Does a Poem Need to Make Sense?
Posted by: philipmartin on: July 28, 2009
Does poetry need to make sense?
Maybe, but not always to every reader. As a great American poet said, don’t worry about what a reader understands. A poem is an experience, and it starts with you and the magic of words.
“Never worry about . . . what the reader can understand. . . .
Just you and the page.”
– Richard Hugo
This is an interesting tip. It means a poem can contain a few mysteries. You don’t have to explain everything! Writing a poem is as much about sounds and word-play and emotions you can’t put into exact words.
It’s like playing or dancing . . .
It doesn’t need to make sense. (It just flows.)
Here are some more poets that agree!
“The best [poet] always leaves holes and gaps . . . so that something that is not in the poem can creep, crawl, flash or thunder in.
– Dylan Thomas
“A poem should not mean
But be.
– Archibald MacLeish
“I’ve written some poetry I don’t understand myself.”
– Carl Sandburg
“Poetry, like the moon, does not advertise anything.
– William Blissett
Like a good dance, a good poem plays and flows. Somehow, even if it doesn’t make sense, it makes the reader enjoy it . . . the fun or mystery of it all.
Here’s a start of a poem for little kids, called “Skate Canada,” from See Saw Saskatchewan, by Robert Heidbreder (Kids Can Press) that is just goofy:
See saw Saskatchewan
bumping up and down.
Swing Manitoba
high off the ground.
Hide-and-seek Ontario
peeking in and out.
Skateboard New Brunswick
whirring all about.
Or there’s that nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll, Jabberrwocky, from Through the Looking-Glass:
`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!”
Playful poetry . . . fun with words . . . why not?
Back in Action
Posted by: philipmartin on: July 28, 2009
The blogger returns!
I’ve been away from the Blue Zoo Young Writers blog for a while. (Hey, maybe nobody noticed! This blog has lots of writing tips that stay fresh. No expiration date!)
Anyhow, I’ve been finishing and releasing my book, A Guide to Fantasy Literature. It’s an overview of the whole fantasy thing, from Shakespeare to Neil Gaiman. I look at main types of fantasy (classic high stuff like C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, adventure stories like the Redwall stories of Brian Jacques, fairy tale-based stories, dark fantasy, etc.). And I try to explain how they are similar, and how and why they’re different.
(I’ll share some writing tips from great fantasy writers in future posts here.)
Enough of that. I’ve got time again to share more tips for young up-and-coming writers. That’s you!
Sorry for the absence. Hope you’ve been writing!
More Poetry Tips (Imaginary Gardens, Real Toads)
Posted by: philipmartin on: April 18, 2009
Wondering how to write a poem about spring?
(Hey, did you know we’re sponsoring a spring poem contest for young writers, ages 8 to 14?)
Here are some poetry writing tips:
“Imaginary gardens with real toads in them.
– Marianne Moore
I love this simple bit of advice from an American poet! Your poem is an imaginary place . . . but it helps to have specific things in it. Describe something real: a door, a person, a path, a tree . . .
“I am writing in the garden. To write as one should of a garden one must write not outside it or merely somewhere near it, but in the garden.”
– Frances Hodgson Burnett
The author of The Secret Garden, she knows it helps to actually look at what you are writing about . . . whether it is a flower or a bush or a bird.
Look over your poem and check the specific words you’ve chosen. Can you be more specific?
Did you say flower? So . . . what kind of flower? A tulip or a rose?
What color? Ruby red or soft pink? Red like a fire engine or soft like a sunset or . . .
Is the flower fresh or old and faded? It is standing straight up or leaning or . . . ? Details make your poem come to life.
And you can find those details by looking at things . . . really, really closely.
Mary Oliver, one of our finest American poets, said it like this:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
– Mary Oliver
Here’s a little bit of a Mary Oliver poem:
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean -
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down -
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Look closely . . . have fun seeing the details . . . and write about it.
That’s the path to a spring poem.
Forget the Title: A Tip for Writing Poems
Posted by: philipmartin on: April 4, 2009
- In: poetry| writing tips
- 1 Comment
Here’s a great tip for writing a poem.
It comes from a great American poet, Richard Hugo, who passed away in 1982, but not before writing a good book on writing poetry, The Triggering Town. In the first chapter, he tries to explain why a good poem often ends up in a different place than it starts.
The problem with beginning poets?
Young poets find it difficult to free themselves from the [kick-off] subject. The poet puts down the title: “Autumn Rain.”
Then, the poet writes a few lines on that topic. “Then,” says Hugo, “things start to break down.” The poet goes on . . . and on . . . about the subject that he/she started the poem with.
But isn’t that the point of writing a poem? To write about a particular subject?
