Presentation: Free Verse Poetry

One of the easiest ways to understand poetry is to note a few key vocabulary terms, and to see and hear it after.

Free verse poetry does not necessarily rhyme (though it may by chance), and it doesn't have a set form or meter (meaning, lines can be any length at all).

What it will have largely depends on the author, and in this case, the author will use heavy imagery to help us see what he is trying to get to, meaning-wise, some symbolism (where one thing, like "light" can be used to reference a much larger concept), and some allusion (where the author references something outside the poem).

Watch "The Laughing Heart" Links to an external site.

Next: Explore.

              Take a look at some other samples of Free Verse poems Here Links to an external site. Links to an external site.

In what ways does this poem maximize its use of language to give us the most meaning in the least space?

Your first assignment in Creative Writing will largely be done at home (lower, in this module): think of four powerful symbols in your life to begin crafting four Free Verse poems. In light of Bukowski's poem, for instance, I love the line "there is a light somewhere." What are my "lights?" The people I love around me (that's cliche), my dog (cliche), my garden? Ah-ha! That would be a cool symbol to write about. Now I need to think of 3 more and your homework for the week is done! (Next week we start writing these out).