Why are you here?

Several people have recently voiced their disappointment at not being noticed on Invisible Poets poetry group. 

This is quite ironic. We are Invisible Poets and we can be invisible. Most poets usually are! When I originally named this group I did so because it has become a universal rite of passage for just about every poet I have ever known. You start off in obscurity and continue that way until either someone with some clout notices you, or you begin to gain some acknowledgement from your peers. And for many, that never happens. You remain invisible. 

So we all have to ask ourselves the question: why are we here? Why do we join poetry groups, and why do we share our poems on Facebook groups, if very few people ever acknowledge, like or comment on our work? To answer that question, perhaps we should all ask ourselves an even more fundamental question: why do we write poetry?

Your answer to that question will be different to mine. We are all unique individuals and our motivation will be just as varied as our personalities. But deep down inside, I think that most of us write poetry because it is an outlet for our ability to infuse words with emotion and meaning. I know that when I write poetry, it is often because I have an idea or a thought that I want to crystallise in words. Sharing it with others is a secondary thing. I have many poets that not even my closest friends or family have ever seen. Perhaps they never will. Such poems are from the deepest recesses of my heart and mind, and perhaps it's better that they were never seen or read by anyone else. 

But when I share a poem (and many of my best ones are never shared!) on a Facebook group, my anticipation is that I will get some feedback from my peers, even if it is a simple 'like'. When this doesn't happen, it can be soul destroying, especially for those individuals who might be a little fragile at the time. Does feedback really matter? For many it really does. 

Perhaps feedback, acknowledgement, recognition is vital for you. So, when it doesn't happen for whatever reason, how do you cope? What is your strategy?  Do you go off into a dark corner and curse, weep and moan? Or do you pick yourself up and go and write a better poem? 

If you're simply posting poetry because you want to express yourself and aren't too bothered whether others read your work or not, then stop reading now.

For those who crave a little more attention for their poetry, here's something to ponder: 

On Facebook one of the main reasons people may not notice your poetry is because they haven't see it. It doesn't appear on their timeline as they scroll through posts. This is usually because you haven't engaged much with other people's posts. Facebook algorithms are designed to encourage social interaction. The more you comment and like other people's poetry, the more likely they are to see you posts coming up in their timelines. 

So next time you feel ignored on a Facebook poetry group, think about commenting on, and liking a few other people's posts. If you regularly do this and build up connections with others in the group, you'll soon begin to see them offering you comments and likes on your posts too.

Steve Wheeler

Image source

Poetic devices 15: Paradox

Life is complex and full of contradictions. As poets, we try to represent life in all its complexity and we can call upon an extraordinarily diverse range of devices to achieve their goals. One of the least understood, but perhaps most appropriate devices to illustrate our complex and contradictory lives is paradox. The poet can create tension that represents turmoil, confusion and even hypocrisy. Take the example of the line by William Shakespeare in Hamlet 'I must be cruel only to be kind.' It's a paradox. 

Paradox should not be confused with oxymoron. An oxymoron commonly uses just two word to create a contradiction - bitter sweet, awfully good, police intelligence (the last one is a joke, don't @ me). A paradox, by comparison can take up a full sentence or even an entire stanza. The following example by English romantic poet William Wordsworth is a great example of paradox:

my heart leaps up when I behold
a rainbow in the sky:
so was it when my life began;
so is it now I am a man;
so be it when I shall grow old,
or let me die!
the child is father of the man;
and I could wish my days to be
bound each to each by natural piety

The line 'the child is father of the man' is clearly paradoxical, but interestingly is a profound statement about how childhood shapes character in later life. It was so deep that Sigmund Freud stole the idea and used it to develop his philosophy in the development of psychotherapy. 

Paradox is not easy to achieve, but if you can do it, it's a neat yet effective way to add some depth to your poetry, so have a try!

Steve Wheeler

Image source

Previous posts in this series

1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Repetition and refrains
4. Alliteration
5. Assonance
6. End Rhymes
7. Internal Rhymes
8. Rhythm and Tempo
9. Enjambment

10. Allegory

11. Metonymy

12. Cacophony

13. Calligram

14. Personification

Poison pens

They say everyone's a critic... and we each certainly have strong opinions, especially about poetry. 

