Pull up a Pantoum

I've shown you around the Villanelle and taught you how to use the Triolet, now let's have a look at how to pull up a Pantoum. What on earth is a Pantoum I hear you ask? It's a poem of any length that is comprised of four line stanzas (quatrains), but there is an interesting little feature in the format.  The second and last lines of each stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza! More often than not, the poem is concluded by the last line being the same as the first - you go full circle. 

The name Pantoum, might make you think that this type of poem originated in an Arab country. That would be incorrect. Pantoums first emerged in Malaysia in the 15th Century, and a variety of well known writers such as Charles Baudelaire and Victor Hugo were proponents. 

I would like to offer you an example, so to avoid any copyright issues, here's one of my Pantoums:

Once Upon a Time

Could this be us in once upon a time?
Is this a nightmare or a wild dream?
I feel like I’m performing in a pantomime
Is this as crazy as I think it seems?

Is this a nightmare or a wild dream?
My heart is racing like an untamed horse
Is this as crazy as I think it seems?
I need to get back to the source

My heart is racing like an untamed horse
I feel like I’m performing in a pantomime
I need to get back to the source
Could this be us in once upon a time?

Steve Wheeler © 31 March, 2022

As ever, your comments are welcomed, and also any of your own work in Pantoum form - please share in the comments box below. I promise to comment.

Steve Wheeler

Image from Wallpaper Flare shared under a Creative Commons Licence

Melody

Melody is an essential component of poetry. It is the musical element that gives a poem its rhythm, tone, and emotional impact. Melody can be created through a variety of poetic devices, such as rhyme, alliteration, and repetition. In this blog, we will explore the importance and effectiveness of melody as a writing option in poetry.

Firstly, melody can help to create a memorable and emotional experience for the reader. A poem with a strong melody can at times be more powerful and impactful than one without. This is because melody can create a mood or tone that resonates with the reader and stays with them long after they have finished reading the poem. For example, the poem "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe has a haunting melody that adds to the poem's eerie and melancholic tone. Sometimes just as we get musical notes in our head, the musical flowing of words can generate this as well. 

Secondly, melody can help to unify a poem and give it structure. A well crafted melody can tie together different parts of a poem and create a sense of coherence. This is particularly important for longer poems or poems with multiple stanzas. For example, in the poem "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot, the repeated refrain "April is the cruellest month" helps to unify the different sections of the poem and create a sense of continuity.

Thirdly, melody can help to convey the meaning of a poem. By using poetic devices such as rhyme and repetition, a poet can emphasize certain words or ideas and create a deeper meaning. For example, in the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas, has the repeated refrain "Rage, rage against the dying of the light," which emphasizes the poem's central theme of one fighting against death.

Finally, melody can make a poem more enjoyable to read and listen to. Just as a good melody can make a song more enjoyable to listen to, a well-crafted melody in a poem can make it more enjoyable to read. This is particularly important for spoken-word poetry or poetry that is meant to be performed. A strong melody can capture the attention of the audience and make the poem more engaging.

In conclusion, melody is an important and effective writing option in poetry. It can create a memorable and emotional experience for the reader, unify a poem and give it structure, convey the meaning of a poem, and at times make it more enjoyable to read and listen to. Poets should consider experimenting with different melodies as a tool to enhance their poetry and create a deeper connection with their readers.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Image by: Brandon Adam Haven 

Shocks and Stares

This is Steve Wheeler at his creative lunatic best. If the crazy cover doesn't convince you, then read on.... He claims that this collection of poetry has been twenty-five years in the making. Although all of the poems are new, the concept goes back to 1995. He began to conceive of the idea when he was playing with words (as he often does) and came up with the spoonerism Shocks and Stares (see what he did there?) It made a lot of sense to him, because it spoke of weird and wonderful things that compel people to stop, and stare transfixed at what is happening right in front of them. The poems in this collection are fast moving, hard hitting, hilarious, emotional, and at times quite visceral. They will make you stop and stare.... Containing 90 poems and an end-piece, Shocks and Stares covers a plethora of themes and is written in a variety styles, including freeform, standard metre and rhyme, villanelles and pantoums.

