Jun 18, 2010
Gary Mex Glazner
One man's advice on how to make a living as a poet. Proof that it's possible -- not easy, but possible.
Jun 17, 2010
Bill Knott
http://billknottpoetry.blogspot.com/
The poetry of Bill Knott can be found here and downloaded for free. In my opinion, he is one of the world's greatest living poets and one of the most unsung, to say the least.
The poetry of Bill Knott can be found here and downloaded for free. In my opinion, he is one of the world's greatest living poets and one of the most unsung, to say the least.
Jun 16, 2010
Jun 15, 2010
Learning Forms of Poetry -- John Hollander
Rhyme's Reason: A Guide to English Verse
Although the art of writing poetry in formal verse is almost entirely absent from the modern poetry scene (open up any literary magazine and see how many sonnets or villanelles you find), there are still some magazines and websites dedicated to formal poetry. Personally I feel that before one plays guitar, one should learn the notes first -- same with poetry, learning the forms will give a poet greater foundation for their free verse work. It may not be necessary to learn how to write an ode or sonnet before declaring oneself a poet, but it can only serve to help one become a stronger writer and more educated in the history of verse, not hinder. Whenever I can't remember the rules of writing a particular type of formal verse, I reach for Rhyme's Reason by the poet John Hollander. The book covers all the major types of formal poetry, and it does it in a way that is entertaining and not just educational. John Hollander teaches the rules to a form within the form itself, for instance he presents a villanelle that teaches the rules to the villanelle inside of the poem. When I forget the difference between the rhyme schemes of different types of sonnets, I simply read his examples and learn the rules of the sonnet by reading sonnets about writing sonnets, which are written in playful fashion. Rhyme's Reason is a great learning tool for poets of all ages, from the teenager just discovering poetry to the veteran published poet -- a must-have reference book for all professional and aspiring poets. A book worth keeping close by.
Although the art of writing poetry in formal verse is almost entirely absent from the modern poetry scene (open up any literary magazine and see how many sonnets or villanelles you find), there are still some magazines and websites dedicated to formal poetry. Personally I feel that before one plays guitar, one should learn the notes first -- same with poetry, learning the forms will give a poet greater foundation for their free verse work. It may not be necessary to learn how to write an ode or sonnet before declaring oneself a poet, but it can only serve to help one become a stronger writer and more educated in the history of verse, not hinder. Whenever I can't remember the rules of writing a particular type of formal verse, I reach for Rhyme's Reason by the poet John Hollander. The book covers all the major types of formal poetry, and it does it in a way that is entertaining and not just educational. John Hollander teaches the rules to a form within the form itself, for instance he presents a villanelle that teaches the rules to the villanelle inside of the poem. When I forget the difference between the rhyme schemes of different types of sonnets, I simply read his examples and learn the rules of the sonnet by reading sonnets about writing sonnets, which are written in playful fashion. Rhyme's Reason is a great learning tool for poets of all ages, from the teenager just discovering poetry to the veteran published poet -- a must-have reference book for all professional and aspiring poets. A book worth keeping close by.
Jun 14, 2010
Online Word Game Recommendation -- Word Kingdom
There are many great websites online where one can play free games, and quite a few of those sites are focused solely on word games. One game that is highly addictive and easy to recommend is Word Kingdom, a game that involves creating words using tiles all while defending a castle. The letters are scored like in Scrabble, with the rarer letters being of more value, and you also get bonuses for creating longer words. Each letter is on a tile that represents one of four resources (meat, wood, stone, and gold) that you will need in order to build up your castle and army. The first two levels teach you how to play the game, so there aren't any attacking armies until the third level. Once the enemies begin to attack your castle, you will need to move fast, building words and soldiers in order to defend yourself. I recommend taking your time on the second level of the game, and building as much stuff as you want before building the barracks and blacksmithery that move you on to the next level -- since there are no enemies yet, you can get used to the game and build up your castle before moving on to the more difficult part of the game. Beware, this game is not only highly addictive, it can be quite challenging and time-consuming as well. Created by dictionary.com, Word Kingdom can also be found on wordgameworld.com, and on both websites you can find many more word games, from classics like Hangman to the newer ones like Word Kingdom.
Jun 13, 2010
Definition of Backronym & 5 Examples
A backronym [or bacronym] is a word turned into an acronym although the original word was not intended as such. This is bound to make one think of mnemonic devices used to teach children, and it is the same technique, just more often used for humorous than educational purposes. Here are 5 examples, and please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments:
DOG: Delightful Oblong Growler
RAP: Rhythmically Aggressive Poetry
WAR: World All Ruined
FART: Flatulence After Rectal Tension
SALE: Slashing All Labels Emphatically
DOG: Delightful Oblong Growler
RAP: Rhythmically Aggressive Poetry
WAR: World All Ruined
FART: Flatulence After Rectal Tension
SALE: Slashing All Labels Emphatically
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