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PoetryPoetry is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. It consists largely of oral or literary works in which language is used in a manner that is felt by its user and audience to differ from ordinary prose. It may use condensed or compressed form to convey emotion or ideas to the reader's or listener's mind or ear; it may also use devices such as assonance and repetition to achieve musical or incantatory effects. Poems frequently rely for their effect on imagery, word association, and the musical qualities of the language used. Because of its nature of emphasising linguistic form rather than using language purely for its content, poetry is notoriously difficult to translate from one language into another.
Nature of poetry
Poetry can be differentiated most of the time from prose, which is language meant to convey meaning in a more expansive and less condensed way, frequently using more complete logical or narrative structures than poetry does. A further complication is that prose poetry combines the characteristics of poetry with the superficial appearance of prose. And there is, of course, narrative poetry, not to mention dramatic poetry, both of which are used to tell stories and so resemble novels and playss. However, both these forms of poetry use the specific features of verse composition to make these stories more memorable or to enhance them in some way.
The Greek verb poieo (I make or create), gave rise to three words: poietis (the one who creates), poiesis (the act of creation), and poiema (the thing created). From these we get three English words: poet (the creator), poesy (the creation) and poem (the created). A poet is therefore one who creates, and poetry is what the poet creates. The underlying concept of the poet as maker or creator is not uncommon. For example, in Anglo-Saxon a poet is a scop (shaper or maker) and in Scots makar.
Sound in poetry
Perhaps the most vital element of sound in poetry is rhythm. Often the rhythm of each line is arranged in a particular meter. Different types of meter played key roles in Classical, Early European, Eastern and Modern poetry. In the case of free verse, the rhythm of lines is often organized into looser units of cadence.
Poetry in English and other modern European languages often uses rhyme. Rhyme at the end of lines is the basis of a number of common poetic forms such as ballads, sonnets and rhyming coupletss. However, the use of rhyme is not universal. Much modern poetry, for example, avoids traditional rhyme schemes. Furthermore, Classical Greek and Latin poetry did not use rhyme. In fact, rhyme did not enter European poetry at all until the High Middle Ages, when it was adopted from the Arabic language. The Arabs have always used it extensively, for example in the Koran.
Alliteration played a key role in structuring early Germanic and English forms of poetry (called Alliterative verse), akin to the role of rhyme in later European poetry.
The alliterative patterns of early Germanic poetry and the rhyme schemes of Modern European poetry alike both include meter as a key part of their structure which determines when the listener expects instances rhyme or alliteration to occur. In this sense, both alliteration and rhyme when used in poetic structures help to emphasize and define a rhythmic pattern.
In addition to the forms of rhyme, alliteration and rhythm that structure much poetry, sound plays a more subtle role in even free verse poetry in creating pleasing, varied patterns and emphasizing or sometimes even illustrating semantic elements of the poem. Devices such as alliteration, assonance, consonance, dissonance and internal rhyme are among the ways poets use sound.
Poetry and form
As it is created using language, poetry tends to use formal linguistic units like phrases, sentences and paragraphs. In addition, it uses units of organisation that are purely poetic. The main units that are used are the line, the couplet, the strophe, the stanza, and the verse paragraph.
Lines may be self-contained units of sense, as in the famous To be, or not to be: that is the question. Alternatively a line may end in mid-phrase or sentence: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer. The linguistic unit is generally completed in the next line: The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. This technique is called enjambment, and is used to create a sense of expectation in the reader and/or to add a dynamic to the movement of the verse.
Couplets, stanzas, and strophes are generally self-contained units of sense, although a kind of enjambment may also be used across these units. In blank verse, verse paragraphs are employed to indicate natural breaks in the flow of the poem.
In many instances, the effectiveness of a poem derives from the tension between the use of linguistic and formal units.
With the advent of printing, poets gained greater control over the visual presentation of their work. As a result, the use of these formal elements, and of the white space they help create, became an important part of the poet's toolbox. Modernist poetry tends to take this to an extreme, with the placement of individual lines or groups of lines on the page forming an integral part of the poem's composition. In its most extreme form, this leads to the writing of concrete poetry.
Poetry and rhetoric
Rhetorical devices such as simile and metaphor are frequently used in poetry. Indeed, Aristotle wrote in his Poetics that "the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor". However, particularly since the rise of Modernism, many poets have opted for reduced use of these devices, preferring rather to attempt the direct presentation of things and experiences.
