Poetic devices 2: Metaphors

Last week I introduced my new series on poetic writing devices and posted a piece on the use of similes in poetry. In this second post in the series we're going to explore the use of metaphor. 

Now perhaps you're thinking what is the difference between a simile and a metaphor? Well I can best illustrate the difference by employing both devices directly. I might say for example 'He has a brain like a computer!' - and that's a simile. Or, I may instead say 'His brain is a computer!' - which is a metaphor. The first device compares his brain to a computer. The second suggests it is a computer. This is the power of the metaphor. A metaphor states that one thing is another thing. Although the reader knows it isn't true, it nevertheless offers a powerful figure of speech to enrich a comparison. Metaphor goes one step beyond simile. It transforms comparison into symbolism. It is a rhetorical device. And there are metaphors everywhere just waiting for you to use them... (What could the image above denote?)

There are numerous examples of metaphor in poetry. In fact they are everywhere.

In Emily Dickinson's poem Hope we see her speaking of hope as a bird:

Hope is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all

Hope doesn't really assume the form or characteristics of a bird of course. She doesn't even use the word 'bird' - but simply alludes to it as 'the thing with feathers'. The power of the metaphor is there for the writer to wield - and Dickinson uses the device very powerfully here to imply that hope lives like a perched bird inside her, and it sings an endless song. 

The arch proponent of the metaphor in poetry of course, has to be Dylan Thomas. In perhaps his most celebrated poem, Do not go gentle into that good night, Thomas uses night as a metaphor for dying. He's not talking about the setting of the sun here, nor is he wishing his father a good night. He's literally pleading with his to fight against death.  

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Another classic example of metaphor use in poetry is our very own Tunisian bard Rafik Romdhani. He is so prolific in the use of metaphors, that he has published an entire book of poetry called Dance of the Metaphors. Most recently, in a new collection called Vapour of the Mind, Rafik writes: 

Hours are flat tyres

on potholed asphalt roads

Dreams were first moans

before their explosions

We are figments of fiction

caught up within our own minds

This short poem is absolutely laced with metaphor. Hours become flat tyres. Dreams emerge as moans. Then explosions. He paints a dramatic and highly evocative picture of mundane every day life, with very few words. This is the power of the metaphor. Try it in your own poetry and see how far you can push it.

Steve Wheeler

Image from HippoPX used under a Creative Commons Licence

Exercising The Poetic Mind

 

Just as our bodies benefit from regular exercise to stay fit and healthy, our brains and poetic skills also thrive when subjected to exercise. Poetry exercises provide a creative workout for our minds, helping us explore new realms of expression, expand our literary horizons, and refine our poetic abilities. In this blog, we will delve into the importance of poetry exercises and discuss various exercises that can help strengthen our poetic minds and keep them sharp. 

1. The Art of Wordplay

Wordplay exercises stimulate our minds to think beyond just conventional language usage, encouraging us to explore the vast potential of words. Engage in activities such as anagrams, palindromes, or creating puns to enhance your wordplay skills. These exercises not only improve your vocabulary but also encourage you to think critically and creatively. Sometimes, I found in my own work even discovering one newly found word can create a poem at times in itself by creating a guideline or foundation. 

2. Embrace Metaphorical Thinking

Metaphors add such a depth and richness to poetry, allowing us to express complex emotions and ideas through vivid comparison. Engaging in exercises that involve creating metaphors can be immensely beneficial. Take an ordinary object or concept and brainstorm various metaphors that could be associated with it. This exercise trains your mind to think metaphorically and enhances your ability to imbue your writing with powerful imagery.

3. Poetic Forms and Structures

Familiarize yourself with different poetic forms and structures such as sonnets, haikus, villanelles, or pantoums. These forms provide a framework within which creativity can flourish. Challenge yourself to write within specific constraints, such as adhering to a particular rhyme scheme or syllable count. This exercise hones your ability to work within defined parameters while fostering innovative thinking.

