Apperantly W is a f$cking vowel

Within this chapter Mary Oliver discusses the importance and prominence of sound found within poetry. Now I will try and keep my personal opinions on Mary Oliver’s guide to writing poetry in a way that she approves of to myself and stick strictly to discussing her somewhat farfetched ideas on how awesome consonants are and apparently the letter w is vowel. The first topic that Mary Oliver discusses is the principle the words that sound different have different pronunciations and connotations, I was especially thankful for this section of the chapter because my lowly diminutive non Mary Oliver approved of brain could have never figured out on its own that “slow down” and “hurry up” could possibly SOUND different. The next thing that Mary Oliver goes on to rant from her soapbox about is vowels and constants because everyone who is trying to expand their knowledge of poetry like being told {expletive deleted] they learned in third grade. Then Oliver delves deeper into something that no one ever really thought need any more attention with stuff like somewhat constants, semi vowels, heartbroken owls, loose bowels, W is vowel now because she said so. Next Mary Oliver goes on to explain how different words that share a similar meaning are actually used in different situations thanks Mary Oliver never would have figured that one out on my own. The last thing I noticed while leafing through this chapter is some ramblings about double LLs or something.

Free Verse

While reading the chapter on free verse I felt like I was back in middle school learning about poetry. The things discussed on free verse were roughly the same as what I have already been taught. Free verse is poetry that does not have to follow any specific poetic devices. Rhyming, for example, can be found in these types of poems but does not necessarily have to follow a certain structure. Mary Oliver talked about how free verse developed as a product of its time. People were moving west and poets wanted to attract more regular people. This new type of poetry sounded more like talking, and less like teaching. The average person had an easier time understanding what poets were trying to say. The poem, The Red Wheelbarrow, is a good example of free verse. It sounds like talking and does not follow any rhyme schemes. The purpose of the poem is create an image and let the reader decipher its meaning. That's what I got from reading this chapter.

Free Verse

Before reading Mary Oliver's chapter on free verse, I had a few preconceptions about what a free verse poem actually is. Firstly, I thought free verse poems was a poets way of writing when they were too lazy to actually make the words rhyme. Obviously I'm wrong with that thought. Secondly, well I really didn't have any other thoughts on free verse because I've never really understood them. This is why I chose to read Oliver's opinions and expert thoughts on what this kind of poetry is all about.

This relatively new type of poem has grown parallel with the modernization and switch to democracy of our culture. No longer are poets restricted by periods, strict rhythm, and stanzas that make structural sense. The exciting proposition of free verse poems is that poets are just as the name entails, free. Maybe it's not exactly that the poets is free, Oliver does accept that free verse poems have to look and feel like a poem. The poem can become "fluid" and "organic", straying away from the accepted view of poetry.

As Oliver uses examples and continues to convey her point of view of poetry and poems, I'm realizing more and more just how complex poetry can be. On the surface might be a ten word poem but by looking deeper and deeper into its meaning, that ten word poem can become extremely complex. The structure, sound, line length, stresses, punctuation, etc. all help to add dimension and mystery into poetry, part of the reason poems are so intriguing.

Free Verse Ayyyyyy

Before reading the chapter on Free Verse, I was completely convinced that I had been a pro at free verse. Whenever handed the task of writing a free verse poem, I accepted graciously and began writing…freely, and without care. However, reading Oliver’s rendition on free verse I learned that there is a little more to it than writing whatever I feel like writing about. While Oliver makes clear that there isn’t a particular rhythm, design, tone, etc. that must be used in every free verse poem, there must be some incorporation of the traditional poem features. Considering that there aren’t any set rules when it comes to the literal structure of the poem, Oliver is sure to include that there must be some sort of premise/explanation mentioned in the poem near the beginning which, by the end of the poem, is thoroughly explained and clear to the reader. Essentially, every free verse poem must maintain the same idea and focus throughout. Throughout the chapter, Oliver is sure to remind the reader that there really is not a particular way to write a free verse poem. While it is free from the rules of the traditional poetry including metrical prose, it may choose to incorporate a meter somehow; or should I say the poet may choose to. Any free verse poem can be accomplished if the poet so happens to accomplish setting up a premise and explaining it throughout. This poet can also accomplish free verse by writing through their own rhythm that doesn’t necessarily have to be like any other written form. It’s incredible that while free verse is free of restraints other forms of poetry are confined to, it is still bound by having some sort of rhythm and complex structure, thus making it poetry and not just words scrambled on paper.

