In the last post, we saw about Acrostic poetry, its crafting and variations. In this post, we shall see the Creative Uses of Acrostic Poetry. It can be a powerful tool for various purposes, including describing a person, crafting invitations, celebrating occasions or branding a company.
I have personally employed Acrostic poetry on numerous occasions, and I must emphasize that one of the most highly sought-after forms of poetry among my clients, especially for gifting, is Acrostic Poetry. Here are some creative uses of Acrostic Poetry:
Describing a Person
Acrostic poems can be a heartfelt and personalized way to describe someone you admire or appreciate, such as a friend, family member, or significant other. Each letter of the person’s name can serve as a starting point for positive qualities, memories, or characteristics that define them.
For example, if you’re describing a friend named “SARA”:
Sincere and caring, always there to lend a hand,
A radiant smile that brightens up the land,
Reliable and loyal, a rock on which to stand,
A heart of gold, as vast as the ocean's sand.
These acrostic poems can be wonderful gifts or heartfelt gestures of appreciation.
A customised Acrostic Poetry video for “The Venkats” on their Birthday!
Invitations
Acrostic poems can add a creative and memorable touch to invitations for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, or other celebrations. You can use the acrostic form to spell out the purpose or theme of the event and set the tone for what guests can expect.
For example this invitation for the First Birthday of a little master, “SUHANDHAN” :
Mr. & Mrs. Nagarajan request the pleasure of your company as they clebrate the mark of 365 days of
Acrostic poems can be employed to commemorate significant events and milestones, such as anniversaries, graduations, or retirements. They allow you to capture the essence of the occasion and express your sentiments creatively. Here’s a sample of my customised poetry gift for my client celebrating their parents’ Wedding Anniversary.
Acrostic poems can be a unique and memorable way to create a brand identity or slogan for a company. Businesses can use the acrostic form to highlight their core values, mission, or the essence of their products or services.
For instance, if a company specializes in eco-friendly products, they might use “GREEN” as their acrostic:
Growing a sustainable future,
Respecting nature in all we do,
Eco-friendly solutions, tried and true,
Environmentally conscious, through and through,
Nurturing a planet that's clean and new.
Such acrostic branding not only conveys a message but also creates a memorable and distinctive brand identity that customers can relate to.
In conclusion, acrostic poetry is a versatile and creative tool that can be applied in numerous ways beyond traditional verse. Whether you want to express appreciation for someone, add a unique touch to invitations, or create a memorable brand identity for a company, acrostic poems offer a dynamic and engaging means of communication that can leave a lasting impression on those who encounter them.
Below is the link to more such poetries that I have customised for my clients over the years. Have a look & if you are looking for customised poetry for gifting, feel free to reach me at promisingpoetry5@gmail.com.
Acrostic poetry, though sounds complex, is an easy, delightful and creative way to play with words. In this blog post, let us explore the enchanting world of acrostic poetry, its crafting and variations.
What is an Acrostic Poem?
An acrostic poem is a form of poetry in which the initial letters of each line or stanza spell out a word, name, or message when read vertically. Essentially, it’s a hidden message or theme encoded within the poem itself. Acrostic poems can be short and sweet or lengthy and complex, depending on the message you wish to convey.
Crafting an Acrostic Poem
Now that you have been introduced to the enchanting world of acrostic poetry, let’s take a closer look at how to craft your own acrostic poem:
Choose Your Subject
Start by selecting the word or message you want to convey in your acrostic poem. This word will determine the structure and theme of your poem.
Brainstorm
Jot down words, phrases, and ideas related to your chosen subject. These will serve as the content for your poem.
Structure Your Poem
Decide on the structure of your acrostic poem. Will it be a single word spelt vertically, or will it be a longer message hidden within the lines of the poem? Choose a format that suits your creative vision.
Write Your Poem
Begin composing your poem, ensuring that the first letter of each line or stanza corresponds to the letters of your chosen word or message. Be creative with your language and imagery to convey your theme effectively.
Revise and Refine
Like any form of poetry, acrostic poems benefit from revision. Read your poem aloud, check for clarity and coherence, and make any necessary revisions to improve the flow and impact of your message.
Share Your Creation
Once you are satisfied with your acrostic poem, share it with friends, family, or the world. You can publish it in print or online, or gift it or simply keep it as a personal reflection of your creativity.
In its simplest form, an acrostic poem consists of a single word or a name. Each letter of the chosen word begins a new line or stanza, and the lines may or may not relate to the word itself. This type of acrostic is concise and can be a fun way to create a puzzle or express a sentiment using the letters of a word. For example, if you choose the word “LOVE,” your acrostic poem may go like this:
Luminous
Overwhelming
Vibrant
Eternal
Sentence Acrostic
A slightly more complex variation involves creating a sentence for each letter in the chosen word or message. Each sentence can describe or expand upon the word itself. Here’s an example of a recent acrostic poem I crafted to convey my happiness and pride as an Indian citizen on the successful soft landing of India’s Chandrayaan mission.
Acrostic Poem celebrating the success of India’s Chandrayaan Mission
Carrying the hopes of a billion hearts,
Heralding light years of success,
Aim set high, a nation's dream comes true
Nurturing aspirations, stories untold
Daring to touch the lunar skies
Reaching beyond, where eagles rise.