4. Painting with Words

Ekphrasis is the art of vividly describing a work of art, usually a painting or sculpture, through poetry. Engage in ekphrasis exercises by selecting a visual artwork and allowing it to inspire your poetic interpretation. Describe the colors, textures, and emotions evoked by the artwork, transforming it into a vibrant tapestry of words. This exercise not only enhances your observational skills but also encourages you to find new ways to convey sensory experiences.

5. Collaborative Poetry

Collaborative poetry exercises involve working with others to create a collective piece of writing. This exercise promotes cooperation, stimulates your imagination, and exposes you to different writing styles and perspectives. Participating in writing circles, poetry workshops, or online forums can provide opportunities for collaborative poetry exercises. I know Matt Elmore has made a few different posts on collaborations and the benefits of that particular experience. Each post and collaboration I read has been very well done which proves the efficacy of this technique. 

6. Stream of Consciousness Writing

Let your thoughts flow freely onto the page in a stream of consciousness exercise. Write without pausing or censoring yourself, allowing your mind to wander and explore new ideas. This exercise can help you to tap into your subconscious mind, unraveling hidden thoughts and emotions. It encourages you to embrace spontaneity and can lead to surprising poetic discoveries.

7. Rewrite and Revise

Revision is an essential part of the writing process, and poetry is no exception. Select a poem you have written and challenge yourself to rewrite it from a different perspective or in a different poetic form. I myself will sometimes write a poem and before posting it, I will check it the next day or two and see if it still has the same impact of when I initially created it. This exercise encourages you to critically evaluate your work and explore alternative possibilities. It also helps you refine your poetic voice and improve your overall writing skills.

Just as physical exercise strengthens our bodies, poetry exercises invigorate our minds and helps sharpen our poetic skills. By engaging in wordplay, exploring metaphors, experimenting with poetic forms, and practicing collaborative writing, we expand our creative boundaries and unlock new realms of expression. So, let us embrace the power of poetry exercises and embark on a journey of continuous growth and poetic discovery. Exercise your poetic mind and watch as your words dance with newfound grace and beauty.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Picture by: Brandon Adam Haven 

Call for poems!

I had to suppress a few smiles last week when I posted the first announcement for Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3. People were texting and emailing me in panic and confusion, because I had not posted a date for submission or email address. It was deliberate, because that post was really a teaser for the one you are now reading. We needed to gauge interest in the project. It's nice to know that so many of you are eager to contribute to this prestigious and far reaching publication. So let me put you all out of your misery. This, dear poets, is the official call for contributions to Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3 (Please read the following instructions carefully).

Firstly, do not bother to submit your poetry if you do not intend to buy at least one copy of the book. It's a charity publication, and all profits from Amazon sales will go to help children in crisis. If you're not prepared to invest in helping kids, we won't be publishing your poetry. 

Secondly, only submit poetry that is a) your own work and b) has not been subject to any other publishing agreement. Poetry you've shared on Facebook and other social media is fine. Just don't send in work that has been published elsewhere under another contract. That could lead to a law suit. The editorial team will reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised, or generated by artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email to this address: wheelsong6@gmail.com. Submissions by any other means will not be considered. Poetry submitted as images or photos will not be considered. Before you ask: There is no theme. 

Finally, all poems submitted will be subject to review by our editorial team. Your poetry will be anonymised so the team can't see who you are. If your poetry is selected, you will be informed via email, and a publication agreement will be sent to you for you to complete and return. If your work is not accepted for publication, you will receive an email informing you of the team's decision. No correspondence other than via email will be valid. Please don't try to text or direct message us. We won't answer. 

The window for submission is now open, and will be closed on Friday 1 September. Any submissions received after this date will be rejected. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed.

We look forward to reading your submissions. Good luck!

Steve Wheeler (on behalf of the editorial team)

Photo © 2023 Wheelsong Books

Poetic devices 1: Simile

In this blog series, I plan to explore a wide range of poetic devices, figures of speech that can enhance your writing significantly. Here's the first in the series: 

Would you like your poetry to pack a punch? Of course you would! You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't. Let's look at simile and how it can add an extra dimension to your poetry. 

