Post by gryphonpoet on Oct 24, 2006 11:15:41 GMT -5
Ahhhhh...
Line breaks...
They are every bit as important to the poem as the words themselves. Where the lines end and start can change the meaning of a work or add layer or layers of depth. With so much riding on where they lay, how does one decide on them?
There are two basic thoughts about line breaks. Yes, I know there are as many reasons to break a line at a certain place as there are lines to break, but these are overly-general categories. The first school of thought follows the rhythm of the poem itself. The other makes its own trail through the writing.
When someone writes a traditional poem, the lines follow a formulated tempo. It is refered to as a meter. More about that will follow in another post. The matter is simple. When the line reaches the end of the meter, you click "Tab" and capitalize. It was the standard for almost all poetry written in or translated into English for ages. Then along came Robert Frost, and life got complicated...
The widespread notice that Frost and his peers received opened up a new series of options. The line could now do much more than make soothing and semi-musical endings. The poet could use the break to imitate speech patterns by utilizing the reader's natural hesitation while shifting from one line to another. Emphasis could be placed on certain sections, phrases or even single words by seperating them from the rest of the sentence without additional grammar marks. Or, you could just ignore grammar altogether and use breaks in their place.
In metaphor, the iron rod of meter now became the pine dowel of speech.
Whether you rhyme or not, line breaks are paramount. Whether you use meter or not, line breaks need your finest attention. Whether you write long lines or short ones, they seperate a poem from a work of prose.
Line breaks...
They are every bit as important to the poem as the words themselves. Where the lines end and start can change the meaning of a work or add layer or layers of depth. With so much riding on where they lay, how does one decide on them?
There are two basic thoughts about line breaks. Yes, I know there are as many reasons to break a line at a certain place as there are lines to break, but these are overly-general categories. The first school of thought follows the rhythm of the poem itself. The other makes its own trail through the writing.
When someone writes a traditional poem, the lines follow a formulated tempo. It is refered to as a meter. More about that will follow in another post. The matter is simple. When the line reaches the end of the meter, you click "Tab" and capitalize. It was the standard for almost all poetry written in or translated into English for ages. Then along came Robert Frost, and life got complicated...
The widespread notice that Frost and his peers received opened up a new series of options. The line could now do much more than make soothing and semi-musical endings. The poet could use the break to imitate speech patterns by utilizing the reader's natural hesitation while shifting from one line to another. Emphasis could be placed on certain sections, phrases or even single words by seperating them from the rest of the sentence without additional grammar marks. Or, you could just ignore grammar altogether and use breaks in their place.
In metaphor, the iron rod of meter now became the pine dowel of speech.
Whether you rhyme or not, line breaks are paramount. Whether you use meter or not, line breaks need your finest attention. Whether you write long lines or short ones, they seperate a poem from a work of prose.