Some pieces are strangely epic, including 'Orchestral Stabs' about an orchestra that goes on a murderous spree, 'I ate a planet' (which rivals the bizarre Monsieur Creosote sketch from Monty Python) and 'Villain' which features an ex-East End villain who finally gets his comeuppance on the Costa Brava. There are strange visions and dreams presented - 'I ordered an Uber and a Hearse showed up instead' is an account directly lifted from a psychology study in which dreams and nightmares during the pandemic were analysed, while 'Vinyl Blare' contains the titles and lyrics of more than 40 popular songs, crafted together into a poetic narrative. See if you can spot them all! This poet does not pull his punches, taking pot-shots at everything from opulence and the causes of poverty, homelessness, addictive behaviour, through to the pomposity of organised religion and the stupid and thoughtless acts that have driven us the brink of global catastrophe and the destruction of our planet. If you like strange, imaginative and positively off-the-wall verse that is at once both entertaining and challenging, Shocks and Stares is the book of poetry for you. What they said:

Anyone who is familiar with Steve’s work will know that he’s a man who aspires to inspire, and for those new to his work, I assure you that you too will be inspired. “Shocks and Stares” is a very difficult read to put down, so full of very relatable poetry touching on life’s ups and downs (and everything in between). It’s an absolute winner!! - Jason Cunningham (Founder, Poet’s Corner).

I imagine a glint in the bard's eyes as I read the wonderful poetry. There’s something for everyone, a great sense of dark humour with an added pleasure of reading the world put to rights! You get to know the character writing with the wonderful words he’s written in each poem. A pleasurable experience from start to finish, once picked up, very hard to put down. A clever, well organised book. - Charlene Phare (Founder, Pure Poetry).

Well I have to say this has been my favourite up to now, from all of the other books that I have in my possession from the amazing Mr Steve Wheeler. His poetry provokes a lot of emotions from laughing out loud to reflecting on the inequalities of the world. This is different from his other books, which are also of a very high standard. I look forward to reading more of his work. Definitely buy a copy. You will not be disappointed. - Pureheart Wolf, Poet and writer.

Steve Wheeler is an artist who paints with words leading to the introspection of imaginations. His poetry can surely cause shocks and stares. His reaching of definitions bring vocabulary to life and his words leave shadow to paper. Of more than good humor, his integrity shows through, as the greatest material expressed is the truth of one's life. Steve's exposé of literary gems exposes inner questions of life, similes of simplicities and metaphors of magnificence marinated with love lifted with laughter. As his mechanism is of pen, his writes are more than entertaining; his flights of lyrical fancy leave you wanting for more and lead you to an anticipation of his next conception. - Eric Aguilar, Poet

You can purchase your copy of Shocks and Stares in paperback, Kindle or hardcover editions by following the link to the Wheelsong Books Website.

Image copyright Wheelsong Books 2023

Using the Triolet

What on earth is a triolet? Sounds a bit French yeah? Well, it is.... a bit French. But it's also a bit of other countries too, because although the poetry form originated in France, it has evolved and has been adapted so many times it's now positively cosmopolitan. 

A triolet is almost always a poem of eight lines - an octave if you will - but it can be seven or nine lines too. Take your pick. The distinctive feature of the triolet though, is its repetition of lines. Three in fact, hence the moniker.  I won't go into all the crappy details and boring technicalities of the triolet. Instead, I will give you an example from my own portfolio of poetry: Here's one of my triolets called Angels without Wings:

There in the depths of the eternal soul
There is a wondering beyond finite things
We ponder in our hearts a God-shaped hole
There in the depths of the eternal soul
We deeply yearn for something to console
And thus we fall as angels without wings
There in the depths of the eternal soul
There is a wondering beyond finite things

Steve Wheeler © 25 June, 2022

You can see that the first and second line are repeated in lines seven and eight. But the first line is also repeated before that, in line four. Lines 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 have end rhymes, while 2, 6 and 8 also rhyme. And that's about it, apart from the rhythm of the lines, which can be in iambic pentameter (10 syllables) or just about any other iamb combination. 

So go forth and multiply - write your own triolet and share it here. I will be sure to comment on it.

Steve Wheeler

Image from Pixabay via a Creative Commons Licence

Atmosphere in Poetry

 

Poetry has the ability to create a specific atmosphere or mood that can evoke strong emotions and engage the reader's imagination. This can be achieved through a variety of poetic techniques, such as the use of imagery, tone, and rhythm. In this blog, we will explore the importance of creating atmospherics in poetry and how it can strengthen the reader's response, using William Blake's poem "The Echoing Green" as an example.

Atmosphere refers to the emotional or sensory environment created by a work of art. In poetry, the atmosphere is created through the use of many different language and poetic techniques. A skilled poet can use imagery, tone, and rhythm to evoke specific emotions and create a particular atmosphere as well as a correlation within that particular poem.

Creating an atmosphere in poetry is important because it can help the reader connect with the poem on a much deeper level. By immersing the reader in the atmosphere created within the poem, the reader can experience the emotions and ideas being conveyed in a more visceral way, leading to a stronger response.