You must be familiar with William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate...

Or William Wordsworth's most famous poem, the first lines of which are:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills...

Or most overtly, this by Robert Burns:

O my Luve is like a red, red rose...

All of these poets knew how to use the very common poetic device known as simile to add power to their message. If a writer compares something to something else they are using simile - and similes tend to make the description more emphatic, vivid or colourful.

Often it's not enough to say something like 'he is quiet'. Using simile, you could say 'he is quiet as a mouse', or even more vividly 'he is as quiet as an ancient grave.' You could take this to an abstract level and say something like 'he stands as quietly as an oak tree under freshly fallen snow.' How about that for conjuring up an image? But the simile is just the start... it can open the door for more.

Shakespeare's verse openly states that he is comparing his love to a summer day. He then elaborates that the comparison (or simile) is inadequate. Wordsworth extends his simile, to add a rich description of the nature of a cloud. It sets up his sudden and unexpected discovery of the host of golden daffodils quite brilliantly.

A good simile in a poem can be powerful. What you do with it next makes it memorable or even spectacular. It's like a speeding train that can't be slowed. There... I just used a simile.

Steve Wheeler

Image from Hippopx used under a Creative Commons licence

Is It Poetry Or “Journaling”?

Did you keep a personal journal when you were younger? Something to share feelings about strange exciting things you were experiencing you couldn’t articulate to others? Maybe just an intimate chronicle of your times?

One aspect of poetry I have found to be a most controversial one in my past is the question of just how personal can a poem get before it is considered something other than poetry?

I was an editor for the Western Illinois University annual college literary magazine for three years, taking it completely over my last year. It was a quality collection of poems, short stories, photography,… I was the first to introduce strip art into the mix. My team and I were very proud of the eclectic diversity.

The only conflict I had with the director and English professor overseeing our cumulative affair was in what she called “journaling”, or just writing out feelings on something and calling it poetry.  She didn’t believe it had a place in our book.

I tended to agree with her. Many submissions at that level tend to reflect that flavor of direction. However, I argued up and down for one application that I thought was cleverly worded and poetically expressed a relatable emotion. She still said it was journaling. I still put it in there! I’m glad I did.

Many poets using poetry as a therapeutic device tend to lean into this approach. I’ve always considered art as subjective, and one poet can never be “better than” or “nowhere close to” another. I’ve had my doubts of course… especially when reading the brilliant works of many of the modern poets today! But it really does come down to comparing “apples to oranges” as colleague and master editor Steve Wheeler once put it, which eased my worries immensely. 

Themes such as lost love and failures of so many colors consecrate the graves of most journalistic poetry. They are generally identified in detailed circumstances surrounding a relatable and often obvious theme.

Don’t get me wrong. I wrote one today and didn’t even consider putting it out there, but I did. A section of which as follows…

                                        —

fatalistic

…innocence psychoanalyzed by wisdom

gives way to shorts in an electrical brain 

snapping my tongue uncharacteristically 

freezing a gratuitous patience paralyzed 

forcing awkward damage control apologies 

eventually apologizing for my very existence 

hampering hankerings to do something wild

only because it hurts more than it ever did 

physically mentally spiritually life forces me

to become something I never wanted to be…

…fatalistic…

©️penned by: m.e.

                                       —

Be honest!!! 

I enthusiastically encourage you to be the editor here… is this poetry or just “journaling”?!

I appreciate your comments as always! Please feel free to contribute your feelings on this article below and thank you so much for reading! 

Matt Elmore

Cover reveal

Yes, dear poets. This is a small taste of what the cover art looks like for Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3. The call for submissions will open tomorrow, complete with full instructions on this blog. You will then have two full weeks to send your poems in for review. 

Just a reminder that the proceeds from Amazon sales of this book will be donated to Save the Children, a global charity that provides food, medicine, shelter and education to children in crisis. It's a worthwhile cause. Please get behind it.

