Beat Poetry

 

Beat poetry emerged in the 1950s as a rebellious literary movement that challenged traditional norms and celebrated the freedom of expression. With its pulsating rhythm, authentic voice, and a very experimental spirit, beat poetry opened new doors for creative exploration. In this blog, we will explore the essence of beat poetry through various examples, inspiring poets to embrace their own unique voices.

The Rhythm of Rebellion

Beat poetry's distinctive rhythm, initially influenced by jazz music, captures the spontaneous energy and emotional intensity of that era. Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" embodies the beat generation's restlessness and thirst for adventure. Here’s a example:

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”

On the Road 

Authentic Expression:

Beat poets expressed themselves honestly, much of the time drawing inspiration from personal experiences. Diane di Prima's "Revolutionary Letters" channels the spirit of rebellion, urging readers to question authority and imagine a transformed world.

A example of this: 

“The value of an individual life a credo they taught us
to instill fear, and inaction, 'you only live once'
a fog on our eyes, we are
endless as the sea, not separate, we die
a million times a day, we are born
a million times, each breath life and death”

Revolutionary Letters 

Experimental Exploration

Beat poetry encouraged experimentation with form and structure. Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "A Coney Island of the Mind" blends vivid imagery, social commentary, and fragmented narratives.

“Here lies love

The ring dove love

In lyrical delight

Hear love’s hillsong

Love’s true willsong

Love’s low plainsong

Too sweet painsong”

A Coney Island of the Mind

Beat poets often used vivid imagery alongside provocative language.

Beat poetry's rhythm, authenticity, experimentation, and imagery continue to inspire poets even in the modern day. Let us embrace the rebellious spirit of beat poetry, unleashing our creative voices to redefine the boundaries of the art form with every line we write.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Photo by: Brandon Adam Haven 

Poetic devices 3: Repetition and refrains

They say that history repeats itself. It has to. Because no-one ever listens. 

That was, of course, a clever line from a poem by Steve Turner from his Nice and Nasty collection. But repetition is also a poetic device. In songs it's known as a refrain. A line or a whole chorus is repeated throughout the song, mainly to carry the hook line, but also to emphasise a phrase or a key point. In poetry the latter is always a good reason to repeat a line. 

There are a variety of fixed form poems that build a repetition of selected lines into their structure. The Villanelle is one example; another is the Pantoum. In both, the refrain shapes the rhythm and tempo of the poem, but can also emphasise and drive home the message the poet wishes to convey. In rhetorical poetry and prose this is known as anaphora. 

Dog by Lawrence Ferlinghetti is a poem written from the perspective of the poet's dog. The poem appears simplistic at first but as you read it you quickly realise it is deeply philosophical, and the repeated lines begin to hammer home the message that the poem is really about us and our own inner dialogues.

The dog trots freely in the street
and sees reality
and the things he sees
are bigger than himself
...
The dog trots freely thru the street
and the things he sees
are smaller than himself
...
The dog trots freely in the street
and has his own dog’s life to live ...

The entire poem can be read at this link.

Another type of repetition is known as epistrophe, where the same line is repeated at the end of an entire stanza or multiple lines. Again, this can be used effectively for emphasis, but can also be used to maintain the tempo of the poem. For a great example of this, watch the Bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke performing his excellent poem Beasley Street (this version has a music backing). 

Building repetition and refrains into your poetry takes a little effort, especially if you want it to make sense. But with a little effort and some practice it can become second nature. Quite a few of my own poemw draw to some extent on repetitive lines and rhythmic use of words. Try it. It's a lot of fun. (I said try it. It's a lot of fun).  

Previous posts in the poetic devices series:

1: Similes
2: Metaphors

Steve Wheeler

Image by Maurits Escher on Wikimedia Commons

Live Poets Society

Remember that fabulous film with Robin Williams as a teacher of English literature at a stuffy American private school? What was it called...? Ah yes. Dead Poets Society. They studied poets like Walt Whitman (wait, what man?), who was long since in his grave, never to pen another poem again. Dead poets.

American poets such as Whitman, Edgar Poe, Emily Dickinson and Henry Longfellow blazed a trail across the United States ... from Robert Frost through to the notable Beat Poets of the fifties and sixties such as Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and latterly Lawrence Ferlinghetti and the blessed Maya Angelou. 

They are all dead. Their quills will squeak on parchment no more. Their typewriters are silent. They are ex-poets. Shuffled off this mortal coil (William Shakespeare of course)... and gone to join the heavenly choir in the sky (Monty Python). OK. I'll shut up.

All I want to draw your attention to is this...  There are plenty of us still alive. We are poets and we are writing poetry even today. Let's give it a voice, a platform, an audience. Let's make a live television show where all of your wonderful poetry can be read out... nay performed... live on Facebook. 

Oh, wait. We are already doing it. Every Friday, live on Invisible Poets, at 7pm UK time. 

It's an event you don't want to miss. Oh sure, you can watch it on playback later if you wish, on several groups including Passion of Poetry, Wheelsong Poetry, Pure Poetry, and Poetry UK to name a few. But there's nothing quite like a live performance to rattle your muse. There's nothing like a live poetry reading to get the literary juices flowing. It's inspirational. It's wonderful. It's.... and... it's yours. That's just one more reason to join Invisible Poets Facebook group as soon as you possibly can. Or sooner.

Steve Wheeler

You can join Invisible Poets by following this link.

Image from Wikimedia Commons