The history of poetry
Poetry as an art form predates literacy. In pre-literate societies, poetry was frequently employed as a means of recording oral history, storytelling (epic poetry), genealogy, law and other forms of expression or knowledge that modern societies might expect to be handled in prose. Poetry is also often closely identified with liturgy in these societies, as the formal nature of poetry makes it easier to remember priestly incantations or prophecies. The greater part of the world's sacred scriptures are made up of poetry rather than prose.
Some writers believe that poetry has its origins in song. Most of the characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of utterance - rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains - appear to have come about from efforts to fit words to musical forms. However, in the European tradition the earliest surviving poems, the Homeric and Hesiodic epics, identify themselves as poems to be recited or chanted to a musical accompaniment rather than as pure song. Another interpretation, developed from 20th century studies of living Montenegran epic reciters by Milman Parry and others, is that rhythm, refrains, and kennings are essentially paratactic devices that enable the reciter to reconstruct the poem from memory.
In preliterate societies, all these forms of poetry were composed for, and sometimes during, performance. As such, there was a certain degree of fluidity to the exact wording of poems, given this could change from one performance or performer to another. The introduction of writing tended to fix the content of a poem to the version that happened to be written down and survive. Written composition also meant that poets began to compose not for an audience that was sitting in front of them but for an absent reader. Later, the invention of printing tended to accelerate these trends. Poets were now writing more for the eye than for the ear.
The development of literacy gave rise to more personal, shorter poems intended to be sung. These are called lyrics, which derives from the Greek lura or lyre, the instrument that was used to accompany the performance of Greek lyrics from about the seventh century B.C. onward. The Greek's practice of singing hymns in large choruses gave rise, in the sixth century B.C. to dramatic verse, and to the practice of writing poetic plays for performance in their theatres.
In more recent times, the introduction of electronic media and the rise of the poetry reading have led to a resurgence of performance poetry and have resulted in a situation where poetry for the eye and poetry for the ear coexist, sometimes in the same poem.
Terms
Verse forms
Periods, styles and movements
Technical means
Alexander Pope used poetry self-referentially in "Sound and Sense", to describe how the poetic meter should reinforce the meaning.
- True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
- As those move easiest who have learned to dance.
- 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense,
- The sound must seem an echo to the sense:
- Soft is the strain when Zephyr gently blows,
- And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows;
- But when loud surges lash the sounding shore,
- The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar;
- When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw,
- The line too labors, and the words move slow;
- Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain,
- Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main.
- Hear how Timotheus' varied lays surprise,
- And bid alternate passions fall and rise!
Measures of verse
| Types of metre
| Types of line
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Poetry of specific cultures/languages
stood as a giant of 19th century American poetry.]]
Main article: List of national poetries
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Atlanta Review A biannual print magazine for poetry that features an international poetry contest. http://www.atlantareview.com
Hootenanny A web supplement to the hard copy magazine published twice yearly in New York City. It has some poetry not found in the hard copy. http://www.hootenanny.com/
Poetry Flash This Poetry Review and Literary Calendar is a bi-monthly print zine with an online companion. http://poetryflash.org
Poetrybay - Online Poetry Magazine Poetrybay and Long Island Quarterly - poetry publications for the 21st century. http://www.poetrybay.com
Poetry Greece Magazine This website includes extracts from current print issues, submission guidelines and subscription information. http://users.otenet.gr/~wendyhol/poetry_greece/
Waterways A print zine published 11 times a year, with a different theme for each issue. http://www.tenpennyplayers.org/jan.html
WordWrights Bi-monthly print zine, selections and subscription information available on the site. http://www.wordwrights.com
The New Formalist A small journal that publishes twice a year, on the web and in print. http://www.eccentrix.com/artist/newformalist/index.html
U.S. 1 Worksheets A poetry and fiction magazine published by a Poets' Cooperative in Princeton, New Jersey. http://www.geocities.com/princetonpoets2001/index.html