William Blake's "The Echoing Green"

William Blake was a poet and artist who is known for his existentialism and his focus on nature, spirituality, and the imagination. In his poem "The Echoing Green", Blake creates a joyous and carefree atmosphere that celebrates the innocence and playfulness of childhood.

The poem begins with a description of a green field on a sunny day where the children play and the old men watch. The use of vivid imagery, such as "the sun does arise" and "the merry bells ring", creates a sense of joy and energy. The repetition of the word "echoing" in the title and throughout the poem creates a sense of continuity and harmony, as if the sounds of the children's play are echoing through time.

The tone of the poem is celebratory and nostalgic, as the speaker looks back on a time of innocence and happiness. The use of simple language and a regular rhyme scheme creates a sense of familiarity and ease, as if the reader is being invited into the world of the poem. This can create also a strong sense of captivation. 

The atmosphere created by "The Echoing Green" is one of joy and celebration, which strengthens the reader's response to the content. By immersing the reader in the atmosphere of childhood play and innocence, the poem invites the reader to connect with the emotions and ideas being conveyed. The reader may be reminded of their own childhood or feel a sense of longing for a time when life was simpler and more carefree.

In conclusion, creating an atmosphere in poetry whether it be of light or dark is an important technique that can strengthen the reader's response to the content. By using imagery, tone, and rhythm, a skilled poet can create a specific emotional or sensory environment that immerses the reader in the world of the poem. William Blake's "The Echoing Green" is a beautiful example of how the creation of an atmosphere can evoke strong emotions and engage the reader's imagination. Creating atmospherics I know has been a huge influence and is one of the aspects of poetry I find most captivating and  important with my own work.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Image from Freepix 

Line evolution

Often I'm asked how I write my poetry. The source of my inspiration is an easy one to answer. How I construct my lines and infuse my poetry with tempo is a harder question to answer. I sometimes have to stop and think about that one, because writing poetry is like riding a bicycle or swimming. Once you've developed your skills, you don't really have to think about them too much - they become competencies that are fairly unconscious. 

But, just for the sake of analysis, here is a response about how I develop a line (or in most cases a phrase or an idea) into a stanza with a pleasing tempo. NB: Because I edit a lot, I use either a laptop, or more likely my smartphone to compose my poetry. It provides the provisionality that I need to do this.

Let's start with a simple line...

A river flows toward the sea

It's fairly bland, yeah? It's something you might say in a conversation. Let's add some adjectives to it. And let's change the definite article from 'A' to 'The'.

The silver river flows toward the stormy sea

Now it's a little more poetic. Let's evolve it further by enriching the adjectives and adding some personification...

The argent river flows toward
the mouth of a contentious sea

OK. Now it's transformed into two lines.  Argent means silver. 'Contentious' is not something people would normally use as an adjective to describe the sea, but it conjures up some imagery for me, so I will use it! I can add more description, further adjectives, maybe enrich the nouns.... and also include a metaphor!

The argent river dances its relentless flow
to kiss the angry maw of a contentious sea

Now it's a little close to becoming a little pretentious, but let's pursue this for the sake of poetry! At this point I can decide whether I want to add some more lines with or without a rhyme scheme... I'm changing the tense from present to past at this point too for effect. 

The argent river danced its cold relentless flow

to kiss the angry maw of a contentious sea

I sat on the river bank and watched...

I need to complete this poem now, splitting up the lines to improve the flow to 6 syllables for each line. The technical term for this is 'accentual syllabic iambic trimeter'. Fancy name,  but it doesn't matter what it's called as long as the poem sounds good and flows well. I'll add another metaphor, enrich it with an adjective and extend the clause with a simile to finish.

The argent river danced 
its cold relentless flow 
to kiss the angry maw
of a contentious sea 
I sat alone upon 
the jealous verdant banks
and watched the silent flow
mute as the fallow swan 

And there it is. A few minutes of writing and thinking and I have an Octave which has some narrative, some assonance and casual rhyming, and plenty of flow (pun intended). I hope that helps, but I write in a different style to you and it may not resonate with you. This post is just to offer some insight into my own writing process.  Each of us can develop their own process for writing poetry.

Steve Wheeler

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Poetry In The News Today!

The news today reflected a sweet high note for poets in the United States!

According to the Associated Press, the Academy Of American Poets announced contributions of $50000 each to 23 state and local poets all around the country from New Hampshire to Washington. This has been supported by various poetry initiatives from “poetry slam” workshops in South Carolina to Creative Writing programs in New Mexico. 

