Craftsmanship in Poetic Expression
The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a
Publishable Poem
Handbook Definition of
Poem
A poem is a literary composition that uses poetic language
to treat its subject in an extraordinary way. Poetic language
emphasizes sound more than prosaic language and may include
rhythm, rhyme, assonance, alliteration, and sharp images
created through the use of figures of speech and sensory
language. A poem is usually written in lines and stanzas rather
than sentences and paragraphs. It looks and sounds quite
different from prose, the language in which essays, articles,
reports, letters, etc. are written. A poem may tell a story; capture
a moment in time; create a vivid word picture of a person, place,
or thing; express an emotion; or achieve any of a dozen other
purposes. Whatever else it does, a good poem forces the reader
to see the subject in a more concentrated, dramatic way than a
prose treatment.
Questions Judges Ask as They Read Contest
Entries
How well has the writer employed imagery to create clear
pictures in the mind of the reader?
How well does the form of the poem complement its
meaning? (For example, a serious subject would not
normally be written as a limerick--a poetic form usually
reserved for humorous purposes.)
How well is the poem unified around one clear image,
concept, or dominant feeling?
How well has the poet avoided sentimentalism and cliché?
How creative is the poet in helping readers see everyday
things in a new perspective or strange things in a familiar
light?
The Characteristics of a Publishable Poem
Uses precise, evocative, creative language
Has a pleasing form that complements the
meaning rather than overpowering it or distracting
readers from it.
Focuses on one clear image, concept, or dominant
feeling.
Avoids excessive sentiment and well-worn images
and expressions
Takes a creative look at the subject so that the
familiar seems fresh and the strange seems
familiar.
Uses precise, evocative, creative language
Golden, brown, burnt
Red leaves mix on trees,
Creating the vivid illusion of
Fire as they flicker in the wind.
Soon the breeze carries these
Glowing embers of autumn
Twirling, twisting, wandering
Through the skies . . .
from “Autumn’s Final Hour” by Elizabeth Birchfield, First
Prize Winner, Junior Division, 2005-06
Uses precise, evocative, creative language
Hours pass. Apollo pulls the sun higher and higher.
Sweat drips down the faces of all the workers.
It is almost 90 degrees, but it feels like 105.
Work comes to a halt around 9:00 a.m.
The team gathers once more at the shed.
Their parched lips welcome the refreshing taste of cool water
from a hose. One boy drinks a Gatorade.
I stand aloof from the others, admiring our work.
Beauty encompasses this finely tuned region.
The immaculate course awaits the unworthy golfers.
…from “Summer Morning” by Larkin Wilson, IV, First Place,
Senior Division, 2005-06
Has a pleasing form that complements the meaning rather than
overpowering it or distracting readers from it.
I have hands like my mom,
Covering her beautiful eyes in a playful game of peek-a-boo,
Tucking the sheets tightly around me at night to protect me
from the monster under the bed.
Caressing my face with her fingertips as I fall asleep.
I have hands like my mom,
…from Stacie Lein, honorable mention, senior division, 2005-
06
Focuses on one clear image, concept, or dominant
feeling.
Great-grandma’s wedding dress pulled from her steamer.
The pureness of a snowflake as it falls unaltered to Earth,
A rare pearl from the ocean floor,
French manicures,
The snowy white skin of Victorian ladies,
The keys of a grand piano, carefully polished,
Vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day,
A perfume of lilies of the valley, gardenias, and baby’s breath
Reminding you of your wedding banquet,
The scent of buttermilk your mother always used in her baking
Even the handle of your favorite brush
is ivory.
…from Casey Goudy’s “Ivory,” first prize in first contest, 1997-98
Avoids excessive sentiment and well-worn images
and expressions
If you walked by the street
And you saw a rose growin’ outta’ concrete, even if it had messed up
petals
And was leanin’ to the side, you would marvel at just seein’ a rose grow
through concrete.
So why is it when you see some ghetto kid
Grow outta all the dirtiest circumstances,
And he can sit across from you, make your smile, make you cry, make you
laugh,
All you can talk about are his dirty rose, his dirty stem, and how he’s
leanin’ crooked to the side?
You can’t even see that he came up outta there.
…from “The Rose That Grew from the Sidewalk” by Dominique
Hawthorne, honorable mention, 1998-99
Takes a creative look at the subject so that the familiar seems
fresh and the strange seems familiar.
A one-man caravan
A man with a mission,
Riding a stallion of chrome,
150 horses on two wheels,
An easy rider with no way
But the highway,
The ultimate freedom
And the thrill of the danger
Are the only things that keep him going.
A one man caravan,
A man with a run to make
And a short time to do it,
Trucking on eighteen wheels,
Running against the wind,
Through the blood, sweat, and gears
They own the road,
They are white line brothers.