There are many ways to analyse, critique and appreciate poetry. On Invisible Poets and other groups I administer, I have observed two main ways people regularly use. 

The first has the potential to be quite superficial. It's where the reader makes remarks about the content or topic of the poem. They tend to ignore the artistry or form of the poetry and comment directly about the topic. 'I don't believe in this kind of thing!' or 'I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this..' The flaw is that the reader may assume the poet is writing about their personal experience or problems - which may well be the case - but may just as easily be fiction. I remember once writing a poem about the tragic loss of a loved one, and receiving several condolence messages. 

The poem was pure fiction. 

I was attempting to place myself, the poet, into the emotional shoes of someone who was grieving. Now, it was kind of those who offered consolation, because it showed they were empathetic. But by being taken up by the content, each had missed the mark, ignoring the artistry of my rhyme scheme and rhythmic cadence, which I had toiled with for some time, so it was very frustrating for me!

Another flaw with the content analysis approach can be found in the attitude of the reader/commenter. If they are antagonistic to the message they may even try to counteract it with an opinion of their own.  They will have been triggered, and they may then respond harshly and critically. You've all seen people do this! It can cause hurt, offence and discouragement, but as many would tell you... such remarks tell you more about the person making the comments than they do about the poet. Publicly, it makes them look ignorant or deliberately antagonistic. 

Clearly, remarking on content can be unhelpful, especially if the comment is an attack on the poet's beliefs or values. The commenter ends up either missing the point or attacking the person instead of objectively evaluating their poem. 

The alternative, (and for me, more constructive) method of response is to remark on the form of the poem rather than focus solely on its content or theme. Does the poem flow with a good tempo? Does the poet use metaphors, similes or other literary devices to enhance the poem? Has a specific rhyme scheme or poetic form such as a sonnet or villanelle been employed? Does the poem inspire or challenge the reader by the way they write? These and other questions are much deeper and more meaningful than simply commenting on, or criticising the theme or topic of the poem. 

Ultimately, both ways - form and content analysis - can be valid if written with kindness. Go ahead and comment on the poetry of others, either about its content or form, but do make sure it's constructive, relevant, meaningful and avoids rudeness and your own biased opinions. Think before you write a comment and then think again before you post it. 

Don't be triggered by content. Throw away the poisoned pen and comment with kindness. Move beyond your own biases and enjoy poetry for its form and beauty.

Steve Wheeler 

Image source

A Review Of “Beyond The Pyre”

There is a purpose that burns within us all… a fire that longs for expression and validity. At times it burns without even being identified,… a longing, existing to redeem sufferings into something new and precious as life itself.  This refinement burns brightly within an incineary collection of poems by Imelda Garcia entitled “Beyond The Pyre”, published by Wheelsong Books.

Imelda possesses an exuberant edge that sets her apart from everyday authors. A poet in every sense of the word, she is able to extrapolate images out of emotions… weave stories out of feelings, and discern truths out of deception.

Her topics maneuver between the diverse and the divine. She is no one trick pony, touching upon such hot button subjects as climate change, war, poverty, racism, women’s rights, and child advocacy. She also celebrates her Latino background exquisitely through the eyes of an endlessly expressive spirit. Imelda is bold, and writes with a distinct expression that gives every poem her signature. 

Her years of experience with tragedy and celebrations as a mother come to life in such poems as “Momma Doesn’t Want”, “Bolt” and “Woman Of Wonder”, in which she elegantly celebrates her daughter. She delicately touches upon childbirth and the ups and downs of motherhood here in “Womb”: 

“mothers sow seeds from the womb

tend then watch seedlings grow 

nurturing throughout life’s expanse 

often while consumed with sorrow”

The spiritual  aspects of her poetic voice are also evident in selections with such enthralling  titles as “What If God’s Not One Of Us”, “Untouchables”, “Rock Of My Altar”, and “Oh J.C.!” In “I Thirst” she passionately petitions to us all to become aware of our own precious redeeming vulnerabilities by addressing her own:

“I and mine call on your humanity

though He might have said it first

look to your souls, you’ll see

I am a human being, and I thirst”

Able to cover so many subjects, she ducks and dodges jabs of the mundane like a skilled prize fighter, unafraid to challenge any metaphor. She dances with death in poems like “Above Crosses” or “Forbidden Fruit”, and even explores the cosmos itself with titles like “Celestial”, “Of Stardust” and “Ethereal”.

