CONCEPT TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE CONSTRUCTING A POEM

PREPARED BY: JERIC AQUINO

The speaker of the poem is the voice of the poem. Sometimes the speaker is the poet himself or herself;
sometimes the speaker is a character or thing created by the poet.

Among the sound devices that a poet may use are:

ONOMATOPOEIA( a word or phrase that actually imitates or suggests the sound of what it describes);

ALLITERATION (the repetition of initial consonant sounds);

CONSONANCE (the repetition or similar consonant sounds preceded by different accented vowels);

ASONANCE (the repetition of vowels sounds).

Other aspects of sound in poetry are RHYME (the repetition at regular intervals of similar or identical
sounds) and RHYTHM (the pattern created by arranging stressed and unstressed syllables) A poem's
images appeal to one or more senses. The most common kinds of figurative language available to a
poem are metaphor, simile, and personification.

METAPHOR (is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared without the use of like);

SIMILE (is a comparison using like or as);

PERSONIFICATION (is a figure of speech in which an animal, object or ideas is described as having
human form or characteristics.)

The important things that we need when we are writing a poem: “the theme and subject”

The THEME is its the central idea of your piece, or the “HEART OF POETRY” for example “Beauty can
surprise our negative thinking.” The same poem's SUBJECT might be that what looks like dying flower
turns out to be a butterfly. The theme expresses the author's opinion or raises a questions about the
meaning of human experience. The subject is the specific topic of the selection. While the theme is the
generalizations about life at large that the specific selection leads you to see.
Next, the TONE of a poem.

Generally speaking, is the attitude it takes toward its theme or subject. The tone can tell us whether the
speaker is friendly or belligerent, condescending or respectful, in short this is the “SOUL OF A POETRY.”
We can also get a sense of what the speaker thinks of him/herself. A poem's tone can be affectionate,
angry, sad, ambivalent and so on...so forth. And we often learn what a poem's tone is by paying
attention to the poet's choice of words and how he/she clarify his/her details. This is the way you will
become a speaker and addresses the listener/reader how you described your emotions and differs
wildly from how you characterizes your character in your poem.

Here, as a reminder, is a list of language devices that an Author /Writer may use to create a tone.

Connotation— the unspoken or unwritten meanings associated with a words beyond its dictionary
definitions.

For example, blue is a color, but it is also a word used to describe a feeling of sadness, as in: “She's
feeling blue. [Crdts: Google]

Denotation— the literal or dictionary definition.

Imagery— the collection of senses images in a piece of literature.

Some common examples of imagery in master piece:

The autumn leaves are a blanket on the ground.

Her words felt like a dagger in my heart.

[crdts: Literary Device. Net]

Syntax— sentence patterns of structure.

• The most basic syntax follows a subject + verb + direct object formula.

Sound devices— alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia.

Symbol and Words

Some readers and writers are so sure that everything in a poem is symbol that they overlook the literal
meanings of the words. Yet even where there is a symbol, you should assume that your words are
carefully chosen and what the words mean on the most basic, dictionary level is important to
understand the poem. You don't need too much deep vocabulary (or because it's uplifting) for me
what's important? is the emotion that placed there because at that point your words will be captured
and imprinted on the reader, and also how your imaginations dealt with it. Concrete words evoke
something we can perceive with sight or with our senses, like "sunset,” “autumn for death,” “ thunder,"
"diesel exhausted." When we say abstract words it is the idea or expression that can't be visualized:
“love, angry, terror, beauty.” A private symbol is one that an individual writer creates for a particular
work of literature.

Tips in Writing Poetry:

To hone your writing skills, it is important for both beginners and seasoned writers to take part in poetry
competitions. Participating in such contests will not only add to your experience as a writer but also
bring your imagination to work. Writing poetry is very liberating to writers and also helps in sharpen
your writing techniques. It is an overwhelming opportunity because sometimes there are no rules
whatsoever, while in other cases there are strict guidelines you have to comply with. While the former
gives you complete liberty to perfect this art according to your way, the latter teaches you to obey the
rules in writing. Both are still essential to make you a prolific poet and writer, which in turn can increase
your chances to win this kind of contest.

To make sure that writing skills are built on a solid foundation, here are some important tips that you
must make use of.

• A pen and paper should be in hands all the time whichever suits you better. You never know when the
words start flowing from your mind. Whether you are travelling just staying at home, at any time of the
day, you should have it ready with you so that you can jot down the thoughts that come from your
mind. You can never know which one can turn out to be the winner.