“The Academy of American Poets celebrates the unique position poets laureate occupy at state and local levels, elevating the possibilities poetry can bring to community conversations and reminding us that our national spirit can be nourished by the power of the written and spoken word,” Ricardo Maldonado, president and executive director of the poetry academy, said in a statement.

It seems dreams are not that far away for poets. Poetry foundations of many kinds offer brilliant wordsmiths an opportunity to take their voices to the next level with organizations such as the Poetry Foundation, Academy Of American Poets, Poetry Society Of America, Cave Canem Foundation, Montreal Canadian Poetry Prize,  Beyond Barouqe, and America Poetry Review. These are amongst the most popular in North America. There is also a Pulitzer Prize for poetry in the US as well.

In the UK, the Kings Gold Metal For Poetry shines as the gold standard for the best of the best. Finding an organization closest to you that you are comfortable with is as easy as typing in “poetry organizations” into your favorite search engines like Google , Bing, etc…

These are incredible awards to strive for, yet where does that leave poets that are on a steep ladder of most slippery steps?

Although the prospect of awards, cash prizes, and recognition is rather appealing to any artist, a humbling truth is that poetry is a slow going process… often taking a long time to even be noticed. 

That being said, social media and the internet have become game changers for many in poetry. Just being able to get your work out there makes all the difference in the world. 

Name recognition associated with posting on and commenting on poems associated with poetry groups also helps poets to get to know each other and encourage each other in many ways more valuable than money.

With the ability to reach so many people at once, and with the right amount of patience, fortitude, and talent, who knows what dreams may be able to be attained! 

Matt Elmore

https://apnews.com/article/poetry-academy-laureates-fellows-awards-118878bacdd75ee6c89ccf23aecb2a9f

Aspiring to inspire!

Inspiration! 

What is it? What drives us to aspire to new tasks, to envelope the degrees of difficulty and overcome the highest heights? To master the navigations of damage control, and be the best at what we can do with what we have? What is inspiration?

Upon playing with my nieces that live so far away at a family reunion this weekend… I saw generations of loved ones past sparkling in their youthful eyes. It was both so endearingly sweet and sad at the same time… yet encouraging to me. The progress of our families in the existence of our times…

                                           —

Poetry can be inspiring. It draws me into its complicated webs weaved by so many poets of different cultures, places, perspectives, and most of all, dreams. This diversity feeds the poet soul, which is both curious and insatiable for information about the human condition.

Inspiring poems take readers in new directions they may have never considered when they hit the target of the heart. They aim to motivate us, direct us, and push us into becoming someone or something better than what we are. Directly, or in metaphor, these poems are the ones we like to quote or keep as a reminder when things go rough…

                                           —

Consider this invitation from “Invictus”, by William Ernest Henley, to remain strong and honorable even in the face of death…:

It matters not how strait the gate

How charged with punishments the scroll

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

The two last lines echo the sentiment of positive construction, expression, and direction needed to keep one’s head up and stay on the ball no matter what. We go on!

                                           —

What about good old Walt? Not Walt Disney! Walt Whitman… his Song Of Myself continues to bring smiles even to this day to many an English and Literature class with the early morning rays of educational sunshine beaming through those sweet windows…

I celebrate myself, and sing myself, 
  And what I assume you shall assume, 
For every atom belonging to me as

  good belongs to you.

An originality and individual value is within us all, not only to be recognized, but validated and cherished as beautiful as well. Song of Myself says this in so many ways…

    

                                           —

Take the breath of Rudyard Kipling in his monumental inspiration entitled “If”:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

This applies not only to “man” but women, children, and all human souls! I live by this fiercely bold and courageous philosophy…. “Yours is the Earth and all upon it, if you can “fill the unforgiving minute”… seize the opportunities laid before you! Take control of your destiny! Shades of Invictus… this is a prevailing theme in inspiring poems.

                                           —

Women have an equal (if not more) of a voice in poetry today than has ever been heard in the history of our prestigious craft. Women such as Rupi Kaur, Maya Angelou, Carol Ann Duffy, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson… transcend emotion into inspirational action… 

Take Wheelsong poet Imelda Zapata Garcia, who continues to encourage a strength and determination that is so original, creative, practical, fierce, and beautiful all at once. This is such an awe inspiring exposition…  “The Gambit”:

Each wrung she stepped upon
led to a faltering height
try as she might, to climb
slipped to the base of the flight
the steps which rose up
from the floor 
led straight to another
in store
Beams of illusion it seems
crept in from high up above 
with promise of hope in a dream
naught much else when
push comes to shove 
What shone at the top of the stairs
a blinding white light on the morn
was merely a glimmer of hope
which climbing that crucible 
had worn 

The promise and glimmer of hope sprinkled within this poem exhibit an unbridled exuberance to overcome the most difficult obstacles, to challenge “the gambit” of life, and come out ahead. It reflects dark and light in such a way as to cover the reader in honest shades of brilliant reality… leaving them forearmed to face the day. Such an amazing inspiration! It’s reassuring to know poets such as Imelda are out there interpreting reality for us!!!