Her love poems soar as she professes a most solid adoration for her beloved husband. Balancing between heavenly and earthly desires, Garcia knows romance where it comes to for better or for worse, or as she would describe it, “… to go for gold and failed to fall”, a fine line from “In Heaven”. From passion to endearing forever love beyond the physical, she does not fail to deliver.

Her dedication to poetry is evident in offerings like “La Poeta”, “On The Swing”, and the following excerpt from “Abstract Stamp”:

“…The art I now create for prosperity 

Are words, I hope with clarity

Impress upon future review

My definition of my view

Having shared on podium stalls

On stage, in schools, library halls

I try to stamp a liberal mark

On countless minds who hear my spark” 

No one writes quite like Imelda Garcia. Her use of short staccato phrasings, set with a lush use of metaphors, paints a mosaic of meaningful word murals that are both enjoyable to read and practical to interpret.

“Beyond The Pyre” is exactly that… a white hot refinement beyond our earthly reality into an understanding of illuminating truths, both profound and utterly beautiful. 

Matt Elmore

Available now on Amazon

Beyond the Pyre
https://a.co/d/5vlnfqY

Open Mic Poetry Top 10 List

Many working poets take it upon themselves to make a grass roots effort to get out there and work those poems… make them sing. Sell some books. Yet it’s not always easy to translate from the desk to the stage. I’d like to write a bit about this…

The other night I read at a house party. As a published poet…. I am selling my book Constellation Road, as well as the newest Wheelsong Poetry Anthology Three. I thought this was the best way to get some practice in before some coffee houses and library gigs, as well as full fledge street poet style, which is not out of the question. I’d leave that blog to Steve Wheeler for street poets!

The poetry reading was a great success, and I learned some valuable lessons other than lightening the load of my book box.

Stepping out in front of people takes guts. It’s not easy to avoid tripping over your own tongue. Here’s a top ten list to consider before hitting the open mic poetry stage…

                                        —

#1 Be Prepared. 

Know which poems you are going to read and be able to get to them instantly.

#2 Know Where To Place Inflections. 

Performance poetry has its ups and downs in volume, has succinct pronunciations, and intentional breaks…. Know where these are when you read for maximum effect.

#3 Make Eye Contact.

Keeping engaged with your audience keeps them engaged with you.

#4 Be Passionate

Just as you can tell musicians are really into the song and their joy is infectious, tap into this as well. Use your hands! Use your body! Move! Have facial expressions! Express!

#5 Get To The Skinny

Remember you are there to read poems not talk. Maybe a little something something to mention… but stick to the poetry, thank you, and outta there.

#6 No Distractions

Stay focused. Anybody on stage has to react to audience… or not. If you do… keep it short and polite.

#7 Stay Professional

Off color comments can lead you down wrong turn roads real fast…. Stay professional always and you can’t go wrong.

#8 Put Your Books Right In Front Of You

I am very shy about selling things. This was my BIGGEST TAKEAWAY. I didn’t mention I had books for sale. I sold a number of them… near the end of the night! Oops! So… set them out and mention them! 

#9 Pick Your Best

Some poems don’t translate so well as performance pieces while others are fantastic! Choose which ones work for you best.

#10 Have Fun!

Most important… people can tell if you are nervous, yet folks are also moved by confidence. Be proud of yourself, step up there, and have fun with it!

                                       —

Reading your own work can be incredible! I love what I do, and I think it shows best when I am up there in front of folks reading my poetry! It makes all the hard work worth it.

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve done this before and may have something to add , or even just share. Thank you for reading!

