Introduction
Poetry can be freeing in its ability to convey feelings, emotions, and thoughts in a concise manner. This can also be true of free verse poetry, a form that allows for a great deal of flexibility in its structure and form. Understanding free verse can greatly expand one’s appreciation for poetry and its ability to capture and convey ideas.
Breaking the Rules of Poetry: Understanding Free Verse Poems
Unlike most types of poetry, free verse doesn’t follow strict rules regarding meter, rhyme, or line length. It’s essentially poetry without any formal constraints. This can be freeing and rewarding for poets who want to let their creativity and emotions take center stage without restraining themselves to the confines of traditional poetic forms.
The history of free verse poetry dates back to the 19th century, where it emerged as a reaction against traditional poetic structures, which were seen as too restrictive. The creation of free verse poetry allowed poets to express themselves in new and innovative ways, which helped to further the evolution of poetic language and form.
While traditional poetry often focuses on rhyme and meter, free verse poetry is more likely to use imagery and sensory language to convey a message. By doing so, the poet is able to appeal to the reader’s senses, allowing them to better visualize and experience what the poet is trying to convey.
Free verse poets are also able to utilize punctuation in a more creative way, allowing it to serve as a tool to guide readers through the rhythms and cadences of a poem. Some poets prioritize punctuation over other aspects of language, such as line breaks, to create the unique flow of their work.
Even though free verse poetry is not bound by traditional rules, some poets may still choose to impose certain restrictions on themselves. This is done not to create a formal structure, but rather to give some grounding to their creative process.
The Beauty in Boundlessness: Exploring Free Verse Poems
The beauty of free verse poetry lies in its unusual and unconstrained form, enabling it to evoke emotions and ideas in a more imaginative way than traditional poetry.
Free verse allows poets to address everyday objects and experiences in their own unique way, without imposing rigid constraints or conforming to expectations of rhyme or meter. This allows poets to employ unique and sometimes unconventional language, furthering their ability to create a unique emotional atmosphere.
Let’s take a look at a famous example of free verse poetry, “The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams:
so much depends
upona red wheel
barrowglazed with rain
waterbeside the white
chickens.
Williams’ poem doesn’t tell a story per se, but instead, it offers a sensory experience. The image of the wheelbarrow and chickens can be seen vividly in the reader’s mind and the extension of the poem beyond it’s own simple structure allows for the symbol of the wheelbarrow to resonate far beyond the words on the page.
Another example of a free verse poem is “Truth” by Gwendolyn Brooks:
And if sun comes
How shall we greet him?
Shall we not dread him,
Shall we not fear him
After so lengthy a
Session with shade?Though we have wept for him,
Though we have prayed
All through the night-years—
What if we wake one shimmering morning to
hear
The fierce outcry at flaming noon
and know that we stand alone
Divided and terrified
among
Many who are screaming Mercy,
Mercy, Between the bang of bombs
And every Hallelujah?
Brooks’ poem utilizes potent imagery that evokes the emotional and visceral reaction of the reader.
Free Verse vs. Formal Verse: What’s the Big Difference?
The difference between free verse and formal verse is not as simple as the former being “free” and the latter being rigidly conformist. That being said, free verse does eschew many of the rules (specifically meter and rhyme) that are adhered to more traditionally under the umbrella of formal verse.
The structure of formal verse, which includes sonnets, haikus, and ballads, among many others, is based on specific rules that dictate syllables per line and rhyme patterns. These poems tend to follow a regular structure (such as four main stanzas of three lines each and a final couplet), in contrast to most free verse poetry which is typically broken up in stanzas and lines that seem more naturally “imposed” upon the language of the poem.
The use of the word “formal” in association with verse is not so much about creating restrictions as it is about finding a sense of form within the poem. This is how traditional or formal poems create a cohesive whole that’s complete in and of itself.
Writing Free Verse Poems That Sing
If you are interested in writing free verse poetry, there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you develop your own form. The most important thing is to remain true to your own voice and style, which means not trying to emulate someone else’s work or style.
The writing process for free verse poetry is often intuitive. It doesn’t involve necessarily planning out a form or rhyme scheme, but rather, responding to the way certain words flow together or sound in the poem. Take inspiration from your environment, inner thoughts, or personal experiences, and allow your sensory impressions of the world to guide your work.
When writing a free verse poem, try not to worry about whether or not it’s “good,” but rather focus on expressing what you want to say, as honestly and authentically as possible. Writing in a free verse formatallows for a greater sense of freedom and creativity.
To further develop your work, try revising and refining your language, as well as experimenting with different grammatical structures and sound patterns. Always return to the original kernel of inspiration that led you to the work in the first place.
The Secret Language of Free Verse Poems
Free verse poetry is often imbued with symbolic and metaphorical language that can be interpreted in many different ways.
For example, in Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese,” the speaker states:
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
The poem uses the image of wild geese as a metaphor for embracing one’s wild and untamed nature. If interpreted more broadly, this line can stand as a message about accepting oneself as one is.
Free verse poetry often challenges readers to think beyond the surface level of language, to consider the meanings behind the words and symbols presented to them, and allows for personal interpretation and projection.
Conclusion
Free verse poetry is a unique and powerful form of expression that provides a great deal of creative flexibility and requires no restriction to form. By understanding this form, readers and writers can unlock the full spectrum of emotion and meaning latent within the written word. It provides a means of expression that is entirely subjective and individual – a means to say the things that are truly on our hearts and minds in the most authentic way possible.
If you are new to poetry or a seasoned veteran, free verse poetry can offer a fulfilling and expressive way to experiment with language and convey ideas. By embracing the true power of this form of poetry, you can tap into a limitless universe of personal meaning and expression.