                                          —

This is a blog for writers by writers. So I have to ask… What do you find inspiring? Does it aid in your writing? How so? Please feel free to comment below! I love hearing from you! 

Thank you for reading, and until next time… write on!! And inspire!

Matt Elmore

A review of Into the Grey

Some poets you can identify by the first couple of lines if there is something evident worth reading. A word, a thought, an expression, an image… these reverberate emotions familiar and enjoyable to the reader. 

Brandon Adam Haven is one of those poets. 

He remains a distinctive drafter of demonstrating broad spectrums of human feelings, and the reactions to the often wicked world around him.

                                                         —

Into The Grey is as evocative as its title implies, the haunting cover a picture of an old rustic church. The particular “grey” Haven is referring to is not the grey of the church building, or grey skies… It is the grey of etchings in a tombstone which he refers to in the poem Into The Grey,… the etchings of his own name! This is where the author particularly and instantly hooked me with his vivid introspections.

Wheelsong Books is known for its distinctive flavors of poets, each one vastly different than the other in so many ways. Publisher Steve Wheeler once referred to this variation of styles to me as “Apples to oranges.” Yet, in his wry humor and impeccable talent for turning a phrase, he is also referring to the vivacious fruit of the Wheelsong authors. 

Brandon Adam Haven displays the rich sweetness of this fruit in his book, as well as the bitter taste of doubt and despair.

Reflections of joy reverberate sweetly throughout poems such as O’er the Hills which lightly begins “O’er the hills of the jolly green Deep into its calm gentle pasture, Doth a black mountain overlooking foreseen, As all is merry, under the sweet evergreen”.  

This is also subtly well crafted in A Joyous Life, “I shudder within to shed my cracked skin For beauty is hidden in plain sight And so are the days jubilee What a joyous life.”

Many struggles are addressed as well. Themes of helplessness, although melancholy on the surface, take a turn at redemption, if not validation,… for life itself. Quietly addressing a friend’s slow demise is seen in Choosing Death, “Please let me help you to climb from this dread… So your days may brighten instead of choosing death.” 

Childhood abuse, depression, addiction, and homelessness are some of the topics the author explores and bounces unsuspected reactions off… like this line from The Quiet Woods Of Winter, “Why was it me, who had to suffer all of this instead of the mean, judgmental and happy other kids?”

Love sweet love does not escape the authors notice. His is a discreet creative rendering, embellishing romantic notions such as this one in his poem Love, “She is my angel, and my greatest wish, Is to fulfil her life everyday with abundant and lasting bliss. The sweetest taste is from her precious lips, and I will forever treasure her every kiss”

                                                       —

Brandon lives in Rockford Illinois, not too far from where my mother’s hometown is. I recently communicated a number of things with him. I found he is a most humble and sincere young man. His big heart and sense of empathy is immediately obvious. A musician and poet, he exudes the kind of soul that an introspective poet of his caliber should possess, and does so in abundance.

His book is one of hard knocks and lessons learned from a vivid window of learned experience. Many poems dive deep within the depths of despair with a voice that is not only desperate, but also almost lost.  This is illustrated in Silence, “In silence I reside alone weeping this snowbound night staring out my window to the snowy white reflecting how empty are the dreams of life.”

The Outcast portrays his outsider character so well when he cries out “Well away from the laughter and the past. For I am the vermin of the world, I am the outcast.”

There is an effervescence about his dismay that is not only relatable, but alluring. It is through a clever wordplay that he is able to transcend the maudlin into something tangible and useful for all of us. This is encapsulated by these weighted phrases from One Day, “Chastised by mirth ascended at his core. The hour of grim hovers near, We stand together to wipe each other’s tears.”

                                                       —

Into The Grey stands on its own as a poignant perspective on what it’s like to stand on the edge and be able to jump back before it’s too late. The wisdom of knowing better is so much more evident once the wound has been set in so deep. One does not forget. In that very vein, once you read Haven’s brilliant poems, you will not forget this book.

Matt Elmore

You can purchase your copy of Brandon Adam Haven's Into the Grey through Amazon - all links are here on the Wheelsong Books website.