…from “White Line Brothers” by Nicholas Fluhart, first prize
winner, senior division, 1999-00
What to Avoid
Highly abstract language
Highly sentimental treatment of subject
Inconsistent rhyme schemes and meters
In-your-face preachiness in poems with a message
Mixed metaphors/ strained metaphors
Ordinary treatment of ordinary subjects
Meaning sacrificed to achieve form
The End
A comprehensive guide covering the art of writing a publishable poem, focusing on the importance of imagery, form, unity, creativity, and language precision. Explore the dos and don'ts, characteristics, and key questions judges ask when evaluating poem entries to enhance your poetic skills.
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Presentation Transcript
The Dos and Donts of Writing a Publishable Poem
Handbook Definition of Poem A poem is a literary composition that uses poetic language to treat its subject in an extraordinary way. Poetic language emphasizes sound more than prosaic language and may include rhythm, rhyme, assonance, alliteration, and sharp images created through the use of figures of speech and sensory language. A poem is usually written in lines and stanzas rather than sentences and paragraphs. It looks and sounds quite different from prose, the language in which essays, articles, reports, letters, etc. are written. A poem may tell a story; capture a moment in time; create a vivid word picture of a person, place, or thing; express an emotion; or achieve any of a dozen other purposes. Whatever else it does, a good poem forces the reader to see the subject in a more concentrated, dramatic way than a prose treatment.
Questions Judges Ask as They Read Contest Entries How well has the writer employed imagery to create clear pictures in the mind of the reader? How well does the form of the poem complement its meaning? (For example, a serious subject would not normally be written as a limerick--a poetic form usually reserved for humorous purposes.) How well is the poem unified around one clear image, concept, or dominant feeling? How well has the poet avoided sentimentalism and clich ? How creative is the poet in helping readers see everyday things in a new perspective or strange things in a familiar light?
The Characteristics of a Publishable Poem Uses precise, evocative, creative language Has a pleasing form that complements the meaning rather than overpowering it or distracting readers from it. Focuses on one clear image, concept, or dominant feeling. Avoids excessive sentiment and well-worn images and expressions Takes a creative look at the subject so that the familiar seems fresh and the strange seems familiar.
Uses precise, evocative, creative language Golden, brown, burnt Red leaves mix on trees, Creating the vivid illusion of Fire as they flicker in the wind. Soon the breeze carries these Glowing embers of autumn Twirling, twisting, wandering Through the skies . . . from Autumn s Final Hour by Elizabeth Birchfield, First Prize Winner, Junior Division, 2005-06
Uses precise, evocative, creative language Hours pass. Apollo pulls the sun higher and higher. Sweat drips down the faces of all the workers. It is almost 90 degrees, but it feels like 105. Work comes to a halt around 9:00 a.m. The team gathers once more at the shed. Their parched lips welcome the refreshing taste of cool water from a hose. One boy drinks a Gatorade. I stand aloof from the others, admiring our work. Beauty encompasses this finely tuned region. The immaculate course awaits the unworthy golfers. from Summer Morning by Larkin Wilson, IV, First Place, Senior Division, 2005-06
Has a pleasing form that complements the meaning rather than overpowering it or distracting readers from it. I have hands like my mom, Covering her beautiful eyes in a playful game of peek-a-boo, Tucking the sheets tightly around me at night to protect me from the monster under the bed. Caressing my face with her fingertips as I fall asleep. I have hands like my mom, from Stacie Lein, honorable mention, senior division, 2005- 06
Focuses on one clear image, concept, or dominant feeling. Great-grandma s wedding dress pulled from her steamer. The pureness of a snowflake as it falls unaltered to Earth, A rare pearl from the ocean floor, French manicures, The snowy white skin of Victorian ladies, The keys of a grand piano, carefully polished, Vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day, A perfume of lilies of the valley, gardenias, and baby s breath Reminding you of your wedding banquet, The scent of buttermilk your mother always used in her baking Even the handle of your favorite brush is ivory. from Casey Goudy s Ivory, first prize in first contest, 1997-98
Avoids excessive sentiment and well-worn images and expressions If you walked by the street And you saw a rose growin outta concrete, even if it had messed up petals And was leanin to the side, you would marvel at just seein a rose grow through concrete. So why is it when you see some ghetto kid Grow outta all the dirtiest circumstances, And he can sit across from you, make your smile, make you cry, make you laugh, All you can talk about are his dirty rose, his dirty stem, and how he s leanin crooked to the side? You can t even see that he came up outta there. from The Rose That Grew from the Sidewalk by Dominique Hawthorne, honorable mention, 1998-99
Takes a creative look at the subject so that the familiar seems fresh and the strange seems familiar. A one-man caravan A man with a mission, Riding a stallion of chrome, 150 horses on two wheels, An easy rider with no way But the highway, The ultimate freedom And the thrill of the danger Are the only things that keep him going.
A one man caravan, A man with a run to make And a short time to do it, Trucking on eighteen wheels, Running against the wind, Through the blood, sweat, and gears They own the road, They are white line brothers. from White Line Brothers by Nicholas Fluhart, first prize winner, senior division, 1999-00
What to Avoid Highly abstract language Highly sentimental treatment of subject Inconsistent rhyme schemes and meters In-your-face preachiness in poems with a message Mixed metaphors/ strained metaphors Ordinary treatment of ordinary subjects Meaning sacrificed to achieve form
