Thursday, May 17, 2018

Poetry Friday: Free Verse and a Dinosaur Thank you!


Welcome to this week's Poetry Friday post. To enjoy the entire round up, head on over to Sloth Reads blog and check it out.

This week, I've been studying free verse poems. Free verse is poetry that is not written in a fixed rhyme, and it doesn't have a regular meter. 

What I enjoy in a free verse poem:
- Active verbs
- Sensory detail (I want to be able to see it, hear it, taste it, smell it, feel it)
- Sound tools (alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia)
- Symbolism
- Metaphor, Simile, Irony
- Concrete images

A poem obviously doesn't have to (and in most cases probably shouldn't) have all of these things at once, but careful use of some can make a powerful poem.



One of my favorite children's poetry collections is Kristine O'Connell George's Toasting Marshmallows. This time of year brings more days enjoyed outside with cookouts, camping, fishing, and hiking, and it always makes me want to pull this collection off the shelf and savor it once again. She is a master of free verse. 

A Doe

Stepping timidly
out of the thicket,
she trembles, then stills,
poised mid-quiver.

We don't move.
We don't even whisper.
She's almost
         close enough to touch.

Velvet ears swivel.
Slim spindled legs turn,
a silent shiver
         fading into dusk.

by Kristine O'Connell George, Toasting Marshmallows, Clarion Books, 2001

Strong verbs: stepping, trembles, stills, swivel, shiver, etc.

Sensory detail: I can feel the tremble, the quiver. I can hear the whisper and feel the velvet ears. 

Concrete images: Her words have painted a very clear picture of what she is seeing. I feel like I'm right there, enjoying the scene with her.

I'm challenging myself to read 10 more free verse poems from various writers this week. As I study each, I'll ask myself what tools I see in each poem. I'll also compare the poet's styles and voices. And, I may even take a crack at a few free verse poems of my own.


I don't want to end this post before thanking Matt Forrest Esenswine. I helped spread the word about his new picture book with Deborah Bruss and Louie Chin, Don't Ask A Dinosaur, and in doing so, I was entered to win a copy. Of all the entries, I was lucky enough to be chosen the winner! The book is a giant rhyming wild rumpus of a party, and it could not be more fun! My granddaughter had her first birthday last week, and I gave her this autographed copy. Besides my books, it's her first author-autographed book. She loved the rhythm of the words and the bold, fun illustrations. Both Aria and I thank Matt and Deborah for this very special gift.



That's it for this week. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Poem Making! :)




22 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this lovely poem. I love the strong verbs and the concrete imagery. This is definitely something I'd like to incorporate more into my own poetry. And congrats on winning a copy of Matt's book!

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  2. Lucky you to win Matt's book, Kimberly. I am glad your little one enjoyed it. 1st birthdays are special. My grandbaby is going to be 1 next month and we are already gearing up for the event and the party. I look forward to your free verse poem in following Poetry Fridays.

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    1. Thank you, Carol, and Happy Birthday to your grandbaby! :)

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  3. Terrific news to win Matt's book, Kimberly, and to gift it to your granddaughter! I love your post today, and that final line "silent shiver".

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  4. "Velvet ears swivel" is such a masterful way to describe that moment when the deer realizes it's time to go. George is a terrific mentor poet.

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    1. Yes, Tabatha. I truly enjoy so many of her collections. Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. Thanks for sharing Kristine's poem. I wasn't familiar with Toasting Marshmallows and now must look for it!

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  6. Thanks so much for sharing the news about "Dinosaur," Kimberly! I'm glad you & Aria both enjoy it. And yes, "Doe" is a beautiful poem! (A great use of internal rhyme, too.) have a great weekend!

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  7. Congrats on your book win! I really appreciate you sharing this descriptive free verse poem!

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  8. Congratulations on winning Matt's book! I enjoyed reading your commentary on free verse and the tools employed. I like your personal challenge to notice 10 free verse poems this week... perfect way to mentor skills.

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  9. Kristine O'Connell George has perfectly captured the image of a doe at dusk. I want to find and enjoy the entire collection!

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    1. Kay, the entire collection is definitely worth seeking out. Thank you for stopping by.

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  10. Oh how I miss camping, and immersing myself in nature!

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    1. It's been some years since we've been able to go, but I'm hoping that we'll make it back out this summer. I miss it, too.

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  11. I love the complex simplicity of Kristine O'Connell George's poems. She makes poetry accessible to everyone.

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  12. Congratulations on winning the book, always exciting.
    The things you notice in free verse are the same things we find in good prose writing, and studying poetry can make us better essay writers.

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  13. Like others, I didn't know this collection by KOG. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction for summer!

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