 Poetry: April 23, 2025 Issue [#13090] |
This week: Expand Word Choice not Word Count Edited by: Brooke is sleepy  
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According to Wikipedia, Poetry (from the Greek word poiesis, "making") is a form of literary art that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, literal or surface-level meanings. Thank you for reading this NL.
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Some will say poetry is all about rhythm but I believe word choice is more important. Choosing powerful words when writing poetry is critical. Keeping powerful and vivid word choices and eliminating the others will transform your poetry to the next level. Am I saying you have to get out a thesaurus and choose a bunch of words that average folks don't know the meaning of? No. What I'm saying is to choose words that set the tone you want and evoke the emotion you're trying to convey. You want to resonate with the reader on a deep level. Your reader doesn't have to have experienced what you're describing because you can convey the tone and evoke imagery using powerful words to make them feel as if they have.
Many poets hone their word choice during the revision process. Taking a highlighter or colored pencil to your first draft can make editing colorful and purposeful. Focus on identifying words that are vague, cliche, or confusing, and consider how they could be strengthened.
The passage above is from an article on ReadPoetry.com and is a simple way to critically look at your poetry with an editor's eye. What I like to do is similar to the process writers use when writing flash fiction or limited-word-count stories. Go through your poetry and try removing words. If the line still makes sense, then it may not be needed. Using a highlighter, highlight all the verbs in your poem. Are they strong enough? Do they detract or draw attention away from the topic? If so, replace them with ones that do. Look for weak and passive verbs that lack detail such as was, is, are, to have, etc. Strong verbs make an impact. Don't say something nondescript when you can use a word that creates a visual. Just like in writing, you want to create a precise visual so your subject doesn't walk, they dash, they didn't just say something, they grumble it. They didn't just want something, they desired it. The dog didn't bark, he snarled. Always strive for the word that paints a vivid picture.
You can also use verbs in unique ways, such as the line, “The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes” in T.S. Eliot's, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. The idea of the fog rubbing against the window creates a strong eerie visual. I try to avoid intensifiers and modifiers because I've found they generally weaken your poetry. If you choose the right verb, you usually won't need them. Another benefit to choosing the best verb, it can make some adjectives become filler. But if you use adjectives in unique ways, they create opportunity. An example is Wordsworth's I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud. Lonely isn't an adjective usually associated with a cloud but it creates an impact used in that way. Strive to use your words in unique and creative ways to make the most impact.
Until next time,
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We met where breath forgets the shape of sound,
Between the dusk and threshold of the real.
A shadow’s echo circled us around—
Not touch, but something deeper dared to feel.
~  ~
Underneath the surface, shadows play,
Navigating dreams that drift away.
Daring to explore the depths unknown,
Echoes of whispers in the twilight's tone.
~ ~
Black ink on white pages;
a dark tarnish of words
that stains my imagination.
I chafe from the manacles of images
trapping me in a world of
the bizarre, the arcane, madness.
~ ~
The sky is stitched in silver thread,
with clouds that whisper what’s unsaid.
The trees wear leaves of shadowed glass,
that shimmer when your thoughts walk past
~ ~
Love was just around the corner
And I was just a heartache away
Once more picking up the pieces
Of a love that I lost yesterday.
~ ~
"Wrapped" by Ned  from "Random Acts of Poetry " [13+]
The electric fireplace pretended to crackle
but only hummed and thrummed
its flames cheerfully choreographed
~ ~
Honeybee confectioners of cotton candy combs;
Workers gather syrup for the splendid solo Queen.
Nectar drowns the droning noise inside six-sided homes;
Golden honey, glittering, gleams naturally pristine.
~ ~
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In response to "Protest Poetry - Your Voice, Your Power"
I have read a couple here that fit the scheme. ~ Monty 
these are good protest poems to read and ponder. I have included a few of mine reprinted from my blog the world according to cosmos ~ JCosmos 
Thank you both for sharing your thoughts!
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