| Author | Message | ||
| Emusing
Moderator Username: emusing Post Number: 1573 Registered: 08-2003 |
I'm not an expert at line breaks but their use or abuse is a fascinating subject. While there are certainly many viewpoints on this topic I think there can be some agreement on the fundamental purpose of line breaks and how they can enhance or detract from a poem. Great line breaks can make a mediocre poem come to life. Poor line breaks can ruin an excellent poem. Whatever you consider, you must consider the reader. The line break is essentially a way of directing the poem's traffic. Stops signs, yields, yellow lights all play a part. When I offer critique I try to help the writer consider where their breaks might have the most meaning. Having the tools and sensibility of a good line break comes through practice and study. I thought I might drop an article I've located on the subject, which touches on some of the main points. Feel free to comment or add any helpful references on this subject. I don't think I could ever know enough about this interesting facet of writing  This is an except from an article in the Alsop Review www.alsopreview.com by by Bob Charles & Jackson Hunter. 1. Where the breath lends itself. This is much easier to describe than it is to do and it isn't that easy to describe. Since this is the hardest break to master, we'll begin with it and get it out of the way. Let's start by discussing dialog, as in fiction-writing dialog. The secret to writing good dialog is to make artificial speech sound like normal speech. If you were to tape-record a conversation and then transcribe it later, you would see how boring and dull everyday conversation really is. Sentences taper off for no reason, conversations are stuffed with ers and ums, words overlap one another, references are made that only the participants understand, etcetera. Good dialog manages to clean up all those elements and still manages to sound normal Writing good dialog is an art unto itself and those who are good at it are few and far between. (An example of bad dialog would be the screenplay of Titanic, say. An example of good dialog would be anything written by Elmore Leonard, the acknowledged master.) Where the breath lends itself then, would be to put a line break where one would naturally pause in conversation to take a breath. Easy, no? Well, no. Because putting a line break where you would naturally pause, would make for some very long -or very short- lines, indeed. If you read a poem aloud and had someone mark the places where you took a breath, and then transcribed the poem, it would look ridiculous on the page. The breaks would make no sense at all. Putting a line break where the breath lends itself is to create something that feels normal from something that isn't. Much like writing good dialog. It is extremely difficult to do well. After three or four lines of important imagery, say, a pause, followed by a short, simple statement, gives the reader an opportunity to "catch his breath" as well as the writer. Breath breaks are often used to end sections of poems. 2. Where the punctuation falls This is remarkably easy to do, runs a slight risk (if overdone) of making the poem boring, but is, nonetheless, a perfectly sound reason for making the line break. Where any punctuation mark occurs is a good, safe place to break the line. Use it well, use it often even, but don't rely on it entirely. 3. Where the line break creates an interest in the following line This is a common device used by poets everywhere and is pretty much self-explanatory. It's a line break made that can (although this should not be the sole motivation for the break) pique the reader's curiosity. Make the reader want to read on. These type of line breaks also help to keep the poem moving smoothly along. 4. Where it creates an ambiguity that enhances the original intent of the poem This is one of the most important techniques used by poets today. If a line can be broken in such a way that the break creates another image while remaining true to the original one , then a duality is created, a melody so to speak, that adds a depth and texture to a poem that might otherwise not be there. I'll try to find additional articles and examples on this subject. Hope you find this tidbit helpful. E (Message edited by emusing on August 21, 2005) | ||
| Penelope
Member Username: penelope Post Number: 71 Registered: 07-2005 |
E, thank you for the article. It's kind of you to take the time. (Message edited by Penelope on August 21, 2005) Penelope | ||
| Gary Blankenship
Senior Member Username: garyb Post Number: 4537 Registered: 07-2001 |
a great article Lisa or someone sent me one a year or more ago but I lost it... maybe we could get it back if it was her... Smiles. Gary Drop in read the new MindFire, 2005's first Go in through http://www.mindfirerenew.com/ to get to the issue in a click or two. | ||
| LJ Cohen
Moderator Username: ljc Post Number: 2727 Registered: 07-2002 |
Gary--the article I have is from "Longman's Dictionary of Poetic Terms". ("The Movement of the Line Ending".) I believe copyright issues would prevent me from posting it here. I'll take a look to see if it's available on the web. ljc http://ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com/ | ||
| M
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 4921 Registered: 11-1998 |
Thanks for posting this info, E. It's important information for the beginner as well as the more experienced. Could you please add a credit to it, though (title, source, author)? Don't want to get in trouble with copyrights and such. Thanks. Love, M | ||
| Emusing
Moderator Username: emusing Post Number: 1585 Registered: 08-2003 |
Dear Penelope, Your most welcome. I hope you'll find it helpful. Gary and Lisa, would love to read the article if available. M dear. Thank you. This article comes from the ezine The Alsop Review. I have added the credit in the posting above. E |
