The poet in the green hoodie

The very first image used to promote Invisible Poets was a guy in a black hoodie, crouching down on a the track of a railway bridge. It was meant to depict anonymity. We used this for some time to promote the Facebook poetry group. More recently, as we approach our first birthday, we've had a bit of a revamp. The poet in the green hoodie is perhaps, more striking an image. And it's versatile, because the green poet pops up everywhere in a variety of scenarios. It's an ironic statement on the back of an ironic idea. Meta irony, if you will...

Invisible Poets was a title Charlene Phare and I dreamed up when we set up the group in early February 2023. We didn't expect it to grow into a community of more than 25,000 members, but we did aim at trying to make those poets who felt they were 'anonymous' and unrecognised into more visible artists. To achieve this, we decided to offer opportunities on Invisible that could not be found elsewhere. 

There is now a Live Poets Society show 3 times a week, from the UK, USA and South Africa, which seeks to showcase the very best in poetry from postings exclusively inside the group. We seek not only to read out the best poems, but to perform them. The shows attract hundreds of viewers. 

A group blog was set up to promote ideas about poetry, and to support poets as they develop their craft. The blog features news and views, and a large percentage of the posts are dedicated to poetic devices and forms and how to use them. This is a form of mentoring for those who choose to read the blog, and it offers free education to anyone in the group, or indeed elsewhere in the poetrysphere.

Finally, in collaboration with Wheelsong Books, we have produced several anthologies to raise the profile of poets, enable many to achieve their first publications, and through a rigorous peer review system ensure that every poem that is published has gone through the checks and balances to be certified as great poetry.

The green hoodie poet will be seen more and more as time goes by, and as the reach and influence of Invisible Poets extends out across the poetry world.

Steve Wheeler 

Invisible Poets Anthology

Just so you know... Invisible Poets is celebrating its first birthday this week. The Facebook poetry group, which at the time or writing has over 25,000 members, was set up by Charlene Phare and Steve Wheeler on February 11, 2023. It has grown exponentially thanks to the marvellous Admin and Moderator team has remained safe, active and vibrant. 

To mark the first anniversary, the first Invisible Poets Anthology has been published - in paperback, hardcover and Kindle editions. We chose 350 poems to feature in the book. The selection process was quite rigorous, so the poems you read when you open the pages will be some of the best that currently exist on Facebook poetry groups. That's quite a bold claim, but I don't make it blithely. Here's the process...

First, only poems that have featured on one of the Live Poets Society shows were considered. To be performed on the show in the first place, a poem must stand out, be unique and have an emotional impact on the hosts who select the poems each week. The poems in the list are all special in their own ways. Secondly, from this list of more than 800 poems, only the best of the best of these were selected to be included in the book. The anthology poems are diverse in style, and eclectic in their subject matter. There is literally something for everyone in the anthology.

What is even better is this... for every book sold, whether from Amazon, or from one of the online stores such as Waterstones (UK), Barnes and Noble (USA) or direct from Wheelsong Books, a worldwide charity called Save the Children will receive the same donation. This is for children caught up in disaster areas or war zones. Save the Children provide food, medicine and medical care, clothing and shelter and education opportunities for children in crisis. Wheelsong Books has been proud to be associated with the charity for the last 2 years. 

So, this anthology is not only jammed packed full of wonderful, insipiring poetry in its 300 pages, it is also doing some good for little ones who are in desperate need. What is stopping you from buying one or more copies of this beautiful book?

Steve Wheeler

Image copyright by Wheelsong Books

Writing Fun Poems

Sometimes it’s a necessity as a writer to change your shorts. 

Writing fun poems (long or short) presents one particular genre that can cleanse palettes often desensitized to the sweet prospects of joy in humor. They can be a welcome change of pace! 

A few poetic forms work quite well for tickling the old funny bone. Click on the term to learn the particulars about them!

Edward Lear made the limerick popular in his “Book Of Nonsense”, published in 1846. It’s a short five line poem with a most musical rhyme flow. Consider this gem:

There was an old man on a hill,

Who seldom, if ever stood still;

He ran up and down 

In his grandmothers gown 

Which adorned that old man on the hill.

Not exactly a knee slapper I know… but it WAS 1846! Limericks take all forms, including those of the vulgar varieties about men from Nantucket and other such doggerel.

Another short short would be a monostitch, which could be a line verse in a larger poem, or simply a one line poem. Something like “Literary gnomes make their homes in a poem”… okay, this may be a monostich that does not exactly leave you in stitches, but you get the point.

