In most of us, poetry is innate (some would say inane), at least to some extent, but we deny this vigorously because (1) we have never tried to write poetry; (2) we stand in awe of anyone who can make a living writing poetry; (3) poets are a strange breed; and (4) we are intimidated by the conviction that poetry takes a special kind of talent which we lack. It is the purpose of this document to dispel some of the misconceptions about poetry and to enable anyone who has the desire and the drive to be a classical poet. Pay attention now, because it is really not such an arcane endeavor.

We begin with a basic poem cadence which we can call "the repeated rhythm" poem.

Thus:

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong ding
Dong ding ding ding ding ding dong.
Dong, dong, ding dong.

Silly, you say? Ridiculous? Amateurish? No self-respecting poet would write such a piece? Not so. It is in the finest tradition of one of America's immortal poets. You can certainly do as well, well, well!

"Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme
To the throbbing of the bells---
Of the bells, bells, bells---
To the sobbing of the bells;
Keeping time, time, time,
As he knells, knells, knells,
In a happy Runic rhyme,
To the rolling of the bells---
Of the bells, bells, bells---
To the tolling of the bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells---
Bells, bells, bells---
To the moaning and groaning of the bells."

From Edgar Allan Poe's "The Bells"

You are on a roll with Poe's "The Bells"! Now, using part of Verse I, we can carry the construction on to heights which Poe never envisioned:

"Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells---
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells."

"It's that tintinnabulation
Which wakes a sleeping nation
And induces fornication
To increase the population
For a future generation."
And so forth.

If you encounter difficulty in making your poetry rhyme, don't despair. There is no need for rhyme. Consider an example from Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass", "The Calming Thought of All":

"That coursing on, whate're men's speculations,
Amid the changing schools, theologies, philosophies,
Amid the bawling presentations new and old,
The round earth's silent vital laws, facts, modes continue."

So you see, one who thinks that only rhyming verse is poetry is sadly mistaken. However, the poet who would work with rhyme must proceed with extreme caution as he would in navigating a minefield. If you are not careful in picking your way through the minefield, you may find that the poem has taken over like a virus and you may have a crash to deal with!

Take, for example, a case where you have a word and you are searching for one that is spelled the same because you reasonably expect that, if it is, it will rhyme. Do not depend on it! It is far too easy to illustrate the fallacy of this expectation. Let us look at what you may encounter if you pursue your expectation.

"Look! A bear!"
"Never fear!"

If you use these spelled-alike words on the assumption that they will rhyme, you are already in big trouble, for there are numerous variations of the same pair of words. Watch!

You can expand into "Wear," "Hear," "Bare," "Near," "Pear," "Pair," and on and on, ad infinitum. You can get into similar difficulties if you choose to risk confrontation with the "ough" family.

Just as with many things, such as art, music, baking, etc., the main product in poetry is often embellished or garnished with non-vital additions to improve its appearance. For example, good poems are frequently sprinkled with certain word forms the more common of which include:

There are many such "sprinkling" words and they should not be overused, but they are great in helping to identify the piece as a poem.

If you really want your piece to have an aura of erudition, try inserting a few foreign words or expressions. An excellent example of this technique will be found in Lord Byron's "Maid of Athens". Observe:

"Maid of Athens, ere we part,
Give, oh, give me back my heart!
Or, since that has left my breast,
Keep it now, and take the rest!
Hear my vow before I go,
Zoë mou sas agapo.

Now that should have your readers scurrying for their Greek textbooks, for surely the Greek expression by an English nobleman must have some deep significance which is not apparent to the reader.

There is one type of poetry that every poet must be able to handle and that is the sonnet. You can pretty well construct sonnets as you please because nobody writes them well enough to be in a position to criticize others. A book of poetry has been defined as one which contains poems and sonnets, without which the book ain't nothin'. So, here we go.

A STUDENT'S SONNET
Most students study mainly to learn
But some do so because they must.
Yet most read and write and fight to earn
A decent grade for which they lust.
Methinks perhaps I'll get an A,
That modest grade to which I aspire,
But I'll settle for a B to end the fray,
Tho' that is far less than I desire.
You say a C would too gen'rous be?
'Twould but leave an unhappy lad!
Yet methinks you might consider for me
That a grade of D would not be bad.
Methinks methank wrong when methought
Me earned a grade as high as meought!

Finally, every aspiring poet must have at least a rudimentary knowledge of blank verse. Below is a classical illustration of the effective use of modern blank verse, for better or for verse!

Now that you have been exposed to blank verse, you are ready to apply for your journeyman poet's certificate (poetic license). Good luck, luck, luck, luck, luck, luck!

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