I generally do not write to specific forms, and always have to look up the “rules” for villanelles, Shakespearean Sonnets, sestinas, and the like. What I truly love is free verse. However, there are many times that working within a form is liberating in that you’ve already got a set of parameters you don’t have to worry about. And, sometimes, when you’re forced to conform to a certain structure the little creative geniuses in your brain run off into territory … Read More »

During my years of teaching, this was the time of year when I unrolled a favorite laminated poster and taught my students this lovely poem by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers: Keep a poem in your pocket And a picture in your head And you’ll never feel lonely At night when you’re in bed The little poem will sing to you The little picture bring to you A dozen dreams to dance to you At night when you’re in bed So … Read More »

If you’re a lover of poetry—writer or reader—one of the things I’m sure you’ve noticed is that the world of poetry is full of idiosyncratic punctuation. Sometimes we poets follow the rules of prose, sometimes we don’t. And fashions change—even in what is popular reading/reciting/writing material. Some of us are stuck in classic mode (chinos and tucked in shirts), some of us are out there trying on 4-inch stilettos and feather boas despite the initial discomfort, or response by those … Read More »

With the proliferation of small presses, more and more chapbooks are coming onto the scene. And if you’ve been wondering how to create a chapbook of your own, I’m here to help. What is a chapbook? But before we dive into how, let’s define what a chapbook is. A chapbook is a small collection, anywhere between 15 and 50 poems, or 3 to 10 short pieces of fiction. It’s usually soft covered and can be stapled (if it’s very short), … Read More »

Let’s take a little time and talk about rhyme. So, if I were to take that first line and divide it into two end-stopped lines of poetry: Let’s take a little time/and talk about rhyme I’d have the classic end-stopped exact rhyme we were introduced to as children. Rhyme can be that simple—and that ho-hum. However, if used in a more complex way rhyme can heighten the musicality of your writing. There is a great deal one can say about … Read More »