No, say Hugo! Don’t make the mistake of thinking a poem needs to be 100% about the starting subject.
You don’t [really] know what the subject is, and the moment you run out of things to say about Autumn Rain, start talking about something else.
. . . There are [very] few people who become more interesting the longer they stay on a single subject. . . . The longer [most people] talk about one subject, the duller they get.
A poem isn’t an essay. It’s an exploration. A wandering. You follow the images you find along the way . . and the sounds of words . . . discovering what you think of next . . . till you end up in a place that might have some surprises.
So a poem that starts with, say, autumn rain . . . might make you remember visiting your aunt’s house on a rainy day . . . and having tea with her. So the poem turn out to be really about the tea, and your aunt, and how you felt that day.
Not just about the rain! Even thought it was the subject that launched the poem!
Don’t get fooled, Hugo suggests, by writing down the title of a poem. Let the words lead you . . . to anyplace your creative mind turns to.
That’s how poetry sometimes works!
Blue Zoo Writing Contest: Best Spring Poem (deadline May 15)
Posted by: philipmartin on: March 31, 2009
Hey! It’s a new contest for spring.
Blue Zoo Young Writers Announces
Our Spring Writing Contest!
What: contest for a short poem . . . about springtime
Who: young writers, ages 8-14
Length: no more than 30 lines
Deadline: May 15, 2009
Contest Summary
Each entry should be an original, unpublished short poem . . . about spring!
You might consider an “acrostic” poem. This takes the letters of a phrase, such as “spring” (or perhaps “spring rain” or “spring flowers” or . . . ) and uses each letter (“S-P-R-I-N-G” etc.) in turn as the first letter of each line.
So you write the word vertically:
S . . .
P . . .
R . . .
I . . .
N . . .
G . . .
(etc.)
. . . and you have the first letter for a word to start each line.
The poem doesn’t need to rhyme! And you can pick any other style of poem. Just give us your best poetic thoughts, observations, details, smells, sounds, whatever . . . about spring.
There is no entry fee.
Seven top entries will be chosen as finalists (one from each age group, 8 to 14 years old). These will be posted (with the writer’s and his/her parents’ permission) on a Young Writers Hall of Fame page.
In addition, the best two poems from those seven age-group finalists will be selected for an overall 1st and 2nd prize. The 1st prize winner (Grand Prize) will get a $50 gift certificate, good at the winner’s local bookstore. The 2nd prize winner (Award of Merit) will receive a $25 certificate for a local bookstore.
Length
No more than 30 lines. Just send it in!
Tips
• Think about including smells, touch, sounds, texture, color. . . .
• Is there something about spring that means a lot to you?
• Look for ways to make it specific to you and where you live.
What the Judges are Looking For
• Creativity!
• Good details!
Skipping Stones, a Great Multicultural Magazine
Posted by: philipmartin on: March 30, 2009
Interview with Arun Toké
Founder and Executive Editor
Skipping Stones Magazine
Skipping Stones is an award-winning magazine that comes out every two months, five times during the school year. It publishes work by writers of all ages. In a typical issue, you’ll find stories, articles, and photos from all over the world, including pieces in other languages, with translations.
For an online sample issue, click here.
Here’s an interview with the founder about how to get your writing published in Skipping Stones. As with all magazines, the key step is simple: send in your best work!
INTERVIEW WITH ARUN TOKÉ, EDITOR
1. Any particular types of writing you are interested in currently?
We sponsor an annual honor award contest, for ages 7 to 17. The two themes are always: Multicultural Awareness and Nature Appreciation. We invite students to write on themes such as: Traditions and Celebrations; Diversity and Tolerance; Your Dreams and Visions; Youth Activism; Family and Society; Nature and Environment; Peace, Justice and Equality.
The entries are due by June 25th. Everyone who enters receives a copy of the issue featuring the ten winners and noteworthy excerpts from other entries.
2. Any tips for improving my writing, making it more likely to get published?
Make it more interesting! Write from your experiences, in first person. Be genuine. Avoid stereotypes. Make it short and concise; if you can make a point in 100 words, don’t drag it for 500 words.
Revise. Read it to yourself aloud; that might help you improve it. Sleep over it, then rewrite it if it seems to need it. Like any exercise, the more you write, the better you will become. Let your classmates, friends, or siblings read your finished draft and ask them for an honest feedback. This might help you in editing your writing. (But don’t let their criticism make you feel upset or stop writing.)
If editors ask you to revise, do it and send it back to them on time, or your work won’t get published.
A good idea: read an issue or two of Skipping Stones to get acquainted with us – our format, themes, style, etc. (or any other magazine for that matter where you want to submit) – before you send something to us. You will know better what kind of writing we publish. That will cut down on the rejection letters you might get.
