Poetry

Battered Women
by Earl Bergland, June 14th, 2008

I crawled thru the valley Into the Light*
So alone, helpless, fearful, comatose state of being
Self-hatred, self- blame, a charcoal fire

Speak of sins of welded chains
Unanswered prayers from bloodied mouth real me
Cracked rib, punctured lung pains
He who is without sin tosses a feather

Dragged behind wagon thru muck and brush
Bible wagon of subjection, defeat state of society
Ego and Power, righteous harnessed team
Perverted minds with trampling feet

I am the power. I am the glory pedal on metal
Truth, not blasphemy, my tortured story
(line 13 repeats line 1)

notes:
Sonnet=14 lines–last 2 lines rhyming couplet-10 beats (syllables) a line- rhyme 1st & 3rd lines and rhyme 2nd and 4th lines and so on (A sonnet is not 3 separate verses, as here.)

Sonnet writers here is a topic of substance, one worthy of one’s talent. Without compassion, the gauntlet is flaunted in one’s face. Complete this sonnet. Have courage, William Shakespeare shall whisper in your ear! Tease your reader into your poem, set the hook and yank a bit. Poetry is emotion!

*Into the Light (A guide for battered women) by Leslie Cantrell.

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Writing Poetry

Why Poetry? Poems are written by people who are too lazy to write a book. Most people who write poetry would do more good for the world by growing flowers or painting old barns. But we need to have patience because many young poets just need a few years of practicing as do musicians.
What are the three basic requirements for a quality poem?
A. The topic must be very important.
B. The poet must express thoughts with clarity.
C. The poem must create a dramatic impact (create an emotional feeling) in reader.
Is poetry a waste of time? That is a tough question. We can wonder the same thing about fishing or watching a football game. A poem provides the poet with a means of expressing ideas and feelings by a very personal means. Playing basket ball or cooking is also a means of personal expression.
What kind of an attitude should we have about reading poetry? Imagine sitting in a park on a spring day listening to your friend discuss ideas with you. Poets love waterfalls and country fried chicken.