Thursday Poetry Forms (Poetry for Dummies) Week 8

Another Thursday and CC Champagne is back, trying to make sense of the wonderful, but oh so confusing, world of poetry forms. Last week we had two posts, thanks to the lovely Ava and our fabulous Morning, providing not only a list of various poetry forms, but a closer look at what a limerick is.

As usual I venture a little bit off the beaten track in my poetry form musings, but I would like to take a closer look at some un-metered forms today. I have previously described myself as a lover of free verse, preferring not having to count syllables or decipher meters, sort of taking the easy way out. But what is free verse?

Wikipedia defines free verse as 'a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme or any other form of musical patterns', whereas the Encyclopedia Britannica defines it as 'poetry organized to the cadence of speech and image patterns rather than to a regular metrical scheme'. Most of my own scribbles would, by these definitions, not be considered free verse at all since I rarely write anything that has no rhyme! It is, however, noteworthy that a poetic structure must still be upheld even in free verse, and this can be achieved by use of repetition of phrases or various punctuation used to create a sense of structure and rhythm.

Although Wikipedia and the Encyclopedia seem to disagree on the early origins of free verse, it seems clear that it dates back to at least the verse libre movement during the 1880's in France. For those of you who don't speak frog (I am sorry, but I could not resist joking), verse libre translates into free verse. Wikipedia, however traces the origins back further and argues that part of King James Bible and the psalms translated by John Wycliffe in the 1380's. I will let you debate that amongst yourself, and simply note that this poetry form has been around for a while.

An example of what is considered 'proper' free verse would be 'Jubilate Agno' by Christopher Smart (1722-1771), a 1200 line work (obviously penned before the age of blogging introduced the adage of 'keep your posts below 500 words or your reader will get bored') of religious nature. The most famous part of this work would be the section called 'Jeoffrey' that deals with Christopher Smart's cat Jeoffrey and the cat's relationship with God (see brief excerpt below).

"For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.

For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.

For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.

For he is tenacious of his point.

For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.

For he knows that God is his Saviour.

For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.

For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion."

It may well be worth noting that Christopher Smart produced this work of free verse while committed to an asylum of the time, although I am not saying you have to be mad to love your cat (or to write a piece of poetry 1200 lines long). A more modern proponent of the free verse form, who you might be more familiar with, is Walt Whitman.

Based on what I have read about free verse trying to prepare for this post, it is not as much a case of 'anything goes', but rather a case of creating your own rhythm. Quoting T. S. Elliot (another lover of felines, as noted in his 'collection of whimsical poems' Old Possum's Book of Practical cats - though this does not appear to be strictly in free verse) on the subject of free verse 'No verse is free for the man who wants to do a good job'.

Just to make things more interesting, there is also the blank verse form which is statistically (though I do not know how they came up with the numbers) far more common in the English language than the free verse, to the point where three quarters of all poetry written is in blank verse, according to cultural and literary historian, author and university professor Paul Fussell.

From what I can gather, the major difference between free verse and blank verse is that the latter is in un-rhymed iambic pentameter, whereas free verse - as we started out with - does not follow a set meter at all. And then, of course there is always poetic license, leaving us with the possibility to do just about whatever we wish with our precious words and creating new forms as we go along.

Please feel free to comment on any of the above and we can try sorting it out together. Also don't forget to join me and the others on the blankets at The Gooseberry Gardens Poetry Picnic Week 7, where Shashi has provided us with the lovely prompt 'Love and Loss', or if you are of the more speed-loving kind join in The Thursday Poets Rally Week 53. Whichever poetic path you chose to take this week, I hope it brings you inspiration and a whole bunch of happiness!

*cheers*

Poetic Reflections-Week 1

Welcome to Poetic Reflections. I am Blaga and I will be introducing you to poets of our community every Sunday! Today we will meet CC Champagne. Enjoy the interview and for more- visit her HERE.

Tell us about yourself...

I am CC Champagne, an extroverted hermit, clueless know-it-all and shy seductress, all rolled into one magnum sized bottle of sparkling attitude, served icy cold with a steaming side-dish of self-doubt and depression. Technically I'm old enough to know what I have but still young enough to use it (which I sometimes do very, very well). Like everyone I have my off days (and have had both off weeks, months and years in the past), but with the help of poetry, patient friends and family and sometimes excruciating psycho-analysis I am slowly finding my feet.

