The Everything Writing Poetry Book
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THE
EVERYTHING
®
WRITING POETRY
BOOK
A practical guide to style, structure, form, and expression
Tina D. Eliopulos and Todd Scott Moffett
Adams Media
Avon, Massachusetts
We dedicate this book to our own perfect poem, Madelynne Crisi Moffett
Copyright ©2005, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything
®
Series Book.
Everything
®
and
everything.com
®
are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.
Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
ISBN: 1-59337-322-8
Printed in the United States of America.
JÂ Â IÂ Â HÂ Â GÂ Â FÂ Â EÂ Â DÂ Â CÂ Â BÂ Â A
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eliopulos, Tina D.
The everything writing poetry book / Tina D. Eliopulos and Todd Scott Moffett.
p.    .   cm.
(An everything series book)
ISBN 1-59337-322-8
1. PoetryâAuthorship. I. Moffett, Todd Scott II. Title. III. Series: Everything series
PN1059A9E44 2005
808.1âdc22
                                                2005007437
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
âFrom a
Declaration of Principles
jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases
.
For information, please call 1-800-872-5627
.
Contents
Using Concrete Nouns and Verbs
Active and Passive Voice Verbs
Narrative Poetry I: Epic and Ballad
Narrative Poetry II: Drama and Monologue
9 The Sestina, Pantoum, and Villanelle
11 Writing about Family and Friends
Public and Private Space Within Your Home
14 Writing about Work and Play
Clause Patterns I: Nontransitive
Clause Patterns II: Transitive
Clause Patterns III: Independent and Dependent
Rejection: Accept It and Move On
Acceptance: Enjoy It and Move On
Appendix A
⢠Additional Resources for Poets
Appendix B
⢠Glossary of Terms
Appendix C
⢠Acknowledgments and Bibliography
Acknowledgments
We owe a debt of gratitude to the following individuals: for their expertise, professionalism, and collegiality, Barb Doyen of Doyen Literary Services, Gina Chaimanis, Lynn Best, Mary Dalton-Hoffman, and Jeredith Merrin; for their wisdom, humor, and friendship, Robert Sherfield and Richard Logsdon; and for their presence in our lives, the divine Yiayia of Las Vegas and the Moffetts of Laguna Beach.
Top Ten
Poetic Inspirations
1. Falling in love: Expressing the feelings of first love, fleeting romance, or a lasting relationship.
2. Falling out of love: Treasuring love, even when it leaves.
3. Becoming a parent: The softness of baby skin and the sound of first words.
4. Observing nature: From towering trees to trickling streams.
5. Traveling to faraway places: Foreign languages, exotic foods, and enchanting people.
6. Discovering something new about yourself or someone else: Something as small as a smile or as big as a career change.
7. Moving: To the next town or to a new nation.
8. Facing mortality: Coping with loss and confronting your own fate.
9. Finding humor: From laughing through troubling times to laughing with friends.
10. Uncovering your spirituality: Discovering your place in the world.
Introduction
The ancient Greeks used the term
furor poeticus
to describe poetry as a frenzy sent by the gods. Through the centuries poetry has continued to amaze humankind. Ideas come to the poet unbidden, and then she must work them into polished pieces of art.