A kenning can be a blast to use… it is a two word per line poem that describes something without ever saying what it’s describing… a short funny kenning for a child would be something like: 

ankle biter

lamp smasher

bug thief

crazy maker

heart warmer

A clerihew is a quick four line poem created by Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956)  who was so bored in his chemistry class he scribbled this out about Sir Humphrey Davy (inventor of sodium):

Sir Humphrey Davy

Detested gravy.

He lived in the odium

Of having discovered sodium.

A clerihew’s first two lines rhyme, the last two lines rhyme, and the first line starts with a name. Simple… but most effective for a fast funny!

Consider this one by Invisible Poet Lorna McLaren:

Boris Johnson

sang his own swansong

stammering while addressing the nation afflicted with verbal constipation

Or this one by Invisible Poet Ally Smith:

E.T.

Alien to me

Trying hard to contact home

But couldn’t find a telephone 

Of course you can write anything in free verse using metaphors and funny wordplay. The “anything goes” format of free verse is perfect for the silly, absurd, or just straight out funny truth. I once wrote a love poem called “The Love Wrestler” which compared a professional wrestler to my girlfriend. It had lunatic lines like  “headlock on my heart” and “let down in another town with an imaginary name on my pants”.

These are not the ONLY fun forms to write with, but they are a great place to start. That and a clean pair of shorts. 

Matt Elmore

Image by: Unsplash

#poetry, #writing, #funpoems

How to write mindless poetry

Do you want to write mindless poetry? Easy. Get a machine to do it. You won't need to think about it at all. You simply press the key and the computer will write your poem for you. Sadly, this is becoming a popular trend on Facebook poetry groups. 

Several people have asked me why we ban the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated poetry on Invisible Poets group. It's quite simple.

Firstly, it's very lazy. Anyone can click on ChatGPT for example, and ask it to generate a poem on any subject (many other free AI tools are available). This requires absolutely no talent or creativity.  Let's say you want a five stanza poem on love. In seconds you have something like this:

In the dance of hearts, a melody sweet,
Love's symphony, in whispers discreet.
Through moonlit nights and sunlit days,
A timeless bond that forever sways.

Eyes that speak in a silent prose,
A language only true lovers know.
In every touch, a tender embrace,
Love's magic transcends time and space.

Through stormy seas or skies serene,
Love's fortress strong, an eternal sheen.
A tapestry woven with threads so fine,
Two souls entwined, an intertwining line.

In laughter shared and tears that fall,
Love weathers storms, standing tall.
A journey marked by moments divine,
A love story, forever to shine.

So let the echoes of love resound,
In every heartbeat, in love, be found.
A poem written in the language of the heart,
A masterpiece, where love is art. 

Well, at first glance, it seems like a reasonable poem. But read it more thoughtfully and you'll see it's not very good poetry. It is literally mindless. It uses cliches in a predictable 8 syllable, 4 step AABB rhyme scheme. It's bland, soulless, and takes no creativity or effort on your part.  In ChatGPT-3, the same words seem to appear repeatedly, such as serene, tapestry, entwined, embrace, eternal, etc. These are all tell-tale signs the poem was not written by a human. 

Now why would you want to put your name to such drivel? 

Furthermore, you wouldn't do it if you knew how AI actually works. It spiders (searches) all the poetry on the web (other poets' work), gathers expressions, lines and rhymes and stitches it all together so you can pretend you wrote it. It's plagiarism. It's dishonest. It's theft.

Now why would you want to associate yourself with that? And yet... and yet... a small minority in the group still persist, thinking they can fool everyone. They end up being banned from the group, and their name forwarded to the Admin of many other groups. Game over. 

If we suspect a poem has been AI generated we remove it from the group. If the member persists and posts more, we eventually remove them from the group. We throw people out of the group every week for trying to pass of AI poetry as their own. We don't lose sleep over it. We want to protect the integrity of the group and the interests of our members. There is software that can detect whether AI has been used, and we also have computer scientists on our Admin/Moderator team who are experienced in the use of AI.

So please don't even think about generating poems using AI. Write your own poetry. Poetry you can be proud of. Express yourself in your own words. Steer away from the kind of bland, soulless AI lines you see in the verses above. We don't want mindless poetry. We want soulful, authentic, from the heart poetry!

Come back at me if you disagree with any of this. I like a good fight.

Steve Wheeler 

Image from Pxhere

Punctuation In Poetry

It’s easy to just ignore punctuation and just say it’s your style to leave it all out. I know… because I have for years! Hey… that’s just my style! 

However, as I’ve gotten older, I have found that the use of particular punctuation marks really help the reader to separate ideas, organize flow, and accentuate particular themes. 

