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Sunday, April 20, 2014

A Mini-Challenge for Easter Sunday

Concrete or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on. It is sometimes referred to as visual poetry, a term that has evolved to have distinct meaning of its own, but which shares the distinction of being poetry in which the visual elements are as important as the text. Source

George Herbert's "Easter Wings",
printed in 1633 on two facing pages (one stanza per page),
sideways, so that the lines would call to mind
birds flying up with outstretched wings.

I came across a poetry form called "Christ in a Rhyme", which was invented by Christina R. Jussaume. The poem consists of 5 three-line stanzas, and makes use of monorhyme. The end result takes on the shape of a cross.

Schematic

Stanza 1: 3 lines, 8 syllables per line, Rhyme (a a a)

Stanza 2: 3 lines, 14 syllables per line, Rhyme (b b b)

Stanza 3: 3 lines, 7 syllables per line, Rhyme (c c c)

Stanzas 4 & 5: 3 lines, 5 syllables per line, Rhyme (d d d, e e e)

For more information and an example visit Shadow Poetry.

There are many examples of shape poetry available online and a simple search will give you many ideas and ways to approach the challenge. If you are not religious, or Christian, you are welcome to choose a more secular shape for your poem. 

Source
Shown here under Fair Use principles
(If this is your image and you wish
for it to be removed from this blog,
please contact us.)

Please create a new poem for this challenge and link it up below. 

Peace and Goodwill to all Men (and Women)!


15 comments:

  1. Such a deceptively easy looking challenge--and I chose one of the simplest shapes imaginable, yet there is nothing that blogger can not make difficult. Still, I have persevered--thanks Kerry for an excellent(and much needed)stimulus to the little grey cells.

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  2. Thank you. I love concrete poems and can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. Mine was done in a hurry - so the wording isn't as poetic as I would like - I plan to go back and massage it a bit.

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  3. Thanks Kerry for the challenge. I am looking forward to seeing and reading what my fellow poets create.

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  4. thank you Kerry for the prompt &
    i don't want to miss this month long feast..i have to leave my town today and hope to be back soon...

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  5. I love concrete poetry, but don't love how difficult it is (to me, anyway) to do on a blog.

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  6. The blog formatting does create a whole lot of trouble. If it becomes unbearable, perhaps create your poem by hand, take a pic and post that on your blog instead.

    My contribution is very elementary - my youngest goes back to college tomorrow so I all my attention is on her. I want to hold onto her as long as possible.
    :'(

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  7. Hello!! Thank you for the challenge...Happy Easter...I'll be back quite a bit later to read! xo

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  8. Happy Easter Toads
    I shall return
    I m intrigued-thank you!

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  9. I do love shape poetry ~ Thanks for the mini-challenge Kerry ~

    Happy Easter, Happy Sunday to all ~

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  10. Not sure that I got the relationship between poem and words right.
    I tried to get in the concept of anger but this may not be philological enough.
    Anyway, it was fun to think on.Thank you.
    I'll be visiting after dinner.

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  11. Hey Kerry--this is a hard one for me, but took sort of a cheater's way out! Good luck with your daughter going back to school. k.

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  12. Happy Easter, think i will try one, maybe tomorrow i could link up

    Much love...

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  13. Thank you for the chance to participate in a striking poetry challenge. First attempt for a shape poem.

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