Free verse minus the free so really just verse..

Once again, mind blown. How can something that is called "free verse" actually have rhythm/structure? I NEVER would have guessed. See, when I write poetry for class, I usually use free verse. And, well I'm not the greatest poet in the world, I kind of just write "freely" and don't really worry about the structure, like just placing sentences that say what I want them to say together. Now I'm pretty sure I've been doing it completely wrong, and I'm pretty sure what I have been writing isn't really poetry at all, more like whatever's in my head written down on a page. The free verse I think of is more like a journal entry or a place where you write down anything, but according to this woman, there is SO much more. Why does everything in poetry have to be so complicated? First the letter sounds and structure of the words, now free verse actually has patterns and such! Its like everything you thought you knew about poetry, like how it is up to the interpretation of the author and the reader, went out the window. But oh well, its interesting enough I guess, and I assume that when I write my free verse poems I might put a little more thought into the actual mechanics behind it.

Free Verse, except cross out the free

Oliver once again proves to me that she
has a lot of knowledge about this whole poetry thing. Although it
seems to me as though she writes this book almost like a poem and in
a slightly cryptic manner, it is obvious that she knows what she is
talking about. I wish that she would make it slightly more clear and
maybe provide more direction as to how to actually write a free verse
poem. But, she obviously knows what she is talking about and does
have a lot of information to provide on free verse, even with just a
couple pages.
In the chapter “Verse that is Free,”
she gets rid of a lot of misconceptions about free verse poetry. She
states that it is “fluid” and that is not actually “free” and
has a “design.” When I first heard this, I was kind of shocked,
but, upon examining Oliver's examples, it was very obvious. A poet
cannot simply write some words down and call it a poem. There has to
be thought and meaning behind it. Just like she stated in her other
chapter on sound, it has to sound good and be enjoyable for a reader.
William Carlos' poem has meaning, it has a good sound, and is truly
an enjoyable poem. Carlos put a lot of thought in writing and had a
certain “design” in mind even though it is free verse.
I think Oliver does a great job getting
the idea across that free verse isn't just some words shaped into
stanzas and that it truly has thought and meaning behind it. It still
requires planning and effort. This chapter really helped me better
understand this crucial element of free verse and understand other
key elements of free verse and add to my ever-growing knowledge base
of poetry.

The Frame

It seems that everyone so far has written their responses concerning "Verse That Is Free" so I'm going to be different and speak about the chapter "Some Given Forms."

Sometimes I feel that writing poetry in free verse is a display of laziness. In a society were every aspect is "instant," "on demand," and "faster than ever," we have allowed this mantra to worm its way into our writing style. Gone are the epics scribed in memorable verse, few are the sonnets penned in thoughtful meter. I think because of "organic" poetry, generalized poetry has become more mushy and of less substance. Just like how cameras have become so readily available to people of little experience with photography resulting in a flood of pictures with poor composition.

True, free verse does give us the freedom and flexibility to say more exactly what we want to say but often times amateur free verse results in a sloppy mess of oddly spaced sentences and single words.I myself am guilty of the easy way out. But...
"Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame."
— G. K. Chesterton (Don't ask me who this guy is. Obvious he was somebody. It was just a quote I remember seeing that I felt is entirely appropriate for my point). By choosing to construct your poem in meter or verse, you are forcing yourself to spend time analyzing and editing it. You are forced to view it through a microscope and not from your peripheral vision.

these verses run freely, good sir !

