Poetry Discussion

[Anton Djamoos]

Do you prefer structure or free verse? Personally, I find poetry that lacks a structure as trying to be deeper than it actually is. Like the poet is just trying to make themself sound smart when it really comes off as prententious and shallow. Such as:

My life is an enigma
Try to
Unlock Me
Because I need to get

Out.

Something like that just screams "I'm trying to hard to sound poetic." I think like Robert Frost who can't take a lack of structure because it's like they lack the talent to do anything real and can't rhyme.

Blah I'm rambling. Sorry just let me know what you think.

[ArTkY_]

It really depends on the point that the writer is trying to convey. If they're trying to make a strong point about something they believe in then they should use more structure so that it can sound good and the reader can understand it easily. But if you're trying to give a message that's deep in the writing and more metaphorical, then less of a structure can make it seem more powerful, e.g. Thursday lyrics.

[swirlofhues]

structure makes me feel confined when i write. everything traditional, like stanzas and a certain rubic to follow, seems annoying. i mean, i think like a lot of people, i write the way i talk and think. most the time i don't speak in complete sentences, instead i use run-ons or imcomplete sentences. creativity through words doesn't have a limit or set of rules to abide by, it just flows. and because of this, a real poet will always have structure in his/her poem if they've got the talent to convey their creativity well enough.

yet a poem that lacks complete grammar usually lacks structure, and is usually a poem that holds not much depth unless it's performed.