It’s Poetry Friday and I am excited, because it’s also February, and that means in just
four weeks the poetry anthology I co-edited, Right Way Down, will be released and head out into the world.
As a result, in between grinning in wild anticipation, I am going to be thinking and writing and talking about poetry A LOT from now until then (and beyond).
I thought I would start this series of posts with some thoughts on what poetry is. I discovered back when I was completing my Doctoral thesis, that while most people have opinions about poetry, few people can neatly define what it is. So, I decided, the easiest way for me to define it was with this poem:
A Poem
A poem
is a whole lot of words
a plethora of words
a smattering, a scattering
a shattering of words
thrown on a page
in carefully created
chaos
to make you wonder.
(Copyright Sally Murphy 2016).
Later, when I wrote Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose, I still couldn’t find a better
definition, so I put the poem in there as well, along with a shape poem about how poetry makes me feel. This poem had first appeared here on my blog way back in 2014, looking like this:
Poetree
has lots of branches
goes out on limbs
takes lots of chances.
Leaves you breathless
when you twig
the poet’s skill
(it’s quite a gig!)
It boughs to nature
oftentimes
leaves you marvelling
at its rhymes.
Grows on you
after a while.
Poetree
you make me smile
(Copyright Sally Murphy 2014).
(You’ll be pleased to know that the amateur drawing I did was replaced in the book by a professionally made one).
While these two poems are different, I think they highlight the two things which, for me, are key in good poetry – the ability to make the reader marvel or wonder at something, and the ability to make the reader feel something. I can’t wait to share this book with the world. It will make you marvel at the cleverness of the many poets whose work is featured. It will make you feel all kinds of things, too – you might laugh out loud, you might cry or you might sigh at the perfect way a moment is captured.
I almost can’t wait for it to be released, but because I HAVE to wait, I plan to spend the month sharing lots of poetry related goodness. First, I am off to see what my Poetry Friday friends are up to. The Roundup is hosted by Mary Lee.
Sally, congrats on the new book — how exciting!
I love the idea of poem being” carefully created chaos to make you wonder.” That’s what it is for me. Congratulations on you book!
Congratulations on the forthcoming anthology! It sounds delightful.
Your poems both do a wonderful job of capturing the essence of what poetry is, and expressing it in poetic form. Thanks for sharing them with us this week.
Congratulations on your upcoming book. So exciting! Both poems are wonderful, but I especially love the first one and all the -ing words that are such fun to read aloud in sequence. Also, great photo!
Congratulations, Sally. I love both of your poems, but especially the first one with the image of words smattering, scattering, shattering across the page – great sounds.
Congrats on the coming soon publication! Thanks for sharing the joyful anticipation. Love the definitions of poetry!
Congratulations, Sally, new anthology, new website, and more poems! I love the ‘carefully created chaos’ that poets offer us, each one a personal thought from deep inside. I love reading what you love about a poem, would be fun to have an anthology for that, wouldn’t it? Best wishes for your counting down the days!
Both of your poetry definitions are spot-on, but I’m a bit partial to your poe-tree and all the word play you included!
BTW — love your website updates!
Hooray, Sally! So exciting! And I love your poetry definitions. That first one especially resonates with me–love it!
Hooray for a new anthology! And the Poetree poem–I love all that word play!!
Looking forward to seeing your book in the world, Sally!
Sally, congratulations on your book coming into the world in just four weeks. So many fun thoughts in your Poetree poem — “it boughs to nature” and “grows on you” Cute! I agree poetry should “make the reader marvel or wonder at something.” I look forward to getting my hands on a copy of your book!
Thanks Denise!
I am licking my chops for The Right Way Down! I love myself a good smattering, scattering, and shattering of words. : )
Thank you Tracey – and thanks for visiting!
I’d like to memorize your Poetree!
Waiting is hard! Looking forward to seeing what you bring while we’re waiting with you.
Thanks Tabatha. Ive never been good at waiting, but I’m glad I have friends waiting with me 🙂
Poetry is the joy I’ve been missing of late. Kinda nice to be here two weeks in a row, immersing myself in poetry again with the Poetry Friday crew.
Also, new-to-me blog look for you. I’m surprised you’re not hanging upside down, to match the new book!🙃
Glad you’re getting some poetry-joy, Kat – and sending you a poetic virtual hug, too. And yes, the photo update is new this week – not upside down, but I am working on that!