Panic! Brixton Poetry A print magazine and webzine of poetry and art dedicated to "the myriad voices of Brixton, South London and beyond". http://homepages.which.net/~panic.brixtonpoetry
The Madd Poem Paper A monthly webzine based on the weekly paper publication that allows students at the Edison Job Corps to connect with the power and benefits of poetic self-expression. http://www.geocities.com/maddpoetcafe/
Poetry Depth Quarterly Small print quarterly out of North Highlands, CA, includes samples of poetry and the feature artist from the current issue, as well as details on how to subscribe and submit. http://www.angelfire.com/biz/PoetsGuild/index.html
Poetry Daily An anthology of contemporary poetry offering new poems from books, magazines and journals currently in print, as well as an archive and daily news. http://www.poems.com/
Skald Magazine Magazine publishing poetry, short stories and black and white artwork. Selected work online, plus subscription and back issue information. http://www.skald.co.uk
A Light Left On The website for the Sacramento valley-based poetry, fiction and arts magazine includes a few poetry examples and information on submissions. http://www.geocities.com/ryanjj19/index.html
Dr. Bob's Isle of Serendipity Monthly e-zine with a print version. http://www.darriendesign.com/bobsisle
Concrete Wolf: A journal of Poetry On-line sampling of the quarterly print poetry journal with information on submitting, subscribing and excerpts of previous issues. http://concretewolf.com
New Zoo Poetry Review Website of the annual literary poetry magazine, including poem samples, subscription and submission information. http://members.aol.com/newzoopoet
Eccentricity An online and print publication with a focus on poetry. http://www.bigzines.com/eccentricity/
Idiolect 5 An annual electronic journal of contemporary poetry, art, and new media, edited by Lewis LaCook and Renee Vaverchak. http://www.lewislacook.com/idiolect5.html
Sometimes I Sleep With The Moon Ezine open to poetry and prose submissions from new and established poets. http://www.geocities.com/archadar/index2.html
The Rogue Scholars Collective Poems and an email newsletter. http://poetry.roguescholars.com/
Agnieszka's Dowry - AgD Poetry serial of "A Small Garlic Press." Appears as print chapbooks and webzine. http://asgp.org/agnieszka.html
Seneca Review Website for the print magazine, with selected excerpts and subscription information in addition to other materials related to the journal. http://www.hws.edu/senecareview/
Valparaiso Poetry Review An electronic journal of contemporary poetry and poetics. Includes submission guidelines, recommended book list, author archives and online issues. http://www.valpo.edu/english/vpr/
Poet's Paradise A quarterly ring-bound magazine where poets of all ages can get their work published. General information, submissions, subscriptions, and competitions. http://members.aol.com/poetsparadise/
Chase Park Dedicated to promoting the disparate voices in contemporary poetry, and to dialog among poets in matters of craft and tradition. Editorial, submission and subscription information and contents of past and current issues. http://www.geocities.com/twentymule/chasepark.html
Shearsman The online version of the Shearsman print magazine, owned by the Shearsman Books press, both devoted to contemporary poetry. Current and some back issues and subscription and submission information. http://www.shearsman.com/pages/page2.html
The New Formalist Print and online journal of innovative formal poetry. Current issue and archives of contents. http://www.newformalist.com/
Slope Online journal of original poetry. Current and past issues. Part of Slope Publishing Inc., a non-profit organization registered in the State of New Hampshire. http://www.slope.org/
Rattle A diverse, ad-free print publication of poetry and opinions from all walks of life. Previous issues are available online. http://www.rattle.com/
Gin Bender Poetry Review A literature webzine featuring both experienced and new writers. See the website for submission guidelines. http://www.ginbender.com
The New York Quarterly A magazine devoted to the pure craft and technique of poetry writing. http://www.nyquarterly.com
The Fiddlehead Canada's longest living literary journal, The Fiddlehead is published four times a year at the University of New Brunswick. http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/Fiddlehead/
Paranormal Poets An irregularly published poetry ezine that publishes work that is beyond the normal, usual or typical. http://occult_symbolism.tripod.com/poets/index.html
Swan Sycthe Press Poetry Publishing Group Discovering and publishing some of the best new poets in America today. http://www.swanscythe.com
2River A site of poetry and art, quarterly publishing The 2River View and occasionally publishing individual writers in the 2River Chapbook Series. http://www.2River.org
Firewheel Editions Home page of Firewheel Editions, publisher of Sentence: A Journal of Prose Poetics and of fine chapbooks and books of contemporary poetry. http://firewheel-editions.org
