Day 29:

July 29-To fight the war against writer’s block, poets need to arm themselves with a  knowledge of as many poetry forms as possible. Poring over, studying each style, with examples helps the poet. In fact any writer can learn the same way. Vladimir Nabokov said “one cannot read a book: one can only reread it.” Thinking about it, I agree. Many times I glance through a book. Later, something grabs me and I read it again, learning something I didn’t know before. The Bible is like that as well. Unfortunately, rereading can lead to something else. I’ve always said that imitation is the sincerest form of plagiarism. While children learn through imitation, eventually they grow up. Learning by rote is one thing, but taking the credit for it is another. You will note attempts to give credit for the one who created the form. Many times, I’ve seen in websites a number of things that I’ve done claimed as their own. And while good things come about because of the innovation I don’t make too big a deal about it. After all, the saying goes “it’s amazing what can be accomplished when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” Students need to do more than copy material into a homework assignment. They need to learn the material enough to put it into their own words. That, and cite the source. After all, books have bibliographies for a reason. Now that I’ve had my say, I’ll get off the soapbox and discuss today’s poetic form, with an example.

Reverse Etheree-start with 10 syllables, and count down each line by one.

A poem does not have to rhyme, you know

Poetry passes pressing critics

By alliteration, phrases,

Form, enjambment, and other

Applications poets

Use. An Etheree

Even reversed

Is known truly

By its

Sound.