Mary Oliver once more bewilders me in her control of poetry and the mechanisms that she recognizes while writing poetry in a particular style. Prior, she surprised me with her use of tone and specific lines, and even more now when speaking of free verse poetry in specific. She defines free verse poetry as “fluid” or “organic”, which made me wonder how something with no specific scheme could exactly be declared as “fluid” and transitional. “Free verse is not, of course, free. It is free from formal metrical design, but it certainly isn’t free from some kind of design. Is poetry language that is spontaneous, impulsive ? Yes it is.” (Page 67)

I never really considered free-verse poetry to have a specific metrical design that kept it moving - only believed it to be a writing of verses of perhaps a specific length but with no certain specifics in its creation. Oliver’s divulging words once more make me consider the makings of a poem and the necessary pieces that need to go into each. She touches on tone and content and provides examples (though many of them small) that show the basis that is needed in the construction of a strong and well-done free verse poem despite its size. Depth is the question and the manner it can be surpassed through time and the variation of interpretation between individuals. She also discusses the importance of punctuation (such as enjambments) or in some cases, the lack of - something that has been a question of mine for quite some time - all of these I never originally understood before.

When Oliver was talking about how a change in the established pattern manipulates the reader, I was recalling how I had felt as I read poetry and was able to switch my view of the situation in the poem. I really value having one or more poems that exemplify the topic that Oliver is teaching the reader about. This chapter makes the reader understand that structure in every poem, even the free verse ones, is key. Structure makes the reader see the different parts of their work and it allows for transitions. Oliver explains every time of rhyme very easily so that a reader with any kind of poetry background can fully understand rhyming, even the Spenserian Stanza, a lesser known kind of rhyming. This chapter helped me fully understand why each stanza was set up as it was for the sonnets and other types of poetry. I liked how Oliver explained the significance of patterns and showed how very different poems could get the same kind of point across. It would seem that even the most rebellious of poets would have to write in the same uniform pattern even if they believed that they were different. It is much like the idea that a writer composes something "completely different" than anything else in the world, when in fact all writing, whether prose or poetry, is intertwined within a large web. It is very easy to see how some people could get bored with this unanimous writing, but it also would help others who aren't as poetry savvy.

"Diction, Tone, Voice"- Megan Burch

In Mary Oliver’s “A Poetry Handbook,” she has a chapter called ‘Diction, Tone, Voice,’ in which she goes into great detail describing these things. The definition of diction is word choice, whereas the overall effect of the diction of a piece of writing is called tone. “The term voice is used to identify the agency or agent who is speaking through the poem, apart from those passages that are actual dialogue.” The persona is the voice, or speaker of the poem. The author states that an intended formality and metrical construction were part of the reason why American poetry had a sense of formality. Negative capability is an idea of Keats that the poet should be a “negative force” or sorts, allowing himself to understand the subject of his poem.

The lyric poem is most popularly used today and it is slightly brief. This type of poem is brief, concentrated on purely one subject, with a single voice, and will impose a natural musicality. Mary Oliver uses personification to describe this poetry: “It is not unlike a coiled spring, waiting to release its energy in a few clear phrases.” Poets still do write longer poems with a central idea, and poets have more recently started writing prose poems. These poems are too recent to have developed a tradition, so there is no set definition. The author also goes over poetic diction, The Cliché, Inversion, informational language, syntax, and variety versus habits. She states that when a poet has been writing for a long time, then they can go on to more complicated work.

Free to Verse

Oliver speaks on free verse poetry in her chapter "Verse that is Free." Here she carefully explains how free verse poems are not spontaneous or random, but are still carefully thought upon. They are simply casual poems that are meant to give the reader a sense of conversation between them and the writer. This conversation is a song with rhetoric and lesson non-the-less, only lacking in structured rhyme scheme. Oliver discusses tone and content of free verse poetry as these qualities are very import when presenting such a piece. Free verse allows for possible shifts in tone or even the lack of a distinct tone if one so wishes to write that way. It also relies heavily upon content as the conversation must latch on to the reader and keep their attention through the entire piece. The author finally analysis Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and William Carlos' "The Red Wheelbarrow." She explains how Whitman used long lines, repetition, and adjectives to compensate for the lack of rhyme. These techniques strengthen the piece as a whole without the use of direct rhyme. She describes Carlos' piece as "true free verse" as it is only four two-line stanzas it captures the reader as it uses simple words to describe a simple scene. The careful placement and even the lack of words makes the poem very cryptic and perhaps sets it up for "scrutiny," but the essence of the heavy objects and natural setting extends beyond the tangible. They develop place for the reader's imagination to take hold as the words still flow like song without any rhyme at all.
I like free verse but struggle to keep it consistent throughout my whole piece. I like to add slant rhyme of some sort just because it makes me feel more comfortable with my work as a whole. I hope I can use some of these suggestions that Oliver shares and apply them to my own poems in order to produce stronger free verse pieces.

