ABSTRACT POETRY

ABSTRACT POETRY

WHAT IS ABSTRACT POETRY?

Abstract Poetry also known as Sound Poetry is a poem in which words are chosen for their sound, rhythm and aura rather than their literal meaning to give a different effect and meaning to the poem. This type of poetry was coined and first used by Dame Edith Sitwell in her book Facade. Words used in this form of poetry don’t necessarily depend on the actual meaning of the word and they cannot be picturized but can be related to a sound or a rhythm.

HOW TO WRITE AN ABSTRACT POEM?

As mentioned above, to write abstract poetry it is crucial to understand that it is not the meaning of the words but the feel, sound and the aura of the words that should impact the reader or the listener. The poem does not necessarily have to be rhymed or make any sense. But it should sound beautiful and mesmerising.

• First find words or sentences that sound lyrical to you. It does not matter what their literal meaning is. You can use newspapers, magazines, novels and articles to cut out words and sentences.

• Second, arrange them in an order that makes up a sentence. If needed, you can add more abstract words if required.

• Once you have made out the stanza’s , just make sure that they don’t show a meaning but manifest the feelings and sound that you have tried to convey.

• Repeating some sounds and making them loud can also do the trick!

• Adding some of the words from different languages and making up a ‘performance’ will give it a twist in the poem.

EXAMPLE OF ABSTRACT POETRY

CAME THE GREAT POPINJAY

~ Dame Edith Sitwell

CAME the great Popinjay

Smelling his nosegay:

In cages like grots

The birds sang gavottes.

'Herodiade's flea

Was named sweet Amanda,

She danced like a lady

From here to Uganda.

Oh, what a dance was there!

Long-haired, the candle

Salome-like tossed her hair

To a dance tune by Handel.' . .

Dance they still? Then came

Courtier Death,

Blew out the candle flame

With civet breath.

As you can see, this poem does not have a definite rhyme scheme nor a pattern. The rhyme scheme goes like- ABCCDEDEFGFHIJIJ. Or rather you can call it a free verse. This is one of the poems from her book Facade.  As you can see in both the stanza’s, words like- nosegay, gavottes and salome-like have no meaning relatable to the poem and they just sound rhyming. The poem thereby seems to reflect that a Popinjay comes by and how it behaves, dances and sings beautifully all the way from a bird cage. The second stanza describes how it looks like when the Popinjay dances, her feathers long-haired like. Dancing to a tune till the candle melts. Then the flame goes off to death with the last breath like a civet and the dance, thus, comes to an end. The words don’t go by their actual meaning but still reflect a scene that can be picturized.

ELEMENTS OF ABSTRACT POETRY

• Real purpose is to convey a set of feelings and emotions at the moment of time, setting or scene. It can be written like nonsense.

• Should be built in no accordance of length, stanza or rhyme scheme.

• The key feature, defining through offbeat imagination and sound, is essential.

Usually this form of poetry is the easiest for the beginners in poetry writing as they can figure out their own words and write it down easily. Scenes and settings are recreated thanks to the lyrical words used in them.

So relax, sit back and grab some magazines and pen and paper to write your own Abstract Poetry!!!

THANK YOU!!

- Shreya Mitra (member of team PoeTree FoRest)