A Haunting Figure

Over powering, blinding--
The way you hover over me,
Dazed and confused I stumble
In your presence I'm overwhelmed...
I can't see past the brightness of you,
Shapes become shadows in your light
And I find myself lost and askew.

Image from Fractal Enlightenment

Kyrielle Poetry

Synopsis

Examples

On the Site

Tips & Tricks

Recent Kyrielle Poetry List

Kyrielle poems are of French origin and usually consists of octosyllabic lines (each line has 8 syllables) forming quatrains. According to Shadow Poetry, the accepted minimum number of stanzas is 3. Generally, the rhyme scheme is couplets with a refrain repeating in the last line of each stanza, however it is up to the author to create a rhyme scheme that works for them.

My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions

Feel free to leave your thoughts and advice in the comment section below.

Achieve the Unique

Rhyming is a tricky business. It can easily make a poem feel trite and childish. Using specific forms like the Kyrielle which not only adds a refrain element but also constrains the number of syllables for each line, adds maturity to a poem. The first few lines may be difficult to pen, but once you begin, thinking in octosyllabic phrases becomes natural.

But Lookout For...

Be careful of what you choose for the refrain. Some phrases are hard to continually weave in to stanzas without repeating the same surrounding phrases as well. Also, remember if the refrain extends to the end of the line, you will have to continually rhyme that word throughout your stanzas (it would not be in your best interest to end a line using a refrain the ends with the word orange).

Examples

Radio Vibes
July 23, 2014
Music plays on the radio
Vulgar words echo in droves
But the beat hypnotizes me
On and on the words repeat

Unnecessary, fills my time--
I get lost the beat on my mind;
And music wins, I suffer defeat
On and on the words repeat.

I wait for the breath of fresh air
The song that is somewhat aware
Of around us the world's deceit,
On and on the words repeat.

Recent Kyrielle Poems

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Haiku Poetry

Synopsis

Sources

Examples

On the Site

Tips & Tricks

Recent Haiku Poetry List

Haikus are another famous style of poetry--there's a very good chance you had to write one of these in grade school... The haiku originated in Japan and traditionally focused on nature. The goal of the Haiku is to capture a brief moment in time. There are many sites, such as those listed under sources, that have in depth summaries on the Haiku. Generally, the Haiku is consider to consist of three lines with each line having 5, 7, and 5 kana respectively or less than 17 syllables. There are many definitions, as the conversion from Japanese to English creates some confusion in the style.

My Tips, Tricks, & Opinions:

Feel free to leave your opinions, tricks, questions, etc. in the comment section below.

I'm No Expert...

Haiku poems are the hardest for me (I guess I'm long winded...). I like the idea of brief moment in time captured this way. The trick is picking a defining moment. Or finding a unique way to describe an ordinary moment. Fireworks and kisses are probably too cliché for this form. I'm still perfecting this style, so if I think of better tips and tricks to highlight, I'll add them here.

Examples

Before the Exam
July 23, 2014
Sounds of pages
Turning in books on tables
Frantic tonight

Recent Haiku Poems

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Sources

[1] Shadow Poetry: Haiku and Senryu
[2] Poets.org
[3] Wiki-How: Writing a Haiku

Fight or Flight

We live in a world
Where no one is willing to fight
Everyone wants to win,
But no one is willing to risk a loss--
People want the easy route
Working is too hard a task,
Too steep a price,
So we settle for something else...
We hope it will fill the void
But wishes don't grant themselves
And nothing good comes easy,
Which is why we live
In this sort of broken world.