The Essential Building Blocks of Poetry
Cultivate your mastery of these to write powerful poetry
The basic units of poetry are the word, the line, and the stanza. These are the building blocks that make a poem. By developing a strong feeling and deep understanding of each of these, you develop your mastery as a poet.
So, let’s take a good look at each of these building blocks.
Casting spells with words
A word is a collection of letters that forms a unit of meaning. A word may have many meanings and usages, both denotative and connotative.
The denotative meanings are the literal definitions of the word that you can find in the dictionary. They arise out of its etymological roots, the origins of the word. By studying these roots, you can get a deeper appreciation for the denotative meanings and the ancient currency they carry.
The connotative meanings are the emotions and ideas that become associated with the word and influence how we read it. Some of these are subject to region, religion, culture, race, time period and context, as well as personal or familial connections that may get attached.
A word also has a definite, recognizable shape on the page and a distinct sound when spoken. These visual and auditory…
