Poetry is therapeutic. I’m closing out Poetry Month with reflections on the power of poetry. Stress and Duress Words flow out of my pen (or keyboard) during times of stress and duress. Vulnerabilities are exposed and I am eager to explore them. Raw emotion bubbles to the surface. I am forced to deal with difficult and persistent problems. Whether health, family conflict, or financial woes, poetry helps put them in perspective. Poetry gets at the root of a problem with a minimum of words. Finding the perfect word to express an idea, an emotion, a feeling, drives me to explore the depths of those ideas, emotions, and feelings. It compels…
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Diamante and Haiku
There are more than a hundred different poetry forms. Today I want to introduce you to diamante and haiku. Diamante The diamante poetry form is a relative newcomer. It was invented in 1969 by an American poet and educator named Iris McClellan Tiedt. The rules for this form are very straightforward. There are seven lines. The first and last lines have a single noun. The second and sixth lines have two adjectives. The third and fifth lines contain three verbs. The middle-or fourth line is made up of four nouns. When centered on the page this poetry form is diamond-shaped. That’s where it gets its name. Diamante is Italian for…
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Poetry Month 2025
April is Poetry Month. What makes poetry different from other forms of writing? Poetry uses an economy of words to paint a picture, amplify an emotion, or provoke deep thoughts. Word Pictures Some poems use words that create a visual representation for the reader. Color, shape, and texture portrayed in fresh ways help the reader experience what the poet sees. These poems plop the reader into a setting, as if they are there. Poets carefully select their words to bring a specific place or landscape to life. Nature often figures prominently in this type of poetry. Emotion Another type of poem is one that amplifies an emotional event. It tugs…
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Celebrate Poetry Month
Writers celebrate poetry month every April. In poetry, ordinary things become extraordinary because the reader feels a connection to the words on the page. We’re all searching for connection amid forced stay at home orders and pandemic quarantines. Thank goodness for FaceTime, Zoom, and all those other platforms that allow us to keep in touch with loved ones and others in our community. Writing Poetry Soothes the Soul Writing poetry gives us time to reflect, to take stock. To examine our emotions. Whether you’re shooting for humor or poignancy, consider free verse, sonnet, and rhyme to get you there. Here is an exercise to close out poetry month. Listen, really…
