Welcome to Day 5 of my personal month-late NaPoWriMo challenge. You can check out my previous post here, or click here for Day 1.
Prompt 5: Try a new form!
I tend to write in free verse a lot, but it would be really silly of me to go through this whole month long challenge without tackling form poetry. It’s been a while since I wrote any, and for the sake of keeping myself from taking up a crazy amount of time, I’ll stick to relatively short forms.
For some people this is a scary task to take up, so the conventional wisdom is to just write a haiku and be done with it. Let’s be honest though; haikus aren’t super exciting. If form poetry is a big scary hurtle for you, or if you just want to slowly ease yourself into it, I recommend trying cinquains first. They’re a tiny bit longer than haikus, so you can do a little more with them, but they still rely on simple syllable counting, which I’ve found to be easier than following a tricky rhyme scheme or meter. The form is pretty straightforward. It’s a 5 line poem
line 1: 2 syllables
line 2: 4 syllables
line 3: 6 syllables
line 4: 8 syllables
line 5: 2 syllables
Other simple form options?
Try writing in blank verse. Read some samples of writing by William Wordsworth or maybe some Renaissance playwrights (Shakespeare, Marlowe) to get a feel for the rhythm and you’ll find yourself doing this almost instinctively. (I had this happen a couple of times in college, especially when I’d been studying both in the same semester). It’s a great way to practice sticking to something, and it lets you focus on just the meter, which can be new for some people.
You can also create your own form. Choose a rhyme scheme and stick to it, or try keeping your rhythm consistent throughout. If you’re feeling really bold, you can combine the two. Count syllables, or make all your lines exactly the same number of words. Another thing you can do is add a refrain. (Villanelles have those, if you’re looking for a form with them. They’re tricky to write though!)
For a topic, I’ll be writing about a view from a window somewhere. We look out of many different windows throughout our lives. Think of one that’s had a particularly meaningful view for you, or even one that just looked really nice. Maybe you went on vacation somewhere and you could see the ocean out your window, or maybe you have a fond memory of looking out your apartment window and watching your date pull up to the curb. Wherever that window is, write about it!
If you try this or any of the prompts I’m sharing throughout this month, let me know! If you try a prompt on your blog, share the link! I’ll check it out.
I also love to read any thoughts or writing tips you may have. Feel free to share them in the comments!
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