One thing that has always got me is what the difference is between colons and semicolons. Semicolons (;) are used between two complete sentences. They simply take the place of conjunctions like and, but, so, or, nor, for, yet… and so on. Colons (:) are used at the end of a statement to introduce a list of related ideas.  So there definitely is a difference.

Commas (,) might also introduce a quagmire… yet they aren’t all that complex. They simply separate words and phrases before a conjunction (like and or but), as well as separated introductory phrases such as “Before the game, I got a hot dog”.

Dashes (-) can be used as commas- but they should be used discretely. Another matter of style there! They look just like hyphens (-) which pair compound words like merry-go-round or user-friendly.

Many of these are more geared toward writing outside of poetry, yet it is good to be aware of what you can use to elevate your writing when you are a poet.

Question marks (?) are used in poetry for dramatic effect at the end of a sentence or phrase in an interrogative (or inquiring) manner. Exclamation marks (!) also place a dramatic effect in an exclamatory way… to stress passion or urgency. Look out!

Apostrophes (‘) are used to mark possession. You put the apostrophe after a plural noun such as “students’ grades” as opposed to one “student’s grades”. They replace words as in  “Johnny’s”, meaning “Johnny is…” They can also mark contractions and quotations within quotations. 

Quotation marks (“) surround words or phrases to inform the reader of something spoken or copied, as well as to quote as unique or ironic. In poetic prose, they always go BEFORE the period.

Ellipsis (…) is a curious beast. It marks the omission of a word or words. The use of it as a pause is not really grammatically correct, though I think that the ever changing grammatical world we live in considers its use to indicate there is more to be said… especially within the texting format. I use it as a dramatic pause in my poems- it’s simply another matter of style, really.

I’ve not seen much use of parentheses () in poetry, though it can be incorporated. They are usually utilized for information that is not essential (but a good footnote) to a sentence. See how I did that?! 

Lastly, minimizing capital letters tends to annoy grammatical purists. Using capital letters is proper and I will not refute that. However, it is also a manner of style. I personally do this too. It’s bad I know. But what the hey, it worked for e.e. cummings!

These punctuation marks are more than just doodles on a keyboard! They are ammunition to use in knocking down obstructions of understanding between the poet and the reader. When you know how to properly use punctuation marks, it only increases the tools you need to get your message successfully clear and precise.

I hope this is helpful! Please feel free to add anything I may have missed, and thanks for reading!

Matt Elmore

Using Elizabethan English

Language is always evolving. As Jeff Lynne once said 'It's a living thing...' English is a particularly rich and complex language that has drawn upon multiple sources and ages to bring it to its present state. 

Elizabethan English (EE) seems to be a version of English that many poets are drawn to. Perhaps they wish to draw inspiration from the Stratford Bard himself, William Shakespeare, whose poems and plays span 1580-1610; or maybe they wish to echo the poetic scriptures of the King James Bible, first published around 1611.

Whatever the motivation, when it's done well, a modern poem written in Elizabethan English (more accurately Early Modern English) can be quite impressive. When it's done badly, it can be an absolute disaster. I have witnessed many poets, who don't quite have a full understanding of EE, struggling terribly to try to articulate their ideas.

So, for those who would love to write this archaic form of poetry, but don't yet have the skill, here is a crash course in how to do it...

Let's start off with the simple phrase 'You have made it.' It's a past participle phrase. It has been made, and it was you who made it. You could articulate it like this:

Thou hast made it. 

...or better still ...

Thou hast fashioned it

...or the ultimate...

It hath been fashioned by thy hand.

Some of the archaic EE words can be brought to bear to transform a mundane phrase into something special. Here's another example:

You will, as time passes, see yourself differently

...becomes...

Thou wilt, as time passeth, see thyself differently.

Remember the following common verbs...

Has = hath (he/she) or hast (thou)

Shall = shalt

Will = wilt

Can = canst 

Does = doeth 

Are = art

... and other verbs that can often be extended by the suffix '-eth', e.g. walketh, maketh or sleepeth. 

...and for the use of the first person...

You = thou or thee

Your = thy

Yours = thine

These are merely the rudimentary rules of EE grammar. There's plenty more to be learnt. I hope this helps you if you're intent on writing poetry in the archaic style of Elizabethan English. I wish thee good fortune. 

Steve Wheeler 

Image from Wikimedia Commons 

Identifying Perspectives

Have you ever considered what would happen if you were the only person left on the planet? Although we generally like to think of ourselves as somewhat entertaining, don’t you think that would get boring after awhile?

Perhaps you have heard the term “opposites attract”… two distinctly different people being drawn to each other? What causes that magnetism… and sustains such relationships?

