If you make a slight spelling change to the slogan of a major restaurant chain, you will be well on your way to understanding free verse poetry!
OK, maybe it's not quite that simple, but it's close. Unlike many poem forms, free verse poems don't have a regular rhythm, rhyme, or beat. Instead, they follow the rules that the poet makes for himself or herself.
This absence of rules does not mean that you can just scrawl words on a page willy nilly and expect a poem to form. No, in free verse you pay attention to words, rhythms, and beats ... you just do it they way you want to instead of following a format decided by someone else!
For example:
Writer's Toolbox
Before you begin writing, you may want to gather some tools to help you as you search for just the right words. Here is a list of materials you might need:
- something
to write on — notebook paper, adding machine tape, file cards,
graph paper...
- something
to write with — pencils, crayons, typewriter, computer, markers...
- drawing
paper ... sometimes it helps to draw a picture first!
- art supplies
(colored pencils, crayons, and other fun stuff!)
- word lists
(Click HERE for
an example or HERE
for a blank list!)
- a thesaurus
- a dictionary
Your
Turn!
So, now you are ready to make your own rules! As always, start working by deciding what you will write about. When you think about topics, think about things you care about or that you know a lot about. Free verse poems work well with any topic!!!
Once you have your topic, you can start to play with phrases about your subject. You may find it helpful to think of free verse poetry as a short story or narrative. What story do you want to tell?
As you get words on the paper, you can start to play with the lengths of each phrase and the rhythm of the poem. Move things around and see where the words and phrases fit best. Don't be afraid to revise.
If that doesn't help, you might try this!
| 1. | Pick a topic. |
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| 2. | Brainstorm a list of phrases about your topic. |
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| 3. | Pick the phrases you like best ... or that fit together best. |
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| 4. | Add connection phrases or words to finish your poem. |  |
When you have finished your rough draft, read it to a friend, your sister, or your teacher. Ask them to give you some feedback about the words you have chosen. If you think that their suggestions will help your poem, add them.
When you have your poem just the way you like it, it's time to publish it. You can publish any way you like. You can print it on fancy paper, frame it, create a collage to go with it, use a computer application (like PowerPoint, HyperStudio, or even Flash), read it out loud, or you may even choose to keep it to yourself!
Remember free verse poems can be anything that you want them to be. To make them really interesting, play with the words you choose and try to look at your topic in a way that is unique or different! Most of all have fun making your own rules!
Click the button below for your journal page!
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