The Many Sides of Poetry

Nursery rhymes were our earliest exposure to poetry. Mothers and fathers have repeated them so often that children soon learn to say them, too. Mother Goose books are almost a must for every small child. Many of the rhymes have been set to music so we sing them as well as recite.

Children get a little older, go to school and learn rhymes to recite when jumping rope. It was mostly a girls' activity, so I'm guessing it's my women readers who can bring several to mind. Here's one we used often:

Down in the valley,

Where the green grass grows.

There sat Nancy 

Sweet as a rose

Along came Michael

And kissed her on the cheek.

How many kisses

Did she get? 

(And next, I would have to jump until I missed while the other girls counted)

Still in grade school, we moved on to rhymes to sign other girls' autograph books.  Ones like:

You are

 2 good

2 be true

(Then we signed our name beneath the rhyme)

All of these 'poems' had one thing in common. They rhymed. Besides that, the poems had a rhythm, almost sing-song for some. There have even been drinking rhymes composed, with mug in hand, most likely. 

We studied poetry in junior and senior high school. They were longer and somewhat difficult to interpret, but most of them rhymed. Unless you were an English major and took more than the basic English courses, you probably didn't become familiar with free verse or the Japanese forms either. 

My favorite poetry to write is free verse. There needs to be no rhyme or specific rhythm. You're free to write what is in your heart, what you want to tell the world. You're not hampered by all the other specifics. It's the kind of poetry all of us can write. Yes, you too. 

Even in free verse, we have some concerns. Choice of words is important. Active verbs show while passive ones do not. We also consider things like alliteration, onomatopoeia, and senses to bring the poem to life. Similes and metaphors enter the picture, too. 

If you're a prose writer, have you attempted to write free verse poetry? Give it a try. It's not that difficult, and you might find you enjoy it. I learned that the more I wrote, the more I wanted to keep going. You don't need formal training (although I'm sure it helps) to write free verse. I say that from my own experience.

During this National Poetry Month, think about the place poetry has played in your life, from early childhood on. If you're one who claims you 'don't like poetry,' make an effort to read some this month, reading with an open mind. No one is going to like all poetry, just as no one likes every kind of prose. We try this and that until we find what we like. 

I saw a sign in a gift shop once that amused me. It said:  Wine is poetry in a bottle. That probably appeals only to those who sip wine now and then.