Give Forms and Junk

In this chapter Mary Oliver gives the reader a few forms through which to construct their poetry such as sonnet, couplet, and terza rima. And with this continues her one woman campaign to tell people the “proper” way to express the labyrinthine like emotions and feeling expressed through halfway decent poetry. In this chapter Mary Oliver tells us exactly how often we should rhyme and to what length our stanzas should be, and quite frankly I find that this mechanical inhuman approach to writing absconds with some of the flaws that allow poetry to be humanly flawed and relatable. Now maybe my unhinged blogger rage is spawned from me lacking the necessary brain goop to write a half way decent poem, but still I disagree vehemently with Oliver’s perpetual idea that if you write poetry outside of these set guidelines that it ultimately fail at trying to convey the emotion it is trying to put forth. But now time to hop off my soap box and now to discuss the actual chapter. Oliver does offer helpful advice to someone one looking to write poetry in this fashion (even if she does sound somewhat like a nagging Jewish grandmother). Offering a very succinct description of each form and how rhyme, meter and stanza length factor into each form. So even thought I will probably continue my idiotic adolescent angst fueled rejection of these techniques I could see someone potentially using them to create something profound.

Sound

Oliver focuses on the seemingly small details of sound by making them seem incredibly important through her vivid descriptions and analysis. In her chapter on sound, Oliver explains the difference between hard and soft sounds. Through her descriptions and literal examples from pieces of poetry, Oliver is able to successfully describe the meaning and difference of soft and hard sounds. Along with her descriptions of sound, Oliver describes the differences between the letters of the alphabet and their particular sounds. I can honestly say that I have never stopped to think that letters actually have different and unique sound characteristics, but with Oliver's analysis I am able to appreciate the letters, the words they form, and the sounds they create.

Now knowing the actually differences between different sounds and the tones they create, I am sure to be inclined to recognize them through both pieces of literature, poetry, etc. and I'm sure I could recognize the different sounds of other's voices, as well.

Form Blog Post.... Take 5

In Mary Oliver’s chapter addressing form, she poses many interesting thoughts about the use of form in poetry. From a novice poet’s perspective, I found this chapter to be extremely informative, while still reviewing some basic concepts; it allowed me to do more in-depth thinking about such poetry tools. The main focus of Oliver’s chapter was to give more ideas of have form can be used as vehicle for creating a masterpiece based off the traditional track of poetry (like couplets, tercets, sonnets, etc.). Personally I often have only thought of poetry in two ways: free verse and rhyming, which may be one reason I have had limited poetry writing abilities up until this point. I am often concerned about getting my ideas across and not concerned with the structure of the poem, but Oliver states that even amidst craziness within the poem and attempting to get your ideas across to the reader, a poem is still “…a gathering of words and phrases and patterns that have been considered, weighed, and selected.” What further established a better feeling about structure was her more in-depth discussion on stanzas. She describes that the use of a normal stanzas is to end a thought, just like in prose; however, the use of breaks within a piece of writing can be even more powerful. Oliver suggests that ending a stanza at the end of a sentence can strengthen natural pauses, while running a sentence through a final line of one stanza to the first line of the next can hasten the tempo of the writing. This seemed very interesting, for I often take the approach of ending a stanza to finish a thought off, but instead of doing so I could create a better feeling for my readers by ending a stanza in different areas to change the pace of my poem. “Neatness can create the power of the poet,” Oliver restates often to help us remember to not just run willy-nilly with our structure, but to use it creatively. We don’t have to always follow the traditional structure that we study in elementary poetry writing, but instead can use some form techniques here and there to create interesting and new pieces of poetry that are unlike all writing in the world.

