Workshop: Discover
Words That Sing
“Poetry is ageless; we
each step into it at the right moment for us.” Liz Rosenberg
In a lecture at Vermont College, faculty author Carolyn
Coman discussed the autobiographical nature of our work as writers and pointed
out the need to change facts into fiction while at the same time keeping hold
of the emotional journey. Incorporating poetry principles into our work helps
to feed that emotional reservoir—especially as non-poets. The language and
process help us ‘see’ in a different way. And maybe as in the quote above, it
may become our time for poetry.
Applications
It provides an emotional link. If your character is stuck
somewhere, pick a word, the place where he is, the feeling he’s experiencing
and use it as a beginning point. See what opens up.
Writing poetry for fun and practice keeps your language
fresh.
Poetry expands the use of metaphors that can shape your
novel like mirrors and echoes.
And even if writing poetry is still not appealing—just
reading it will add to your own use of language and cadence.
Action Steps: Develop a Concept (from one word)
1. Free write the word light.
2. Choose a few ideas. Write one
as a brief descriptive sentence or as a simile.
Ex. The light steadily grew like moonlight
climbing over a ridge.
3.Write a prose paragraph either
for yourself or a character experiencing light. Put in reactions, feelings,
memories etc.
4. Write a poem
from the prose.
Share: Did a new thought or feeling come up that wasn’t
there when you started? I had no idea the poem was going to end up in a prison
cell when I started seeing a thin beam of light.
Read deep, marcy
Here is an example from one of my
original rough drafts.
The light slid through a chink in the door.
I
reached to embrace it, feel its warmth
I remembered how my cat used to stretch and
purr
in
sun puddles.
Dust dances in its beam as if following the
trail
to escape.
It
snaps shut, leaving the linger of another time,
another
day.
When
will it break the doors
and
flood my cell.
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