Romeo Montague (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
withoutverona) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2012-07-02 10:52 am
withoutverona) wrote in fandomhigh2012-07-02 10:52 am
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Poetry 101, Monday, July 2
"I asked Wikipedia to tell me what poetry was as I wrote this class," Romeo announced, once everyone seemed to be in their seats. It was a small group, so he'd pulled the desks into a circle, and there was a table of cool drinks near the door for anyone who might otherwise be too hot and thirsty to think. "It told me the word poetry comes from a Greek term, poiesis -- making. Though it is likely this is a mere accident of etymology, it struck me as entirely appropriate. For what is poetry if not a way to make our worlds by fitting words around them?"
"To go down some myths: Poetry does not have to rhyme. It doesn't have to fit into a certain form, though the constraint of working within such can heighten the art. In this class, we will write and read as much poetry as I can fit into two months. But I'd hardly buck tradition by depriving you of an introduction week. My suggestion, if you can, is that you fit your introductions into the form of either of two short poetic styles -- a haiku or a limerick. "
He went on to briefly explain the rules around both, while reading some famous examples.
"But if you find you've too much to say to fit into either form, write a different kind of poem and I will listen. You've fifteen minutes to write, then the rest of class is for sharing your poems."
"A few more bits of business, and then you may start. First, I have been informed Miss Cassie Blake is to be my assistant, for which I am profoundly grateful." A pause as Romeo reached for anything more that seemed important. "Oh, and I'm Romeo. Don't call me Professor Montague, I'm not nearly that aged."
And then he stopped, sipped from his water, and bent over a piece of paper, hoping the students would be encouraged to write by seeing the professor doing it as well.
"To go down some myths: Poetry does not have to rhyme. It doesn't have to fit into a certain form, though the constraint of working within such can heighten the art. In this class, we will write and read as much poetry as I can fit into two months. But I'd hardly buck tradition by depriving you of an introduction week. My suggestion, if you can, is that you fit your introductions into the form of either of two short poetic styles -- a haiku or a limerick. "
He went on to briefly explain the rules around both, while reading some famous examples.
"But if you find you've too much to say to fit into either form, write a different kind of poem and I will listen. You've fifteen minutes to write, then the rest of class is for sharing your poems."
"A few more bits of business, and then you may start. First, I have been informed Miss Cassie Blake is to be my assistant, for which I am profoundly grateful." A pause as Romeo reached for anything more that seemed important. "Oh, and I'm Romeo. Don't call me Professor Montague, I'm not nearly that aged."
And then he stopped, sipped from his water, and bent over a piece of paper, hoping the students would be encouraged to write by seeing the professor doing it as well.
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
"Thank you," he said, still wearing that silly smile. "I was kind of unsure about sharing the first one at first, but... might as well go for broke, right?"
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
"And I liked yours," he replied. "I grew up on a farm in Kansas, and I know what it's like to think maybe you can do something bigger than what you were stuck with, even if you have to kind of squint to see what else might be out there for you, you know?"
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
"So Kansas, huh? What's it like there?" Somehow Evan didn't fit with Frank's mental picture of the place. Which mostly involved people with farmers' tans and overalls and somewhat less Jonoface.
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
... It was also fairly Evan-specific.
"It's okay, if you like chickens and tornadoes," Evan replied with a little shrug. "There was a baseball team in town, and I'd go play once a week, so there was stuff to do when it wasn't all chores, you know?"
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
So... probably.
"Maybe try Demon Marcus?"
Re: Share Your Poems [7/02]
Admittedly, Evan had just kind of looked at the name and had decided to maybe steer away from that one. It looked sort of shady. In a... high-end, fancy, expensive sort of way.
"Maybe I will..."