Form Blog Post

In Mary Oliver’s chapter addressing form, she poses many interesting thoughts about the use of form in poetry. From a novice poet’s perspective, I found this chapter to be extremely informative, while still reviewing some basic concepts; it allowed me to do more in-depth thinking about such poetry tools. The main focus of Oliver’s chapter was to give more ideas of have form can be used as vehicle for creating a masterpiece based off the traditional track of poetry (like couplets, tercets, sonnets, etc.). Personally I often have only thought of poetry in two ways: free verse and rhyming, which may be one reason I have had limited poetry writing abilities up until this point. I am often concerned about getting my ideas across and not concerned with the structure of the poem, but Oliver states that even amidst craziness within the poem and attempting to get your ideas across to the reader, a poem is still “…a gathering of words and phrases and patterns that have been considered, weighed, and selected.” What further established a better feeling about structure was her more in-depth discussion on stanzas. She describes that the use of a normal stanzas is to end a thought, just like in prose; however, the use of breaks within a piece of writing can be even more powerful. Oliver suggests that ending a stanza at the end of a sentence can strengthen natural pauses, while running a sentence through a final line of one stanza to the first line of the next can hasten the tempo of the writing. This seemed very interesting, for I often take the approach of ending a stanza to finish a thought off, but instead of doing so I could create a better feeling for my readers by ending a stanza in different areas to change the pace of my poem. “Neatness can create the power of the poet,” Oliver restates often to help us remember to not just run willy-nilly with our structure, but to use it creatively. We don’t have to always follow the traditional structure that we study in elementary poetry writing, but instead can use some form techniques here and there to create interesting and new pieces of poetry that are unlike all writing in the world.

Giving our writing a "quickened dose of motion" through form...

In Mary Oliver’s chapter addressing form, she poses many interesting thoughts about the use of form in poetry. From a novice poet’s perspective, I found this chapter to be extremely informative, while still reviewing some basic concepts; it allowed me to do more in-depth thinking about such poetry tools. The main focus of Oliver’s chapter was to give more ideas of have form can be used as vehicle for creating a masterpiece based off the traditional track of poetry (like couplets, tercets, sonnets, etc.). Personally I often have only thought of poetry in two ways: free verse and rhyming, which may be one reason I have had limited poetry writing abilities up until this point. I am often concerned about getting my ideas across and not concerned with the structure of the poem, but Oliver states that even amidst craziness within the poem and attempting to get your ideas across to the reader, a poem is still “…a gathering of words and phrases and patterns that have been considered, weighed, and selected.” What further established a better feeling about structure was her more in-depth discussion on stanzas. She describes that the use of a normal stanzas is to end a thought, just like in prose; however, the use of breaks within a piece of writing can be even more powerful. Oliver suggests that ending a stanza at the end of a sentence can strengthen natural pauses, while running a sentence through a final line of one stanza to the first line of the next can hasten the tempo of the writing. This seemed very interesting, for I often take the approach of ending a stanza to finish a thought off, but instead of doing so I could create a better feeling for my readers by ending a stanza in different areas to change the pace of my poem. “Neatness can create the power of the poet,” Oliver restates often to help us remember to not just run willy-nilly with our structure, but to use it creatively. We don’t have to always follow the traditional structure that we study in elementary poetry writing, but instead can use some form techniques here and there to create interesting and new pieces of poetry that are unlike all writing in the world.

Freedom of Verse-atility

I really enjoyed her thoughts on the coming of Free verse, it was rather interesting to think about how Free Verse came about. I had no idea, at least that I remember, that it came about at around the same time that books began to be published for a lot of people. So the fact that more people became literate was an interesting motive for poets to write in free verse. The transition from lecturer to speaker I think is very iconic in the history of poetry itself. Poetry used to be used to teach about things such as history and logic. To with the invention of a more casual poetry, it expanded its horizon much farther than thought possible. The fact that poets now take the form of a speaker that is speaking directly to you in a more casual manner emphasizes the importance of humanity. As the poet is not an omnipotent figure that you must look up to, rather a companion or guide of sorts that is there to help and enlighten you. The idea that Walt Whitman was the first American Free Verse Poet is not very surprising, he was a very renowned and successful poet, it only seems fitting that he would start such a lasting trend in American poetry. The idea that the Red Wheelbarrow is such a revolutionary poem is baffling, humbling, and interesting all at the same time. I find it baffling that such a simple poem is that complex, I find it humbling that such a simple poem is so complex, and I find it interesting that this style may be the new wave of poetry, however if that is the new style of poetry to go for, you must excuse my leave of absence in poetry writing.

