How does one find the words that will work best in a poem? I know of one very useful device, and it is not unlike the (word) Association Method, which was first published by Carl G. Jung in 1910.
When I'm stuck for that perfect next word in a poem, I'll meditate on what I've already written, tossing it about in my mind, and letting it lead me to the association it apparently prefers: I listen to my muse
7. Poetry's muse = a two-way conversation.
Let's take another look at the poetic line that I prescribed earlier:
"Come and let us sit awhile ..."
This line, as with many of my lines, "occurred" to me; that is, it seemed to come from out of nowhere while I was searching for a good opening for a poem. Voila! It popped into being.
Actually, it involves a bit more than merely that. I use a technique of allowing my mind to "communicate," rather than forcing it to work. I ponder, give word associations free reign, and I write it all down.
I favored the line, above, because it could lead in any number of directions. Then, I looked at the line again, mulled it over several times, and interviewed it with some probing questions, such as:
Who am I talking to in this scene?
What had we been up to together, or did we just meet up?
When is this taking place, such as time of day and season?
Where are we: in a park, on a city street, in a shopping mall?
Why do I want to sit awhile?
Questions such as these gave me several clues to follow, and a great many potential words to use. As I chose to keep certain of those words, they in turn guided me towards clearer thoughts and feelings.
The long and short of it is, I listened to what was unfolding before me on the open page, so to speak, and I interacted with it, choosing and dismissing all along the way until I was happy with the piece.
Writing rhyming verse is both a focused and a fluid form of communication. "The muse," an inaudible guiding voice, speaks to me within the predetermined lines of a meter and rhyme scheme.
Sometimes, the overall scheme of a poem is determined by the very first written line, which is its template. From that point on, I am both led and leader, communicating through this writing process.
Mull this over a bit and see what comes to you from our line:
"Come and let us sit awhile ..."
If any questions or comments come up, please note them to me by clicking on the Add Comment link below. I will respond ASAP.
When I'm stuck for that perfect next word in a poem, I'll meditate on what I've already written, tossing it about in my mind, and letting it lead me to the association it apparently prefers: I listen to my muse
7. Poetry's muse = a two-way conversation.
Let's take another look at the poetic line that I prescribed earlier:
"Come and let us sit awhile ..."
This line, as with many of my lines, "occurred" to me; that is, it seemed to come from out of nowhere while I was searching for a good opening for a poem. Voila! It popped into being.
Actually, it involves a bit more than merely that. I use a technique of allowing my mind to "communicate," rather than forcing it to work. I ponder, give word associations free reign, and I write it all down.
I favored the line, above, because it could lead in any number of directions. Then, I looked at the line again, mulled it over several times, and interviewed it with some probing questions, such as:
Who am I talking to in this scene?
What had we been up to together, or did we just meet up?
When is this taking place, such as time of day and season?
Where are we: in a park, on a city street, in a shopping mall?
Why do I want to sit awhile?
Questions such as these gave me several clues to follow, and a great many potential words to use. As I chose to keep certain of those words, they in turn guided me towards clearer thoughts and feelings.
The long and short of it is, I listened to what was unfolding before me on the open page, so to speak, and I interacted with it, choosing and dismissing all along the way until I was happy with the piece.
Writing rhyming verse is both a focused and a fluid form of communication. "The muse," an inaudible guiding voice, speaks to me within the predetermined lines of a meter and rhyme scheme.
Sometimes, the overall scheme of a poem is determined by the very first written line, which is its template. From that point on, I am both led and leader, communicating through this writing process.
Mull this over a bit and see what comes to you from our line:
"Come and let us sit awhile ..."
If any questions or comments come up, please note them to me by clicking on the Add Comment link below. I will respond ASAP.
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