• Stay far from common and predictable topics. Do not write about the complications of love life or the
racial abuse and discrimination even if you are tempted to do so. Most other poets would write on these
very topics. So if you want to win the competition you need to rise above from these trite and obvious
poet themes. It would give you a considerable edge over other writers.

• Understand the type of poetry. There are competitions which are open to both rhyming poetry and
free verse. Do not make the mistake of confusing free verse poetry with a prose slab. They are two
completely different things. For a verse to be a decent example of poetry, it is important to have rhythm
and structure in it. It is acceptable if you take a more imaginative and relaxed approach towards
punctuating your poetry. Ensure that you also bring forth its purpose– to give breathing spaces and
indicate pauses.

• It is important when you write poetry to take note of the rhyming schemes and poetic metres.
Especially so when you are writing a specific form of poetry. Make sure not to force phrases at the end
of the poetry, just to make it rhyme. This could very well prove to be a huge no-no for the judges.
• Be choosy about the vocabulary that you want to use. Avoid using antique phrases and words like
“doest,” “poesy” and “thus”. Also ensure that you use the original and fresh metaphors and similes.

• As writer we/you should (“must”) always keep in mind the rules of the competition.

You don't need a degree in English to write well, but you do need an understanding of the basics. If you
feel you are weak in this area, take time to learn. If your poetry is improved, you will have a greater
chance of success.

• Lack of Originality. If you get a blinding flash of an idea, don't use it. I'm serious: If it came to you that
easily, there's a good chance it has come to dozens of other writers as well.

• You may feel you have a winner in your hands but you have to be careful in using the exact same
version in every competition that you participate in. This could be the reason for your losing streak. If
you are very sure of your poem, what you could do is use the same theme but with a different approach.

• Every time before you enter any competition, make sure that what you have is nothing less than
perfect. Put your best foot forward in writing your poetry piece, not for the awards but for the
experiences that you’ll learn.

• Do not wait for the deadline to complete your creation. Creativity needs time. Keep your poetry ready
well before time and keep it aside. Evaluate it after a few days or hours to see if there any
improvements required. This will help you get rid of any flaw in your poem and make it perfect. No
matter how confident you are about your writing, writing your poem in the last hour and sending it just
before deadline is just not how you should do it.

• When you are writing a poem, you should consider the AUDIENCE which is the use of words must be
understood by the general public.

• Sentence contraction (syntax, subject verb agreement, rules of pluralism, and tenses)

• Be creative about the topic and think out of the box.

• Let your emotions be with your soul.

PUNCTUATIONS AND ITS USES:

The period (.) is placed at the end of declarative sentences, statements thought to be complete and
after many abbreviations.

Example: Charlyn and Ava went to the market.

Use a question mark (?) to indicate a direct question when placed at the end of a sentence.

Example: When did Rea Marie leave for the market?

The exclamation point (!) is used when a person wants to express a sudden outcry or add emphasis.

To emphasize a point: My mother-in-law's rants make me furious!

The comma, semicolon are often misused because they all can indicate a pause in a series.

The comma is used to show a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a sentence.
Additionally, it is used in numbers, dates, and letter writing after the salutation and closing.

Separation of two complete sentences: Angel and Heart went to the movies, and then we went out to
lunch.
Separating lists or elements within sentences: Sherly wanted the black, green, and blue dress.

Whether to add a final comma before the conjunction in a list is a matter of debate.

This final comma, known as an Oxford or serial comma, is useful in a complex series of elements or
phrases but is often considered unnecessary in a simple series such as in the example above. It usually
comes down to a style choice by the writer.

The semicolon (;) is used to connect independent clauses. It shows a closer relationship between the
clauses than a period would show.

Em-dash (—) can also be used to mark a break in a sentence in place of a semicolon or colon. In this
context, dashes are often used for emphasis or to signal a change in tone. The usage of the em dash is to
create a strong break in the structure of a sentence. We use these dashes in pairs, as we would use
parentheses— that is, to enclose a word, or a phrase, or a clause (as we've done here)— or they can be
used alone to detach one end of a sentence from its main body.

En dash (-) is a mid-sized dash (longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash) that is mostly used to
show ranges in numbers and dates. It can also be used for clarity in forming complex compound
adjectives. The en dash is used to indicate a range of numbers or a span of time. You can read it as
representing “to” or “through”

Always remember mga mamaw kong anak, “Hindi mabubuo ang tagumpay, kung walang pagkatalo.”
Our most profitable lessons are learned from failure, not success. Life is written in pen, there's no
erasing what you've already written, so keep writing. Life is like a sport, facing obstacles and learning
from them. Every time we fall we get back up and try again until we finish what has been started! We try
and try never to quit, because what's life without trying. P U H O N A N D P A D A Y O N