A short and insightful cover letter that explains where you are coming from will help improve your chances of getting published.
3. As an editor . . . why did you get inspired to do this?
It was my international experiences that led me to begin Skipping Stones – to promote international understanding, multicultural awareness, learning of other languages, and appreciating nature.
I came from India to study in the United States. And I’ve spent six months biking in Northern Europe, and almost a year traveling in Mexico and Central America – we walked for Peace in Central America. I saw that in many countries around the world, students learn two or three languages. In 1986, I attended an international peace conference in a Gandhian Ashram in Western India. When I came to the United States, I knew I wanted to provide a forum for youth where they can share their truth, their opinions, and their life with each others.
I think it is very important to encourage young writers to continue writing and sharing their experiences. When a child is published, it boosts their self-esteem and encourages them to carry on in their life, no matter what the odds.
What I like the most is when I get letters of thanks and appreciation from kids and their parents/teachers. I know then that we are helping make a difference in their lives.
We publish 25 or even 30 young writers in each issue.
4. What about Skipping Stones is unique?
Over the years, Skipping Stones has become the leading multicultural magazine for children and youth. There are only a few magazines that welcome student writing to the extent we do. Our poetry is almost exclusively by children and teens. And we publish bilingual stories and articles. We have received many national awards and just celebrated our 20th year! As a small, non-commercial, and ecologically-aware magazine, that is an important milestone.
5. How can I submit my writing to your magazine?
Send your poems, stories or thoughts to us. Write for our thought-provoking departments, such as What’s on your mind? Or Letters to the Editor, etc.
We like writings under 750 words or 800 words. Poems can be free form, or any style, and under 30 lines.
Send with a cover letter that tells us about you, your age/grade, cultural background, etc. What are your dreams and visions?
You might like to know that each piece of writing sent to us gets read by at least three readers (several of them youth, our interns)!
For more submissions details, click here.
Reminder: Best Story about Food (contest, deadline March 31)
Posted by: philipmartin on: March 27, 2009
A reminder!
March 31 is the deadline to submit a short piece to the Blue Zoo Young Writers March Contest . . . for Best Story about Food.
There is no entry fee.
So go ahead! Just send in a short story or a little essay. (Just a page or two is fine).
Who doesn’t have a favorite memory involving food? Family meals, favorite recipes, great meals with friends, learning to cook, food disasters . . . !
You can submit a fictional, made-up story . . . or a short essay about a real-life event . . . or even a “how-to” piece. Just so it involves food!
Click here for complete rules & details for how to send in your entry:
What: Contest for a short story or nonfiction essay about food.
Who: young writers, ages 8–14
Length: short (flexible length, 1–2 pages)
Deadline: March 31, 2009
Good First Lines Can Launch a Great Story
Posted by: philipmartin on: March 18, 2009
Here are some example of first lines that make you want to keep reading . . . to find out what comes next.
“Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
(Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White)
This is a very famous first line. It gets the story rolling. What is Papa going to do? When Fern finds out, she runs out to stop him . . . from doing away with the runt of a new litter, a cute little baby pig named Wilbur. (Little Wilbur will be one of the stars of this story – with Fern and, of course, with Charlotte, the helpful barn spider.)
Here’s another great story starter:
As soon as he was born, Mr. and Mrs. Canker knew that their baby was not like other people’s children.
(Which Witch?, by Eva Ibbotson)
Oooh. We want to know . . . why is this baby different?
Here’s a surprise beginning, a story that start with a cliché (a common, over-used phrase):
It was a dark and stormy night.
(A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle)
Let’s hear a bit more.
In her attic bedroom Margaret Murray, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat at the foot of her bed and watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind.
In the first lines, we meet the heroine, Meg. The storm hints that something is going to happen. And sure enough, a few pages later there’s a knock at the door and we meet an odd character, Mrs. Whatsit, with colored scarves wrapped around her head and a top hat on top of those . . . and a bright pink stole over a rough overcoat . . . and big black rubber boots. Very strange things are about to happen.
One last example:
My life began the afternoon of June 7, 1847, when I tumbled off the back of a wagon on the West Hill Road and no one came back to look for me.
(Jip: His Story, by Katherine Paterson)
So . . . a good start to a story does a couple of things, lightning fast:
- Introduces the main character.
- Creates some point of interest, maybe a little mystery.
The best way to learn to do this is to imitate. That’s right, copy.
Well, not exactly! But try something similar. Take a story you’ve written. Any story. Now, give it a new start . . . the most interesting one you can think of.
If you need some help . . . go to your bookshelf and pick up your favorite book. Try to write the same kind of beginning to your story.
It’s a great way to learn!
The Book
