Event 4: Shape Poetry

Summary: Please write a shape poem, in which the arrangement of words on the page forms a specific shape or visual idea. Let your creativity flow!

How to Enter: Post your poem below! Please make sure that there is a specific image created. I'd recommend posting a photo instead of a text-based poem, but if you can find a way to do that, I wouldn't mind. Remember to include your team name!

Description: I think that shape poetry challenges poets to think beyond the traditional poetic devices. If you've been wanting to step outside of your comfort zone lately, this may be the perfect event for you! You have so much freedom!

Shape poetry, also known as concrete poetry or visual poetry, is a form of poetry that combines linguistic and visual elements. The "shape" of the poem usually relates back to the central theme, but it can be anything. For example, a poem about nature may be shaped like a tree. However, that isn't always the case. Sometimes, shape poetry can be created just by using different fonts and text sizes, or maybe different colours and alignments. It's very open to interpretation, based on what you want.

An example of shape poetry that I love is George Herbert's "Easter Wings," where the lines are styled to resemble wings! It ties into the theme of resurrection and faith. If you want to see more examples, I'd suggest checking out this link!

Requirements: I will be judging the visual aspect of your poetry based on the presentation and neatness. It's hard to create an image with words, so I'm not going to be picky if it's not spot-on to what you intended. However, I still think that there should be some resemblance. I'd suggest saying something in your post to let me know what you've created, like a heads-up if it's a bird or a tree.

I will be judging the content of the poem lighter than that. The main focus of this event is the structure itself, but it's still poetry nonetheless. I will be looking at theme, narrative, and originality. Like I said, be creative!

Ends: 08/08/2024 00:00 GMT (automatically adjusted to your time)

If you have any questions or concerns, please ask them below. I am so excited to see what everyone writes! It's truly a pleasure to judge this event!

Here's my entry for team Friendly Fiends!

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(it's a safety pin!)

Text: I like to think I hold it together even when I am dangerously close to fraying. maybe I too could put on a cap and become less sharp

Here's my entry, for team Feathered Friends!

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Text (with normal line breaks):

i don’t want to be a robot
don’t make me into something i’m not
don’t steal the creativity from my bones
don’t leach my memory into my phone
if i write let it be something real
however bad, let it be what i feel
let me find the facts amidst your fictions
and tell the truth rather than feed the addiction
i’ll look at the screen 'till my eyes start to bleed
but don’t ever let me forget how to read.

Here is my entry! (Friendly fiends <3)

This is my first time using the spoiler tag, and doing something as unique as shape poetry, so please pardon the mess. Trigger warning: unhealthy relationship I think

(By the way, it's a flower vase)

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You use me like an ornament

Putting me on display

Showing me off

To be jeered at

To be mocked at

To be criticized against

You gently pull and tug at me

Calling me beautiful and lovely

Admiring me with utmost infatuation

Decorating me with jewels and flowers

You lull me deeper into my own demise

Until I foolishly succumb to my swaying heart

Until I can no longer tell which thoughts belong

Until one day you finally see the crack that I hid

A thing I desperately struggled to be contained

One little flaw that shows horrible imperfection

And that picture perfect image finally shatters

Will you still hold me and call me pretty?

Even though my body is chipped

My heart, broken and lost

My flowers are wilted

My jewels, dull and fake

Will you look my way again

Lovingly dust off the broken pieces

And place me back on the shelf once more?

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Child Abuse. But this is my submission for Feathered Friends! ^^ I was going for a hammer and nail.

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Here is mine for Team

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It's a bundle of grapes! The green part is the stem and leaf.

Text:
what a fruitful bundle of grapes
this one is quite dusty on the edges
this one seems tough, too stiff to eat
this one doesn’t even resemble a grape!
this one is not even big enough to chew!
this one’s stem is suspiciously shriveled
this one has a strange hole in it!
this one is soft and quite squelchy
this one doesn’t look very appetizing
this one looks a little strange to me
this one could be more shiny and plump

Giving this a try!

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it's a ship!

Entry for Team Frienly Fiends! It’s my first time doing shape poetry or even uploading an image so I hope it works.

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(if you squint it sort of resembles a paper boat)

Text:
You said that the paper boat was cute and little;
that the large metal ships were ugly and polluting.

Did you know that paper boats
are a waste of the tree used to make them?
Did you know that paper boats
corrupt the water once released?

Did you know that paper boats sink in the ocean,
and cargo ships are what set the world in motion?
Did you know that sinking paper boats
don’t even realise your attempts to rescue it?

Did you know that once water touches paper,
a crumpled mark is left forever?

Did you know that your impact on this society
is the giant metal ship?
Did you know that rescued paper boats
are unusable, dripping water all over you?

Did you know that the paper boat
never gave me an iota of happiness,
only the brief rush
of empty dopamine?

I look at your shadow and already feel
water running down my sails.
If we tend to become what we believe we are,
then it’s no wonder why
I’m no one, in particular.

Throwing my hat in the ring! For Team Feathered Friends!

This is meant to be a ring!

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Text:

Marry Me?

one single winter’s night
the start of a thousand summers
simple little thought
little plastic ring in pocket
tiny and gentle
big dreams it holds

nervous and sweaty
kneeling down in day old dust
the wrapper from yesterday
and a recipe for tonight

a single word
a promise
a tear
and a lifetime is born

Here is a hand drawn shape poem I made today it is a rainbow! Team: feathered friends

Text version:

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Red, the sun blazed that day, a place where I felt safe,
Orange tones radiated as you grinned, a gentle smile on your face.
Yellow were the beams which embraced me in an eternal hug,
Green trees, their leaves falling on my shoulders, a faint tug.
Blue, your eyes, which looked like the salty, endless sea,
Purple, my person, my favorite friend, because you loved me.

Here's mine! This is my first time doing shape poetry, and oh my gosh it's tricky! Sorry if it's hard to read.

It's meant to be a person looking in a mirror

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Shape Poetry Broken Mirror.png (180.34 KiB) Viewed 1464 times

here's mine for team friendly fiends!

text:

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i am a beast made of stolen leaves and pollen, who only desires for its ashen wings to become anew. though i inch towards my future, i try to chrysalize and run away from the present. maybe then i can transmogrify. maybe then it wont hurt.

That's a wrap, everyone! Thank you all for participating!