Our world is comprised not only of many different cultures, geographies, and societal conditions, it is also drawn together by just as many similarities. I believe that it is both these differences AND commonalities that create our poetic perspective.

To call perspective a “worldview” is to narrow it down to particular ideologies such as religion, politics, and nationality. I believe perspective calls all these into play… yet it can also draw upon tastes in art, character, and individual dignity. We are the sum of our experiences!

When applied to poetry, perspective can be debilitating, due to the poet’s particular background and way of looking at things. We have to widen our scopes as poets!

The most versatile bards are those that transcend their own personal opinions. They take on different subjects and points of view, then reconcile them with their own. In doing so, they create a unique perspective, or make a more complex statement of universal purpose.

Addressing something so simple as differing views on fashion, or even what is preferable weather, can create an enjoyable palette of variations. Getting a bit more complex, one might negotiate differentiating life goals or personal agendas, or find a common ground in conservative and liberal viewpoints. If you discover the latter,… let me know! We could all use that!

Being a poet is all about identifying perspectives. Being a next level poet involves reconciling as many perspectives as one possibly can within reason. It is in finding out the commonalities of our differences that we may make this a better world through our art… as something EVERYONE can relate to.

Matt Elmore

Image by: Unsplash

Paraprosdokian: How to use it

As many of you know language is a powerful tool that allows us to express our thoughts, ideas, and inner emotions. Within the vast realm of rhetoric lies a fascinating figure of speech called paraprosdokian. Although not considered a device many find this witty technique as significant. With its unexpected twists and surprising endings, paraprosdokian adds a touch of humor and thought-provocation to the spoken or written word. In this blog I’m crafting we will explore the significance of paraprosdokian and delve into a few examples that showcase its unique charm.

Paraprosdokian is a figure of speech that involves a sudden shift in meaning or a clever twist at the end of a phrase or sentence. It catches the listener or reader off guard, oftentimes creating a humorous or thought-provoking effect. By defying what’s expected and subverting conventional linguistic patterns, paraprosdokian adds an element of surprise to the reader as well as an intriguing approach to what it’s trying to convey. I’ve used this technique countless times especially when I used to write humorous scripts for my friends claymation plannings. 

One of the primary reasons paraprosdokian is significant is its ability to evoke surprise. We oftentimes are wired to seek patterns and make assumptions based on our past experiences as well as our knowledge of what should be. Paraprosdokian capitalizes on this tendency and takes full advantage by setting up a familiar pattern or expectation and then abruptly shattering it. The resulting surprise triggers a delightful response, capturing attention as well as ultimately a stimulating engagement.

Paraprosdokian is very often associated with humor and wit. The unexpected twist in these linguistic constructions can generate laughter, as the listener's mind adjusts from one interpretation to another. The element of surprise, combined with the clever wordplay, tickles our sense of humor and leaves us amused. Many comedians and humorists frequently employ paraprosdokians effectively to inject their performances with comedic brilliance.

Beyond its comedic appeal, paraprosdokian serves as a tool for thought-provocation. By disrupting the anticipated flow of words, it challenges our preconceived notions and encourages us to think more deeply. Paraprosdokians prompt us to reevaluate our assumptions and consider alternative perspectives. They can be used to convey social commentary, irony, or even to highlight contradictions, making them a valuable device for critical thinking and reflection.

A few examples of Paraprosdokian:

1. "I asked the doctor if I would ever be able to run like a gorilla. He replied, 'Of course! Just not during my office hours.'"

-The twist in this example lies in the fact that the doctor's response seems to address the question positively at first, but ultimately implies that the person should not run like a gorilla during the doctor's office hours.

2. "I'm not a complete idiot. Some parts are missing."

-This statement initially seems self-deprecating, implying that the speaker lacks intelligence. However, the twist comes when they reveal that they are aware of their shortcomings, suggesting that they are not entirely foolish.

3. "I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure."

-This sentence creates a total paradox by implying a change in the speaker's indecisiveness. The unexpected twist lies in the fact that their uncertainty extends even to their claim of being less indecisive.

Paraprosdokian, with its unexpected endings and surprising twists, adds a touch of whimsy, wit, and thought provocation to our language. By defying expectations and challenging our assumptions, paraprosdokians definitely captivate our attention and can leave a lasting impact. Whether in humor, social commentary, or everyday conversation, this technique invites us to revel in the beauty of linguistic surprises and embrace the power of unexpected endings. So, the next time you encounter a paraprosdokian, allow yourself to be delighted by its clever wordplay and revel in the joy of linguistic surprises. I also encourage those interested to give this a go. Don’t worry you have full permission, other than from everyone else. 

By: Brandon Adam Haven 

Meme created by Chris Cunitz used with permission.