Matt Elmore

Poetic devices 14: Personification

Personification is a common device used in poetry and other forms of literature. This is where writers ascribe a human characteristic to non-human objects or animals. Personification also occurs when writers represent an abstract quality in human form. It's the literary version of anthropomorphism.

Personification a great device to add richer description to your writing, and it helps readers to understand the scene a little better. Here's an example from a poem by Emily Dickinson:

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

In this instance, the poet personifies an abstract concept - Death - and gives it some human characteristics. Personification allows you to ascribe human emotions to things or concepts like this, and this can add great depth to your poetry. You might first instance write:

The rain wept in sorrow

Eh? The rain of course possesses no emotions, so how could it be sorrowful? It has no tear ducts, so how could it weep? You sound a bit crazy writing this Steve! Thanks for your unsolicited opinion. I may be, but personification gives the rain these attributes to add a creative depth. Here's another example:

Tom could hear the last slice of cake calling his name

What? Cake can't speak, so Tom certainly couldn't hear the cake actually calling him! But what the line does, is show, through the personification of the inanimate slice of cake, that Tom had a great desire to grab that last piece of cake before anyone else got there. Greedy Tom. I'll speak to his mother later. 

Have a think and see where you might be able to inject a little personification into your own writing. It can definitely enrich the descriptive power of your poetry and give it a human face. 

Steve Wheeler

Previous posts in this series

1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Repetition and refrains
4. Alliteration
5. Assonance
6. End Rhymes
7. Internal Rhymes
8. Rhythm and Tempo
9. Enjambment

10. Allegory

11. Metonymy

12. Cacophony

13. Calligram

Main image source: World Atlas

Poetic devices 13: Calligram

The above image is actually a poem by the French writer Guillaume Apollinaire. Some people would call this concrete poetry. Some might call it visual poetry. It's real name is Calligram - the presentation of a poem in the shape of the theme it is describing. One of the arch proponents of this technique was Scottish poet Edwin Morgan, who created a series of poems that were presented in the shapes of animals, objects and people. 

Calligrams are not for the faint hearted. There are several technical difficulties you would need to overcome to achieve an aesthetic shape for your poem that would echo the topic of theme. 

The image below is a poem by American writer John Hollander. It is description and visualisation, combined. See how he has worked the lines into a superb image of a swan and its reflection in the water. This technique transforms a good poem into a great one. 

Some of our own Invisible Poets group have already started to write poems in calligram format. Matt Elmore's recent offering 'Sexy You' is an example:

My advice would be to write the poem first. Choose a topic to write about that can easily be turned into an image. The poem does not necessarily need to rhyme. What it does need to be is easy to manipulate into shapes. This is where the fun starts. Once you have written the poem, you then need to mould it into the shape of the topic. Good luck - it can be a lot of fun, but also a real challenge!

Steve Wheeler

Previous posts in this series

1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Repetition and refrains
4. Alliteration
5. Assonance
6. End Rhymes
7. Internal Rhymes
8. Rhythm and Tempo
9. Enjambment

10. Allegory

11. Metonymy

12. Cacophony

Main image source: Wikimedia Commons

Inspiring the Subconscious

Poetry, with its rhythmic cadence, evocative language, and descriptive imagery possesses a unique ability to touch our hearts and inspire even our subconscious. Reading poetry not only enriches our literary experiences but also influences our own expressions and articulations. In this blog, we will explore the profound impact of poetry on our subconscious and how it shapes our ability to communicate.

1. Awakening the Subconscious Mind

Poetry has a way of at times bypassing our conscious thoughts and reaching deep into our subconscious realms. The vivid imagery, metaphors, and emotions embedded within verses can awaken dormant thoughts and feelings, unlocking hidden aspects of our psyche. As we engage with the words, the subconscious mind absorbs the nuances, allowing us to tap into our own depths of creativity and self-expression. It’s absolutely fascinating. 

