New poetry forms

fractal

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Hi again...

My question is: Is there a place to search for new poetry forms? I have been to (http://www.volecentral.co.uk/vf/index.htm) as was suggested in another thread, but did not see my construct there. I am fairly new to writing and not very well-read in poetry so I am hoping to draw from your well.

One of the first serious poems I wrote got me out of bed. The lines wove through my head keeping me awake. At some point I somehow visualized a way to present them in a concrete form. It was such a revelation I knew I had to write it down then and there or it would be lost forever. It presents in two columns that can be read down or across. I have done some others in this form (although none came as easily as this one)

Has anyone seen this before? Anything like it?
the-inch.gif
 
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Albedo of Zero

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I call it a visual form of poetry.

I wrote part of a poem in a mixed up way so that it looked like the nutshell game...you know, which shell is it under?


BTW, I liked your poem...and, it would do just as well without the form.

Some examples with this link:

http://www.writing-world.com/poetry/visual.shtml
 
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fractal

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Thanks for the reply... and the link.

It was the form that got me out of bed. The inch is about laying in bed with your partner after an argument. You both have your backs to each other and you do not touch, but you can still feel the warmth/energy of the other. The words wrote themselves in my head and when I thought about writing it in columns separated by an exact inch, well I had to get up.

Incidentally, the last two stanza/columns were not part of the poem I wrote that night. They were an add-on that I sort of regret now as the piece was stronger without them. The first two sections came in about 10 minutes... the last - 2 hours.
 

fractal

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And yes I have had others tell me that this work is visual (which is true), but that term does not address the fact that it must be written in such a way as to be readable both vertically and horizontally as well as stand on their own as three individual poems.

Another?
Time.jpg
 
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Albedo of Zero

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Yes, that's how my nutshell worked...reading whichever way.
 

Izz

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Here's a poem that can be read at least 8 ways: http://www.labyrinthinhabitant.com/?p=228

It was written by an exceptionally talented poet who used to post here. Personally i prefer the layout of her post in Interstices SYW (the double-spacing in Labyrinth Inhabitant annoys me much): http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133298

(i hope she doesn't mind me linking to it, but it's a very amazing poem)

However, i'm not sure exactly that what she and you have done/are doing are 'new forms.' Just lesser-used ones.
 

fractal

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THAT was stunning! Humbling. I hadn't considered font size or treatment, but upon seeing it, it makes for a great many opportunities. Very exciting!

Yes, the spacing is annoying.
HTML is (as of yet) incapable of decent typsetting

But I'm confused...
She mentions "Marginalia" (which has a good ring) and "Interlinear glosses" which seem to describe the form well, but there are cites from 16th cent and 11th cent poets. Has she combined or translated earlier poems into her own work or are the cites fictional (I see she is a fantasy writer)?
 

Izz

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THAT was stunning! Humbling. I hadn't considered font size or treatment, but upon seeing it, it makes for a great many opportunities. Very exciting!

Yes, the spacing is annoying.
HTML is (as of yet) incapable of decent typsetting

But I'm confused...
She mentions "Marginalia" (which has a good ring) and "Interlinear glosses" which seem to describe the form well, but there are cites from 16th cent and 11th cent poets. Has she combined or translated earlier poems into her own work or are the cites fictional (I see she is a fantasy writer)?
You'd have to ask Rose as to all the permutations of meaning, but i'm fairly certain the work is completely original and the cites fictional.
 

kdnxdr

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Did you guys see this???!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is such COOL stuff!!!

I love AW poetry forums....you just never know what you're going to find!


Check out the links in this thread, and Fractal's poem!
 

chuckgalle

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Fractal, I enjoyed this deeply. Very clever stuff, very good. In a mild way it's the same sort of picture making that Cummings (yes, with a capital C - E. E., also! That's the way he liked it.) did, and I especially love that both sides can be read independently. Thanks.
 

Xelebes

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This form of poetry is very common with ancient English and Germanic poetry, poetry that relies heavily on cæsurae and alliteration. It is more clear in Skaldic drottkvætt (dryght-quote) poetry where you have to read it up and down and left to right to get the story. Check out Havamal.

I write much of my poetry this way, focusing on the kenning, alliteration, assonance and the occasional rhyme.