Some Given Forms

In this chapter, Mary Oliver talks about the structure of a poem and what message or feeling is usually conveyed. To be quite honest, I have never really felt that the structure plays a major role in the process of writing, but after reading Oliver’s chapter, I understand that structure does contribute to the overall feeling of the poem perceived by the readers. Oliver mentions that “A poem requires design – a sense of orderliness” By saying so, Oliver even referred to the free verse as having some form of order that will help with the understanding of the text. While talking about the general structure of the poem, I appreciate how Oliver mentions that “No two poems are alike, not anywhere in the world, at any time, nor will there ever be one” Oliver expresses the fact that even though two poets may have the same general structure of the poem, their poems will never be alike due to the some variation implements by the author or due to their topic.

Next, Oliver mentions how stanzas are important for poetry. While she admits that the most sensible way to start a stanza is to begin with a new point, she also states that authors can start their stanzas as they wish in order to create a more meaningful poem (by hastening tempo). Here is something that I never really noticed while reading or writing poetry: A stanza break will inevitably result in either a felt hesitation or a felt acceleration. When I usually have a stanza break, I intend to start on a new train of though, rather than create the feeling of hesitation or acceleration. Either way, it was interesting to learn about this as I will attempt to keep an eye on this issue.

Verse That is Free

In Mary Oliver’s chapter A Verse That is Free, she clearly defines what components make up a free verse. I have always been drawn to free verse as a style of poetry simply because, for me, it was much simpler and easier to write. It does not follow any set rules, nor is it confined to a certain meter or rhyme scheme. It simply is.
I really enjoyed her speculation as to how the free verse got its start. It makes sense that at the turn of the century, when culture in general was changing, and industrialization was sweeping society, that poetry would change along with everything else. It lost all formality. Everything that had to be done in order to write poetry was done away with. It became more of a conversation between two people. It became less “teacherly,” and more friendly. The content changed also changed with the introduction of free verse. It was now perfectly acceptable to write about anything and everything. There were no limits; poetry had truly become “free.”
The flexibility of the free verse is astounding. While it can follow certain patterns of meter and rhythm, it does not have to. That is why I think it is so appealing to poets, especially those who have not been writing poetry for very long. It is simple, easy, and no less beautiful than any other type of poetry. The freedom it gives the poet is exhilarating. Now I can write about whatever I want without any real restrictions. Now I can have fun and spend more time actually writing poetry, instead of sweating over meter and rhythm.

"A Poetry Handbook"- Verse That is Free- Megan Burch

In “A Poetry handbook” Mary Oliver discusses verse in the chapter “Verse That Is Free.” It explains free verse, and that it doesn’t exactly mean what it sounds like. “It is free from formal metrical design, but it certainly isn’t free from some kind of design.” Nobody can say exactly what the free verse design is, because it varies from poem to poem. The free-verse poem creates a premise for itself, and then responds to this premise by the end of the poem. Rhythm patterns, sound, line, and length are not metrical or strict, but they do emphatically use stresses. Free-verse poems do not need to rhyme, scan, follow particular stanza formations, or follow the “old rules” necessarily.

The author discusses the tone and content that is present in free-verse poetry. She discusses how it has developed over time and how the change of centuries has changed the tone of the poems. “As small towns and farming settlements grew into the west, with their distance from and independence from tradition, the idea of author-as-lecturer, as a member of an educated, special class, was scarcely applicable.” Mary Oliver discusses the type of line that needs to change in order to change the feeling of the speech. Walt Whitman is known as the first poet to use free-verse. Stresses and mutes were also described in this chapter, along with how and when to use them.