share some of the techniques I learned to brainstorm and create, mostly from an NCCAT seminar. These I will label "Poetry 101". Today, first lesson :-)

One of the first things we did was brainstorm different words for blue. Of course, brainstorming is best with a group, but you can do it yourself. Try to discipline yourself to not use a thesaurus. After we had some time for this list to marinate, we were given a chance to write. The stress was on imagery. Rhyming, while not prohibited, was discouraged.

Focus on something or someone you could describe with the colors. Don't necessarily think in terms of describing attributes (like a blue balloon), but on creating images in your readers' minds. Use as many of the words from the list as will gracefully fit into your poem. Remember, in poetry metaphors are allowed and encouraged. The following was my attempt. Please feel free to comment and critique, but bear in mind that this was an early attempt, so be gentle.

By the way, NCCAT stands for North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching and they sponsor week-long seminars on topics important to teachers. It is where I found my poet's voice. I hope Beth doesn't mind my sharing this one since it's about and for her.

Blue
   Boys' color - Beth's color
       My blue girl.
Blue as bright as your eyes as they awake to a new dream
   sea-foam dreams
      azure dreams
         cobalt ice-castle dreams.
Blue as serene as the deep pools of your thoughts too deep to see the bottom
   cerulean thoughts, 
      turquoise thoughts
          sapphire stars reflected on the surface thoughts.
Blue as strong as the steel in your spirit as you face your pain
   blue-grey steel
      periwinkle steel
         forget-me-not for I will prevail steel.
Blue as deep as the melancholy that grabs your you soul when your crosses become too heavy
   midnight soul
      indigo soul
         ice cold silent keep out soul.
Blue
   Boy's color - Beth's color
       My little blue girl
          My love.

Connotation Counts

When I taught elementary school children writing skills, I told them that there is a difference between denotation and connotation. Denotation is the basic definition of a word while connotation is the color, or nuance, of a word. (Being fond of mnemonic devices, I told them D: denotation/definition; C: connotation/color.) Unfortunately, an over-use of thesauri has contributed to widespread misuse of words. Just because a word means the same as another doesn't mean it should be used interchangeably.

For example, look up "smell (n)" in your thesaurus. You will find, among others, the words fragrance, aroma, stink, and stench. If you were to best match them to the words "bubbling stew", "rotting carcass", "fresh roses", and "dirty socks", you should come up with something like "the fragrance of fresh roses", "the aroma of bubbling stew", "the stink of dirty socks", and "the stench of a rotting carcass".

A dictionary can help some. For instance, dictionary.com defines fragrance as "a sweet or pleasing scent" and aroma as "a distinctive usually pleasant smell, esp of spices, wines, and plants". However, they define stink as "a strong offensive smell; stench" and stench as "an offensive smell or odor; stink". Stench usually connotes a stronger smell than a stink while evoking a much stronger reaction.

So how does a writer learn the nuances of language? Read, read, and read some more. Not just pop literature. There's nothing wrong with it and it has its place, but find quality literature, or, better yet, quality poetry. The nature of poetry demands a knowledge of the subtleties of words. The poet must be succinct in order to express thoughts and evoke emotion with an economy of words.

I hold that there is a difference between a writer and a wordsmith. We can all write something, some of us can write stories, and some of those even get published. But the wordsmith? Ah, the wordsmith is the one who wins a Pulitzer Prize. That is a rare talent these days, or at least it rarely blossoms. With such a focus on standardized tests, there is less time for the exploration necessary to learn the power of words.

Enjoy words. Play with them, experiment, explore, write, and rewrite. Get the feel of those little differences that can make a huge impact. Find your voice and use the right word. Become a wordsmith and be great.

Writing Group

I won't always write about writing - that could get dull - but last night was our group meeting and it's on my mind. We call ourselves "The No-name Writers Group" and currently have ten members on our list, but two are temporarily out of town and only three of us have been meeting lately. We got the name because Ralph, our organizer, sent an meeting reminder e-mail with that title and suggested we get a name for ourselves. The three of us who meet every two weeks thought that was a fun name and we should keep it. Writers can be odd ducks, you know.

If you write, I highly recommend joining a group. There are some on-line groups available, but I suggest meeting in person. The interactions and friendships are worth the time. While it's true you can share and critique online, but there is a certain value to reading your work out loud to others. There is also a satisfaction when you see the others react as you read.

If you want to find a local reading group, check with your local library, bookstore, or even a coffee shop. If you know others who write, form your own group. They don't have to be in the same genre. Our group includes writers of science fiction/fantasy, historical novels, lesbian literature, romance, film noir, and cyberpunk. We have a great time with each other and have formed friendships that I hope will last a very long time.

Another aspect of our group is we all tend to be political liberals (at least those of us who meet regularly), so we share opinions and information in that avenue.

I've learned much from my friends about writing, publishing, critiquing, and marketing. I know it's often said that all you need to do to be a writer is to write. This is true, but if you want to be a successful author, you need to share your work.

I hope you  have success in your endeavors, whatever they may be.