Young Writers Society

Structured Poetry

Shadow Poetry
Just to keep everyone on the same track, this is the basic guidelines to structured poetry this forum can use. If, in the future, we decide to use a different list, like one up on YWS somewhere, this post can be updated to reflect that.


Goal
The goal of this forum is to discuss different structured poetry. Is there anything you didn't know, found interesting, want to share about structured poems? This can be something like 'I think Cinquain poems sound prissy. Here look at this: [link]' to 'Can I get some help making a sonnet?'

The reason I made this thread, not that you guys probably care, is because I want to see more knowledge about structured poetry out on YWS and around the poetry society. They're an integral part to where we are today, and can be highly useful to not only hone our skills as poets, but to understand when we see one, that it wasn't the author's choice, always, to repeat the line, or keep with a certain rhyme scheme. This strict dedication to a poem really adds another layer of the poetry experience that we miss if we write free-verse all the time.

Okay, so someone ought to start this.

Um...iambic pentameter is haaaaaaaaaaaaaaard. *whines*

I mean, every time I tried to come up with a line for this gem, it was either short of 10 syllables (8 syllables is easier to me for some reason) or it didn't have the right stress. Although hardly my best stuff, I can really appreciate how difficult such a structure is now that I've tried it.

I think another common misconception is that in the case of rhyming forms, people seem to think the rhyme is what makes them so pleasing. While rhyme can play a role, the meter is also important, which is why poems that rhyme but don't have any structure don't sound as good.

That is a super good point niteowl! I never really thought about the meter but you're right. If a poem has good feet, consistent feet, then they typically flow a lot smoother and thus are easier to read. It's like you're actually reading the poem instead of stumbling over things. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why Iambic Pentameter is so popular, because it has a constant beat and meter/line.

I totally agree that Iambic Pentameter is a pain in the butt. I always count my syllables wrong DX Then getting the beat right? Man oh man, but I've been learning. I think it was linguistics that taught me that nouns and verbs typically have a stressed beat. If you have something that is multiple syllables long, actually creates Iambic Pentameter for you because every other beat in words that are 2 or more syllabels is automatically opposite. Look at words like Upon, or silence, explicit, etc. The best way I've learned to tell if something is stressed or not, is simply what do I say longer when I say a word. Longer, well LONGer, SIlence, etc. This tidbit just makes it harder for syllable count.