Steve Wheeler (on behalf of the editorial team)

Image is copyright by Wheelsong Books Limited

Poetry Inspired By Photography

Warning!!! 

This article should not be taken as irrevocable truth!!! 

When it comes to creating and art, most rules are subjective. They are rather meant to be broken, in order to implement change. Thus, there is always another fresh “movement” of various ideas and implementations. 

Thank heavens… it would be a rather boring world otherwise, wouldn’t it?!

                                        —

Many poetry groups offer photo prompts as a way of moving poets to write of what they perceive. It is an effective way of inspiring a writer because  it is all right there. Just let the hash fly… detailing descriptions, atmosphere, character development, ambiguities… all the usual content suspects to a writer.

I always considered writing a poem about a photo cheating. All the images are frozen there for a poet to immediately suss out in the moment. Nothing is left to imagination as far as capturing anything that happens after the fact. It is but a snapshot of a memory. 

Many artists like to paint or sketch from a picture. This is how they paint, and more often than not, it comes out amazing. The shade is right on and the colors are appropriate. How can they not be? They are right there…

Photos contain many useful attributes for poets to utilize. Not only content, but the feel of the atmosphere, action , suggestive shapes, and

expressions amongst other things…

Since writing is an evolving craft, writers must evolve with it. Not only in terms of what readers want, but what we as writers want to convey. The amount of information we work with and put out can get stagnant. Thus, the use of any and all provocative processes of our craft should not only be attempted, but REPETITIVELY ENCOURAGED! 

                                        —

I have gotten over my personal dislike of writing from pictures, and now find it amusing (if not somewhat successful) in creating a crafty keeper. It can be amazing how many particular subjects an imaginative poet can expound upon to be inspired!

                                        —

Do you write poems from observing pictures? Do you not? Please free to elaborate as to how and why you do… POST YOUR COMMENTS BELOW! I’d love to hear from you. 

Matt Elmore

Expanding Your Poetry

Poetry is a timeless art form that’s practically been around most of humanity. It has the power to capture the essence of emotions and experiences in a condensed, pure and thoughtful manner. If you're an aspiring poet looking to expand your poetic horizons, this blog is for you. Here we'll explore a few simple, yet effective ways to enhance your poetic expression and unlock different creativities. 

1. Experiment with Different Forms

   

One can challenge themselves by exploring various poetic forms such as sonnets, haikus, villanelles, or free verse. Each form offers a unique structure and rhythm that can inspire fresh ideas and stretch your poetic capabilities.

2. Dive into Nature

   

Nature is a profound source of inspiration for poets. I know it plays a major part in my own work. Perhaps try to immerse yourself in its beauty and observe the intricate details. Let the colors, scents, and sounds ignite your imagination, enabling you to hopefully be inspired to paint vivid pictures with your words.

3. Embrace Metaphors and Similes

   

Metaphors and similes add depth and richness to one’s poetry. Compare abstract concepts with tangible objects or draw parallels between unrelated ideas, this will allow your readers to experience your words on multiple levels.

4. Read Widely

   

Expand your poetic palette by diving into the works of a multitude of different poets. Read across different eras, styles, and even cultures. By exposing yourself to diverse voices, you'll certainly start to gain new insights, discover fresh techniques, and broaden your perspective.

5. Practice Regularly

   

Like any craft poetry requires practice. Try to set aside dedicated time for writing, even if it's just a few minutes each day. Use prompts, engage in free writing, or capture snippets of daily observations. With consistent practice, your poetic prowess is sure to create self expansion.

Expanding your poetry is an exciting journey of self-expression and creativity. By embracing different forms, drawing inspiration from nature, employing vivid metaphors, exploring diverse works, and practicing regularly, you'll refine your poetic voice and captivate readers with your words. So I say step beyond your comfort zone and embrace the unknown. Then watch as your poetry soars to new heights. Happy writing everyone! 

Brandon Adam Haven 

Image free for fair use by Freepix