When thinking about how to write concrete poetry, you will be considering how the poem looks on the page, what its shape is to the eye, as well as what the words mean and how they sound. Want an easy way to understand how this works? Think of greeting cards: you’ve probably seen a Valentine's Day card with the words-- poetry or not -- arranged in the shape of a heart, or a cupid. Perhaps you’ve seen a Christmas card with the words of the greeting in the shape of a tree.
Concrete poetry involves more than just setting words in a shape, though. The idea of the poem, the sense of the words, and the shape they take on the page connect with each other in concrete poetry. If you are writing about love as a flowing stream, or time as a river, then the shape of a winding river cascading down the page might add to your words. Maybe the idea you are thinking of would lend itself to a shape of stair steps, or a circle, a square -- the thing to keep in mind is that the words and ideas are connected. In a well written concrete poem, if you took away the shape, the poem would be less effective.
Writing concrete poetry requires you to think both visually and with words. Starting with the idea of an image, one you describe with words or one you draw, is the beginning of writing a concrete poem, and as with any other sort of poem, it’s helpful if you also have an idea of where you want to go with it. Is that winding stream of love fast flowing or a trickle? How will this play into how you arrange your words to illustrate this idea?
6 Steps To Writing Concrete Poetry:
-Think of the main idea you want to write about.
-What shapes or pictures come to mind? Remember, the shape should relate to and enhance your words.
-Sketch out your chosen shape (even if you usually write on a computer, and you plan your finished piece to be done with a graphics program, it’s best to begin creating your ideas for concrete poems using pen or pencil and paper. you have more freedom that way and it’s easier to see immediate results of changes).
-As you write your poem, begin to fit the words into the shape, in a way that enhances the flow of your ideas.
-Remember, the point of writing concrete poetry is to create a poem where words and shape play on the page
Concrete poetry involves more than just setting words in a shape, though. The idea of the poem, the sense of the words, and the shape they take on the page connect with each other in concrete poetry. If you are writing about love as a flowing stream, or time as a river, then the shape of a winding river cascading down the page might add to your words. Maybe the idea you are thinking of would lend itself to a shape of stair steps, or a circle, a square -- the thing to keep in mind is that the words and ideas are connected. In a well written concrete poem, if you took away the shape, the poem would be less effective.
Writing concrete poetry requires you to think both visually and with words. Starting with the idea of an image, one you describe with words or one you draw, is the beginning of writing a concrete poem, and as with any other sort of poem, it’s helpful if you also have an idea of where you want to go with it. Is that winding stream of love fast flowing or a trickle? How will this play into how you arrange your words to illustrate this idea?
6 Steps To Writing Concrete Poetry:
-Think of the main idea you want to write about.
-What shapes or pictures come to mind? Remember, the shape should relate to and enhance your words.
-Sketch out your chosen shape (even if you usually write on a computer, and you plan your finished piece to be done with a graphics program, it’s best to begin creating your ideas for concrete poems using pen or pencil and paper. you have more freedom that way and it’s easier to see immediate results of changes).
-As you write your poem, begin to fit the words into the shape, in a way that enhances the flow of your ideas.
-Remember, the point of writing concrete poetry is to create a poem where words and shape play on the page
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