You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but poets have no trouble learning new things. There's no better example than the New York-based Poetry Society of America, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The PSA has long been a great supporter of poems and poets across the country, and in the past few years it has embraced the online world wholeheartedly.
Showing posts with label poetry resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poetry resources. Show all posts
Follow-Up: Now Google Really IS Your Dictionary
Back in September, I wrote this article about the futility of subscription-based online dictionaries. I'd concluded by mentioning the fact that a simple search for a word does about as good a job providing a definition as any online dictionary does. Now, it seems that the folks at Google have to come to roughly the same conclusion.
Formal Poetry: Five Essential Resources for Enhancing Your Enjoyment and Understanding
I’m one of those rare persons who greatly prefers formal poetry to modern free verse. I know I’m a minority, and I’m not here to argue the merits of each over the other. I simply want to offer up some resources for those who, like me, are of the formal school or for those who prefer free verse but would like to get better acquainted with formal poetry—especially fellow poets who would like to write some. One of the arguments I’ve heard against formal poetry is that it’s obsolete, antiquated, a relic of the past. On the contrary, the movement is alive and well, and there are a number of modern technological resources available to anybody with a computer. With the following five, I believe anybody can come to understand, enjoy, and write formal poetry.
First, an introduction to the style is necessary. Two good ones that I recommend discuss the philosophy of formal poetry and give examples; both are available online at no cost: “Formal Poetry and Related Terms: Formalism, New Formalism, Neo-Formalism, Pseudo-Formalism, Neo-Classicism, Traditional Poetry, and the Multitudinous Variations Thereof” and Rhyme and Reason: Modern Formal Poetry.
Second, one should be familiar with the literature. There are many poetry sites on the Internet, but one that is sure to be limited almost entirely to classic formal poetry is the collection of public-domain (pre-1923) e-books at Bartleby.com. Also helpful for appreciating formal poetry are those sites that provide audio versions of poems. I’ve mentioned it before, but I’d like once again to suggest Classic Poetry Aloud, which currently provides free access to over 500 recordings. Also, check out journals that are devoted to formal poetry. Two outstanding ones that do not charge for access are The Road Not Taken: A Journal of Formal Poetry and Mezzo Cammin: An Online Journal of Formalist Poetry by Women.
Third, it’s a good idea to understand the terminology used in the field of poetry. Robert G. Shubinski’s Glossary of Poetic Terms is a simple, straightforward introduction. A more structured (but less wide-ranging) introduction is the classic Introduction to Poetry for Students of English Literature by Raymond Macdonald Alden, which is available for online reading or as a download in both .pdf and .epub formats.
Fourth, network with other formalists. Seek them out on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc., and definitely consider joining the Eratosphere, a forum named for the Greek muse of lyric poetry. Here, you can discuss, post, and critique both formal and free-verse poems.
Finally, for those who truly wish not only to read formal poetry but to write it as well, a rhyming dictionary is an essential tool. No matter how expansive your vocabulary is, you can’t lodge the entire lexicon of the English language within your head. I myself have owned a portable paperback rhyming dictionary for years, but digital versions exist, and I suggest availing yourself of one. For those with iPhones or iPod Touches, Rhyme Time and Perfect Rhyme are available from the iTunes App Store. I’m not aware of any for the BlackBerry or Android, but good Web-based rhyming dictionaries can be found at rhymezone.com and rhymer.com; each possesses different functions in addition to basic end-rhyme matching, so try them both and decide which works for you.
Poets and poetry readers alike should find these materials quite useful, and as I mentioned, I believe with these five resources at hand, anyone can learn to enjoy, or enhance the enjoyment of, formal poetry. So, what are you waiting for? Go. Delve into the wide world of formalism! Have fun, and don’t forget to come back here and let me know what you find. Are these resources truly helpful? Are there others that poets and poetry lovers might find equally or more beneficial to their study or practice? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
First, an introduction to the style is necessary. Two good ones that I recommend discuss the philosophy of formal poetry and give examples; both are available online at no cost: “Formal Poetry and Related Terms: Formalism, New Formalism, Neo-Formalism, Pseudo-Formalism, Neo-Classicism, Traditional Poetry, and the Multitudinous Variations Thereof” and Rhyme and Reason: Modern Formal Poetry.
Second, one should be familiar with the literature. There are many poetry sites on the Internet, but one that is sure to be limited almost entirely to classic formal poetry is the collection of public-domain (pre-1923) e-books at Bartleby.com. Also helpful for appreciating formal poetry are those sites that provide audio versions of poems. I’ve mentioned it before, but I’d like once again to suggest Classic Poetry Aloud, which currently provides free access to over 500 recordings. Also, check out journals that are devoted to formal poetry. Two outstanding ones that do not charge for access are The Road Not Taken: A Journal of Formal Poetry and Mezzo Cammin: An Online Journal of Formalist Poetry by Women.
Third, it’s a good idea to understand the terminology used in the field of poetry. Robert G. Shubinski’s Glossary of Poetic Terms is a simple, straightforward introduction. A more structured (but less wide-ranging) introduction is the classic Introduction to Poetry for Students of English Literature by Raymond Macdonald Alden, which is available for online reading or as a download in both .pdf and .epub formats.
Fourth, network with other formalists. Seek them out on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc., and definitely consider joining the Eratosphere, a forum named for the Greek muse of lyric poetry. Here, you can discuss, post, and critique both formal and free-verse poems.
Finally, for those who truly wish not only to read formal poetry but to write it as well, a rhyming dictionary is an essential tool. No matter how expansive your vocabulary is, you can’t lodge the entire lexicon of the English language within your head. I myself have owned a portable paperback rhyming dictionary for years, but digital versions exist, and I suggest availing yourself of one. For those with iPhones or iPod Touches, Rhyme Time and Perfect Rhyme are available from the iTunes App Store. I’m not aware of any for the BlackBerry or Android, but good Web-based rhyming dictionaries can be found at rhymezone.com and rhymer.com; each possesses different functions in addition to basic end-rhyme matching, so try them both and decide which works for you.
Poets and poetry readers alike should find these materials quite useful, and as I mentioned, I believe with these five resources at hand, anyone can learn to enjoy, or enhance the enjoyment of, formal poetry. So, what are you waiting for? Go. Delve into the wide world of formalism! Have fun, and don’t forget to come back here and let me know what you find. Are these resources truly helpful? Are there others that poets and poetry lovers might find equally or more beneficial to their study or practice? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