Lilliput Review Small press print magazine specializing in short poetry ten lines or less. Includes sample pages and subscription information. http://donw714.tripod.com/lillieindex.html
Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking, and Light Industrial Safety Published by Forklift, Ink., this semiannual literary journal publishes imaginative works of poetry, prose, and visual art. The site includes enticing tidbits from the print edition. http://forkliftohio.com/
Haggard and Halloo Independent ezine publishes surreal poetry by underground writers. Also has movie reviews and some visual art. http://www.haggardandhalloo.com/
The Black Rose Poetry Magazine Quarterly print magazine publishing poems by UK poets. Includes readers' choice poem, submission and subscription information. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vampsoft/BlackRosePoetry/
The Comstock Review Published in print biannually with 100 pages of all styles of original poetry. Submission and subscription information, the Comstock Writers' Group, contest and a handbook for poets. http://www.comstockreview.org/
Bywords A poetry magazine centered in Ottawa. Available worldwide by subscription. http://www.bywords.ca/
Numbat Poetry Journal Australian and overseas poetry. Submission guidelines on site. http://www.aceonline.com.au/~db/numbat/
The Wolf magazine for poetry Quarterly print poetry magazine including reviews, essays and audio. Some selections on web site. Published in London, England. http://www.thewolfpoetry.org.uk
Poets Publish Poetry Poets can publish, promote and sell their poetry. Readers can read and post poems to their friends for free and purchase poetry collections. http://www.poetspublishpoetry.co.uk
Poetry Sharings Journal Monthly poetry journal. Online order information. http://editorpsj.tripod.com/
Poetry Wales Quarterly magazine of poetry and criticism from Wales and the world under editor Robert Minhinnick. Contact, submission and subscription information on site. http://poetrywales.co.uk
Skyline Magazine Poetry & stories published in our low cost magazines, personalized for you. Children's writing accepted. http://www.skylinepublications2.com/YouArePublishedHome.html
Stone View Press Publisher of "10:15," a forthcoming print quarterly literary journal devoted to creative poetry. Submissions accepted via email. http://stoneviewpress.20fr.com/
PomPom A journal of poetic polylogue that directly engages or responds to work published in previous issues, with the aim of making the magazine's contents the "property of many." http://www.pompompress.com
Celebrity Poem Magazine Print magazine that accepts poems about celebrities. Submission information on web site. http://www.webspawner.com/users/celebritypoem/index.html
Poetic Inhalation An exploration of underground and surrealist poetry and art. http://www.poeticinhalation.com/
Anon Print poetry magazine employing anonymous submission and assessment procedures. First issue out August 4, 2003. http://www.blanko.org.uk/anon
The San Diego Arts and Poets Magazine Quarterly print arts and poetry magazine with the goal of encouraging the production, distribution, and appreciation of the diverse artists and poets of our community. http://www.artsandpoets.com
POESY Magazine Publishes inspirational poetry, reviews, interviews and articles about Santa Cruz, Boston and other areas of the United States. http://www.poesy.org
32 Poems Magazine Semiannual journal containing 32 poems in each edition. Subscription and submission information on web site. Some poetry from journal online. http://www.32poems.com
Coffee House Poetry Print magazine published 3 times a year for new, contemporary poetry by established and new poets. Includes a featured poet slot and annual competition. Submissions welcome. http://www.coffeehousepoetry.co.uk
The Refined Savage Poetry Review A print bilingual English/Spanish magazine published quarterly. Submissions accepted. http://www.therefinedsavage.org
Mother Tongued An online art gallery and literary journal dedicated to the celebration of women's art and women artists. http://mothertongued.com/
My Favorite Bullet / Interior Noise Press Quarterly print zine for contemporary poetry. Site contains archives of all issues, including featured poet pages, essays, submission guidelines and links. http://myfavoritebullet.com
Barrow Street A nonprofit organization that publishes a poetry journal and hosts a poetry reading series in New York City's West Village. http://www.barrowstreet.org
Small Town A poetry journal, which may publish between zero and three pieces of fiction per issue. Submission guidelines, samples, and information on the editor. http://www.sundress.net/smalltown
Epicenter Magazine A magazine of poetry, short stories, essays and art. http://www.epicentermagazine.org
Love and Friendship Poems Ebook and collection of poems to warm your heart, motivate your mind, and enlighten your soul. Our mission is to contribute to a smiley and peaceful world. http://www.onechildonesmile.com
Tiger's Eye: A Journal of Poetry Includes submission, contest, subscription information, and sample poetry. http://www.tigerseyejournal.com
LUNA: a new journal of poetry and translation Publishes poems by writers from throughout the U.S. and poems in translation from all over the world. http://www.lunamagazine.org
