This stuff called poetry...
Is not really that complicated. Poetry is about human existence. Even poems about objects or settings or events involve humans and their relationship with external forces. Of course a poem can ALSO be about a speaker's conflict (if any) of internal forces.
Poems are about us. We can either write about love, death/life, or nature. Writing about the self or ones beliefs or God or an event or locations or objects or animals falls into one of these three categories.
So poems concern everyday things. To come up with subject matter for a poem is as easy as throwing a stone through the air and hitting the ground.
Speaking of stones, much of poetry involves nature.
What is a nature poem?: A poem in which nature plays an important role, emphasizing terrain and life (including the life of humans) in a natural setting, season, metaphor, symbol, situation or theme.
1. Tribute to the season: (Ode/Pastoral) – Praising or welcoming a season.
• Nature-Human Celebration: The poet or speaker celebrates himself or herself as part of nature.
• Essence of Nature: An aspect or element of nature is described (usually to show its beauty or essence)
2. Nature as conflict:
• Nature against human. A man or woman is in a dangerous or difficult situation concerning nature.
• Human against nature: A man or woman overcoming a dangerous situation or destroying some aspect of nature.
• Isolation from Nature: The speaker describes how he or she feels apart from nature or the natural world.
3. Human-nature Relationship: A person who contemplates (thinks about) some aspect of nature. Often the speaker is longing for nature’s qualities.
• Human encountering nature: The speaker witnesses or beholds an element or aspect of nature as if for the first time (the speaker is “in the moment” and acutely aware).
• Nature as Reflection of Mood: The setting is usually out doors and the speaker describes a feeling. Nature or natural images reflect the mood of the speaker.
• Nature as Metaphor for the Human Condition: The poet makes a comparison between human qualities or subject matter and some aspect or element of nature (usually to express how it feels to be mortal or at peace).
• Nature as Symbolic of the Human Condition: Like the Metaphor poem (above), it uses a symbol instead of a metaphor.
4. Nature as a Reflection of God: Another common nature poem type. Some aspect or element of nature shows or reminds the speaker of God’s power or artistry.
Forms:
• Ode: an open poem form that praises its subject (in this case something in nature)
• Elegy: an open poem form that laments or mourns a subject that is gone or passed away (this can also be found in love poetry).
• Pastoral: An open nature poem form in which rural life or objects are romanticized or idealized.
Poems can be about animals, as they are part of nature. Here's a few examples and/or models:
If you finish early, or before/after your workshop, please REVISE workshopped poem drafts. Change the # on the draft so you indicate which version the revision counts for.
During period 8, or if all of your group members are ready for it, please conduct another workshop with your workshop group. Remember to turn in response forms to me for participation credit.
HOMEWORK: Please read Patrick Phillips' poem collection from "Chattahoochee"--as you read please note such things as imagery (metaphor, similes, personification, etc.), literary or poetic devices (sound devices, etc.), and nature. You will be asked to write a response to his poetry next class on the forum.
Is not really that complicated. Poetry is about human existence. Even poems about objects or settings or events involve humans and their relationship with external forces. Of course a poem can ALSO be about a speaker's conflict (if any) of internal forces.
Poems are about us. We can either write about love, death/life, or nature. Writing about the self or ones beliefs or God or an event or locations or objects or animals falls into one of these three categories.
So poems concern everyday things. To come up with subject matter for a poem is as easy as throwing a stone through the air and hitting the ground.
Speaking of stones, much of poetry involves nature.
What is a nature poem?: A poem in which nature plays an important role, emphasizing terrain and life (including the life of humans) in a natural setting, season, metaphor, symbol, situation or theme.
Types of Nature Poetry
1. Tribute to the season: (Ode/Pastoral) – Praising or welcoming a season.
• Nature-Human Celebration: The poet or speaker celebrates himself or herself as part of nature.
• Essence of Nature: An aspect or element of nature is described (usually to show its beauty or essence)
2. Nature as conflict:
• Nature against human. A man or woman is in a dangerous or difficult situation concerning nature.
• Human against nature: A man or woman overcoming a dangerous situation or destroying some aspect of nature.
• Isolation from Nature: The speaker describes how he or she feels apart from nature or the natural world.
3. Human-nature Relationship: A person who contemplates (thinks about) some aspect of nature. Often the speaker is longing for nature’s qualities.
• Human encountering nature: The speaker witnesses or beholds an element or aspect of nature as if for the first time (the speaker is “in the moment” and acutely aware).
• Nature as Reflection of Mood: The setting is usually out doors and the speaker describes a feeling. Nature or natural images reflect the mood of the speaker.
• Nature as Metaphor for the Human Condition: The poet makes a comparison between human qualities or subject matter and some aspect or element of nature (usually to express how it feels to be mortal or at peace).
• Nature as Symbolic of the Human Condition: Like the Metaphor poem (above), it uses a symbol instead of a metaphor.
4. Nature as a Reflection of God: Another common nature poem type. Some aspect or element of nature shows or reminds the speaker of God’s power or artistry.
Forms:
• Ode: an open poem form that praises its subject (in this case something in nature)
• Elegy: an open poem form that laments or mourns a subject that is gone or passed away (this can also be found in love poetry).
• Pastoral: An open nature poem form in which rural life or objects are romanticized or idealized.
Poems can be about animals, as they are part of nature. Here's a few examples and/or models:
Whales Weep Not by D.H. Lawrence
Baby Tortoise by D.H. Lawrence
The Dusk of Horses by James Dickey; The Heaven of Animals by James Dickey.
A Crocodile by Thomas Lovell BeddoesPoem Draft: After reading a few examples, write about an animal or pet.
Bats by Paisley Rekdal
If you finish early, or before/after your workshop, please REVISE workshopped poem drafts. Change the # on the draft so you indicate which version the revision counts for.
During period 8, or if all of your group members are ready for it, please conduct another workshop with your workshop group. Remember to turn in response forms to me for participation credit.
HOMEWORK: Please read Patrick Phillips' poem collection from "Chattahoochee"--as you read please note such things as imagery (metaphor, similes, personification, etc.), literary or poetic devices (sound devices, etc.), and nature. You will be asked to write a response to his poetry next class on the forum.
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