2. Inspiring Articulation

Poetry serves as a wellspring of inspiration for our own articulations. By immersing ourselves in the works of skilled poets, we absorb their mastery of language, rhythm, and imagery. This exposure broadens our own linguistic palette and enhances our ability to convey thoughts and emotions with greater depth and beauty.

Example 1: Consider a poem that explores the beauty of nature, describing a serene sunset as "a golden blanket draped over the horizon." Reading such lines can inspire us to articulate our own experiences of nature with vivid metaphors and descriptive language, painting a more vibrant picture for our readers. 

Example 2: A poignant poem about heartbreak may use powerful imagery and emotional language to convey the pain of lost love. Engaging with such poetry can evoke our own emotions and enable us to express our personal heartaches in ways that often resonate deeply with others.

3. Inviting Introspection and Self Discovery

Poetry often delves into the depths of human emotions, relationships, and even existential questions. By reading introspective poems, we embark on a journey of self-discovery. The words act as mirrors, reflecting our own thoughts and experiences. This particular introspection helps us better understand ourselves and our place in the world, ultimately shaping our ability to articulate our innermost thoughts and feelings. The subconscious plays a vital role I know in my own creations.

Example 3: A thought-provoking poem exploring themes of identity and belonging can prompt us to reflect on our own sense of self and our connections to the world. This introspection enables us to articulate our individuality and the complexities of our own existence and have it resonate with others. 

Reading poetry is a transformative experience that goes beyond mere enjoyment of only language and imagery. It awakens our subconscious, inspiring our own articulations and expanding our capacity for self-expression. By immersing ourselves in the profound beauty of poetry, we tap into the depths of our creative potential and discover new ways to communicate our thoughts, emotions, and experiences to the world.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Picture free for fair use from Freepix 

Poetic devices 12: Cacophony

Cacophony, which means 'bad sound', is the opposite of euphony (good sound) and occurs in speech where there is a mix of harsh and/or inharmonious sounds. 

In poetry, cacophony refers to the use of words with sharp, harsh, sibilant (hissing) and especially unharmonious sounds – usually in the consonants of words – the poet uses to create an effect, emotion or atmosphere. Cacophony should not be confused with onomatopoeia which Matt Elmore has already elaborated upon.  A classic example of cacophony in poetry is Jabberwocky by Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, even the title sounds discordant. 

Read the words out loud:

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; 

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe. 

Beware the Jabberwock, my son! 

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! 

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun 

The frumious Bandersnatch!

Yes, they are largely nonsense words, but the brilliance lies in the mix of the sounds and the way they discordantly flow to create the narrative. The use of the coined or made-up words creates sounds (or phonics) that imbue meaning into the elements Carroll is describing. Slithy toves are not ordinary toves - they are very slithy, and that sounds unpleasant. The jubjub bird sounds like a very irritating bird, because its name denotes the repetitive noise it makes... and so on. 

The tragedy Macbeth, written by Stratford-on-Avon bard William Shakespeare, is full of cacophonous passages of dialogue to depict descent into madness, and of course, this famous soliloquy, spoken immediately after a brutal and bloody murder:

Out! Damn spot! Out I say! One, Two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?—Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.

The last line in particular is quite chilling not least because of the cacophonous nature of the preceding texts. But it is the explosive and discordant nature of the first sentence that truly sets up and darkens the entire speech. The Bells by dark romantic poet Edgar Allen Poe is another example of how words can be used explosively to create not only terrific alliteration, but a full cacophony effect:

Hear the loud alarum bells– 

Brazen bells! 

What tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells! 

In the startled ear of night 

How they scream out their affright! 

Too much horrified to speak, 

They can only shriek, shriek, 

Out of tune

Note the use of words such as scream and shriek - sibilant words that might put you on edge when you hear them! Poe depicts turbulence in so many ways in this one short passage of text. There are numerous other examples of cacophony in poetry, which I'm sure you will be on the look out for! 

Steve Wheeler

Previous posts in this series

1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Repetition and refrains
4. Alliteration
5. Assonance
6. End Rhymes
7. Internal Rhymes
8. Rhythm and Tempo
9. Enjambment

10. Allegory

11. Metonymy

Image from Pixabay