Ppetices.com Submit Poetry, Add music and pictures to poetry,Send and recieve feedback on your poetry.Free Membership! http://Poetices.com
New Hope International Magazine and chapbook publisher based in the UK. Includes samples, reviews, and links. http://www.nhi.clara.net/nhihome.htm
Braquemard Poetry Magazine Includes submission guidelines and online sales. From the United Kingdom. http://www.braquemard.fsnet.co.uk
Crannog Magazine Literary magazine published by Galway Writers' Workshop three times a year featuring quality Poetry,Fiction etc. http://www.crannogmagazine.com
Vallum: contemporary poetry A biannual journal featuring poetry by emerging and established writers from Canada, the U.S. and abroad. http://www.vallummag.com
Topix.net: Poetry News about poetry, collected from various sources on the web. http://rss.topix.net/rss/arts/poetry.xml
Island Magazine A Tasmanian-based quarterly featuring short stories, poetry, extracts from forthcoming novels, and articles and essays on topics of social, environmental and cultural significance. http://www.islandmag.com
Main Channel Voices A showcase of accessible poetry with an eclectic mix of playful insights and serious commentary. All genres, including prose poems and short shorts are accepted. http://www.mainchannelvoices.com
Blue Collar Review Quarterly print journal of poetry and prose from Partison Press. Webpage includes samples. http://www.angelfire.com/va/bcr/
Spinning Jenny Annual poetry zine out of New York, with subscription and submission information on the website. http://www.blackdresspress.com/current_issue.html
Highland Poetry Quarterly Small quarterly print publication, subscription information available on the site. http://www.angelfire.com/art/quarterly/index.html
The Circle Magazine A small print zine featuring poetry, short stories, book and cd reviews. http://www.circlemagazine.com
Jubilat An international print zine from the University of Massachusetts. Examples and subscription information on the site. http://www.jubilat.org
Rue Bella Poetry A print zine with companion website featuring the chance to listen to poetry by the authors themselves. Extracts from the print issue available. http://ruebella.co.uk/
Ekphrasis The web site of the print publication for poems focused on individual works from any artistic genre. http://hometown.aol.com/ekphrasis1
Electric Van Print journal of poetry, short-shorts and experimental work. http://members.tripod.com/electricvan/ev1.htm
Little Brown Poetry An online literary magazine with print anthologies. Accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, art and photography. http://www.littlebrownpoetry.com
No Experience Required A literary print zine controlled by a Texas writers group. It contains a large number of links that are helpful to the writing community. http://members.tripod.com/~JCP12/index.html
Outpost Entropy Submission information for a small print magazine that publishes poetry on an irregular basis. They enjoy the experimental. http://outpostentropy.8m.com/
Never Bury Poetry Website of the quarterly print magazine, in print since 1989. Includes examples of past work, details of how to subscribe and submit. http://www.nbpoetry.care4free.net/
VOiCE An independent magazine featuring art, poetry, and photography. http://www.voicemag.net/
The Poetry Billboard Poetry from Singapore, including such well known writers such as Alfian Saat and Aaron Lee. Also critical essays and reviews. http://www.poetrybillboard.com/
Poems Niederngasse A monthly poetry e-zine with a paper edition published twice a year. http://www.niederngasse.com/
Anthology A print literary magazine. You can submit poetry, prose, art or enter one of the annual contests. http://www.anthology.org/
The Pittsburgh Quarterly Online version of the small press literary magazine that grew out of the community writing workshop movement. Available on the web and as a pdf file. http://trfn.clpgh.org/tpq/
Poetry International Website for the print annual includes publication history, subscription and submission information. http://www.rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/press/poetry.html
Pleiades Online version of the respected literary magazine noted for publishing more formal poetry. http://www.cmsu.edu/englphil/pleiades.html
Promise A print magazine published twice a year, featuring poetry, short prose, photography and artwork. http://www.purple-rose.com
The Prose Poem Website of the print magazine where the focus is short, epiphanic prose or "prose poems." Includes subscription and submission information and online texts. http://webdelsol.com/tpp/
Potato Hill Poetry Magazine Subscription information for the print magazine devoted to poetry education. http://www.potatohill.com/magazine.html
Poetry Magazine Website of the print magazine includes a weekly featured poet, information on current issue, subscriptions, and programs of the Modern Poetry Association. http://www.poetrymagazine.org/
Poetic Hours Online companion to the print zine published twice yearly. http://www.poetichours.homestead.com
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