Currently based just outside Stockholm, Sweden I am a Swedish woman with an English mind (that never seems to shut up) and a heart that beats for all things Swiss, words and handsome men with silver tongues. I don't know if there is much more to say? *smile* (http://ccchampagne.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/interview-with-myself/)

Tell me about your blog and the name, what does it mean to you?

Originally A Glass of Bubbly (http://ccchampagne.wordpress.com/), along with the name CC Champagne, came to me while taking burlesque classes at Burleskakademien, Stockholm (http://burleskakademien.se/), in 2009. Seeing myself as more fully grown woman than some of the other girls (both in age and size) I wanted something that would give off sparkles for my first, and as I thought at the time only, performance on stage. My first suggestion was Alotta Champagne, but one of my fellow students immediately associated this with Alotta Vagina from The Gold Member/The Spy Who Shagged Me films, and you don't need more erotic misunderstandings when you are a burlesque performer! For a few months I performed as a part of a burlesque troupe, but when I started doing intense psycho-analysis I just couldn't keep up. One day I may return to it, but for now that part of my persona is dormant. Finding the name CC Champagne made the choice of a name for my blog A Glass of Bubbly natural.

Until June of this year I had never posted anything on A Glass of Bubbly though, so in a way I am just re-using something new in a different way. Both the burlesque experience and my blogging are things that are helping me feel better about myself, making me realize I am entitled to my place and the space I take up and that sometimes me being me can actually help others become who they ought to be.

When did you start blogging?

In April, at Random Misanthrope (http://randommisanthrope.com/). I was absolutely petrified the first time I posted something. From June I set out on my own with A Glass of Bubbly.

Do you remember the first poem you wrote?

Oh, dear... *blushing* The first poem I remember writing was for my mother on Mother's Day one year... I was probably between ten-twelve and I couldn't afford to buy her a present so I drew her a card and scribbled a poem. It was in Swedish, but the sentiments were that since I couldn't afford flowers I hope she could make do with the daisies I had drawn and the knowledge that my love for her was priceless. I probably wrote poems even earlier, but I only remember short stories before then...

What inspires you the most to write?

I find my inspiration absolutely everywhere, but that doesn't mean what comes out of it is any good, though! Anything from the shape of a cloud over-head (http://ccchampagne.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/cumulu/) to a discarded cigarette-butt on the ground (http://ccchampagne.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/what-we-leave-behind/) can make words pop into my head... At least lately.

Miss Kitten (http://www.misskitten.org/), a poet I truly admire, re-acquainted me with the word prolific a while back... Over the past few months I have embodied that word and it is just so wonderful to have the words in my head spill out rather than stay bottled up.  

Of course emotions of all kinds inspire more than anything else...

When did you start writing poetry? Do you write fiction as well?

Before April I hadn't written anything in a very long time. As a teenager riddled with angst and self-doubt I spouted what feels like millions of poems (mostly bad) in both Swedish and English, but the earliest I can remember is the mother's day poem previously mentioned.

I have a dream to some day try my hand at fiction as well, yes. I did that too as a teenager, but after once comparing my fiction scribbles with the, in my opinion much superior ones of a very dear friend around the age of 15 I have never got back into it. I am my own harshest critic and find it difficult to start since I am convinced I will fail.

Favorite author? Poet?

Tough question, very tough question! I don't have a favorite poet since what I like very much depends on my mood or where I am in life, but I have a favorite poem, one I hope will one day be put in my obituary, and that is Song, by Christina Rossetti (http://www.poetry-archive.com/r/song.html).

Again, favorite author also depends on my mood... I had a teenage obsession with Stephen King, but that has passed (thankfully).

Favorite quote?

"Here is my final point. About drugs, about alcohol, about pornography and smoking and everything else. What business is it of yours what I do, read, buy, see, say, think, who I fuck, what I take into my body - as long as I do not harm another human being on this planet?" - Bill Hicks, American Comedian

Plans about writing in the future?

To paraphrase Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind: Frankly, my dear... I have absolutely no idea! *smile*

At some point I suppose I have to grow up and start thinking about all the time I'm spending writing and what I'm doing with it, but for now... I'm perfectly happy just writing.

Any advice to poets who wish to start their own poetry community or to create just a blog?

I don't believe I am the person to ask, since I am making this blogging thing up myself as I go, trying to make heads or tails of the blogosphere. The one advice I would give anyone who wants to be creative in any way, on or off-line is to not be scared. Fear is the kryptonite of creativity. Fear and priorities.

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Happy Sunday to everyone!