Originally Posted by
Tai Shi
I was taught several basic ideas in writing good poetry. 1) Aim for concision in making lines pack images into as little space as possible. 2) The image is basic building block of good poetry. 3) An image makes use of one to five senses in writing that packed imaage. {I believe in Buddhism this might include thought.} 4) Verse can be free but it must contain internal assonance, consonance, alliterations, rhyme, and sound devices. 5) internal sound and sensory detail make meaning outside of the evident (Metaphore, and Simile). 6) Free verse (without traditional stanzas in rhyme produces structure freely formed from elission. 6) Elission is the systematic leaving out of structures in conectives. 7) Elission begines with leaving out connectives like a, an, the, and as many conjunctions and articles as possible. 8) Leaving out some ideas to produce implied meaning {Elission} must not sacrafice meaning. 9) A poem must point to meaning. That is, a poem cannot sacrafice meaning in the way lines are built. 10) Free verse poems can produce stanzas of differing length. 11) Within poems that are built upon traditional metter and rhyme, all these "Rules," {implied or obvious} are used in the best poetry. 12) Free verse, without traditional rhyme and metter, can be, and is some of the greastest poetry written. 13) Traditional rhyme and metter is a great body, some of the greatest poetry ever written, of historical magnitude. 14) Great Literature refers back to the great traditions in meaning and sometimes rhyme, meter-- all sound rules and free verse can form {new} meaning. 15) When a poet writes she reaches toward traditions of great poetry while useing the ideas of sound and sense. 16) Weather ultimate meaning in culture is negative, positive, or neutral has no bearing on the magnitude of great writing. 17) The poet spends her time in study to build, fashion, and write great poetry. 18) Great poetry refers back to this entire body of rules and suggestions. 19) Poetry can make use of some, none, or all of these ideas. 20) Sound, sense, sturcture, and thought exist or do not exist in great poetry. 21) It is the obligation of the great poet to know these ideas whether she makes use, or does not make use of tradition. 22) New traditions such as Marxism, Feminism, Gender Studies, Sociological Structures, and new historical events spring up everyday, and can forge ahead to produce new meaning and new forms, content, and meaning. 23) The great poet might make use of none of these ideas. 24) These ideas are only part of the craft of good poetry, and the great poet attempts to craft meaning in words-- sometimes succeeds.{Sorry Jundo, I couldn't restrict this, only part of the studies of students who write or critique poetry, in just three lines}
Gassho
Deep bows
sat / lah
Tai Shi
{calm poetry}