We haven't really talked about form yet because we've only read free verse
poems. But there are many other different kinds of forms which follow
rules such as rhyme schemes or fixed syllables or line lengths. One such
form is the haiku,
invented in Japan in the late 19th century, but popularized in the West
in the early 20th century. Check out Joyce Clement's "Birds Punctuate
the Days" (15) which was originally published in Modern Haiku. How has Clement adapted the haiku to this poetic situation?
Check out the pictures on the Course Outline page
of Blackboard (you'll have to sign in). How many of these birds did you
know in Clement's poem before you saw their pix? Why do you think so
few people know the names of birds in the modern world? Does it matter?
Remember the magnet activity last week? Fixed forms are another manner
of creative constraints in writing. Feel free to experiment with haiku
or other forms over the next few weeks as we discuss poetry.
Welcome to the blog for Prof. John Talbird's English 102 class. The purpose of this site is two-fold: 1) to continue the conversations we start in class (or to start conversations before we get to class) and 2) to practice our writing, reading, and thinking on a weekly basis in an informal setting.
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