Another milestone in Indian history
Yearning for glory, a celestial quest-
A testament to India's very best,
A noble endeavour, every Indian's pride-
Now seeds its success in the lunar soil!
Theme-Based Acrostic
You can use acrostic poetry to explore a specific theme or concept. In this variation, each line or stanza represents a different aspect of the theme, with the initial letters forming the theme word. For instance, if you’re writing about “NATURE,” each line could delve into various elements of the natural world:
Nurturing forests, where tall trees sway,
A symphony of birds welcomes the day,
The river's gentle flow, finding its way,
Under the vast sky, in meadows we play,
Reveling in the beauty, come what may,
Every moment with nature, a gift to convey.
Message or Storytelling Acrostic
Acrostic poems can also be used to tell a story or convey a message. In this variation, the initial letters of the lines or stanzas combine to form a hidden narrative or a clear message. This approach allows for a more extended exploration of a topic or story. Here's an example using the word "DREAM":
Dancing through the moonlit night,
Reaching for stars with all my might,
Every wish taking its flight,
A journey into the boundless height,
My hopes and visions ignite.
These various approaches to acrostic poetry offer creative flexibility and allow you to adapt the form to suit your artistic vision and the message you want to convey. Whether you opt for a single word, sentences, theme-based exploration, or storytelling, acrostic poems offer an engaging and unique way to play with language and capture your thoughts and emotions. Hope you now have a better idea of crafting acrostic poems and their variations. So, don’t hesitate to experiment and let your creativity flow as you explore the fascinating world of acrostic poetry.
Writing mythology can be a complex and challenging task. Aspiring writers are often faced with many questions and uncertainties, which can make the task seem daunting. For instance, they may question whether the mythology is still relevant to modern audiences and how to make these ancient stories resonate with contemporary readers. Additionally, writers may wonder how to represent the characters and themes in a way that is both appropriate and respectful, while also handling potentially sensitive or controversial topics. With all these uncertainties in mind, writing mythology can be a daunting task for many.
Attending the #BlogchatterWritFest workshop with Satyarth Nayak, the author of Mahagatha, proved to be an enlightening experience that dispelled our fears and doubts about writing mythology. His guidance and insights were highly encouraging and left us feeling empowered and confident enough to take on the challenge of writing our own mythological tales.
The Mahagatha author’s passion and enthusiasm were evident as he answered various questions, making for an engaging and informative discussion. His deep knowledge of the subject matter was palpable, leaving us with valuable insights and guidance. Here are a few of the questions that were discussed during this insightful workshop, which was arranged by Blogchatter and left us feeling inspired and motivated to explore mythology further.
Designed by the Author using Canva
Q: How can we research places and/or characters of mythology?
The author emphasized the importance of research, not just for mythology, but for any genre of writing. He attributed his disciplined approach to research to his experience as a correspondent with CNN-IBN. The author also stressed the importance of reading and absorbing existing works on mythology to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. As an example, he shared that he had read multiple versions and translations of the Puranas while researching for his book Mahagatha, which is a compilation of 100 tales from the Puranas.
Q: Should mythology be kept relevant to current times or preserved in the period it was originally set?
The author responded by stating that it ultimately comes down to the writer’s personal and creative choice, as both approaches have their merits. Presenting mythological stories in their original form, as they were set in their original period, can evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing. On the other hand, retelling these stories through the lens of contemporary times can make them feel more relevant. Ultimately, the choice of how to present these stories is up to the author and should be made accordingly.
Q: How one should go about picking a specific version of a mythological story, given the many different variations that exist?
The author acknowledged that this can be a confusing process, but he also highlighted the beauty of the plurality of voices in Hindu mythology. He stated that every narrative has its place and should be celebrated rather than causing confusion.
The author then provided a useful tip for selecting stories for one’s own work. He suggested that one needs to be clear on the narrative framework and overarching theme of the book first. Once this is established, one can then select stories that are interlinked and form a chain of events that help the narrative move forward. For instance, the author handpicked stories from the Puranas for his book Mahagatha, constructing a narrative that travels through the four yugas and offers continuous and organic action.
The author also emphasized that it is natural for a writer to be drawn to stories or perspectives that resonate with them based on their own upbringing and personal beliefs. Ultimately, the choice of which version of a mythological story to use should be guided by the writer’s creative vision and the needs of their narrative.
Q: How to ensure that a story told from the perspective of a mythological character is true to the character’s perspective and not the author’s own perspective?
The author acknowledged that this is a common struggle for authors, but emphasized that the key is to be true to the character. He explained that it is not necessary for the author to agree with the character’s beliefs, but it is essential to inhabit the character and their worldview. The author shared his experience of writing about Sati, the youngest daughter of Daksha who marries Lord Shiva against her father’s will. He faced a dilemma when he had to write Daksha’s dialogues using strong language and cursing Mahadeva, as he was a devotee of Mahadeva himself. However, to be true to the character, he had to put aside his own beliefs and remember that being true to the character doesn’t mean he agrees with the character’s beliefs. The audience will understand that it is the character speaking, not the author.
Q: How to make mythology interesting for readers?
He responded by emphasizing that mythological stories are inherently interesting and that the author’s job is to present and retell them in a compelling way, using language and narrative techniques to engage readers. As an example, he cited his own book, Mahagatha, which weaves together interlinked stories from the Puranas and concludes each one with a cliffhanger to keep readers hooked.
Q: What do you think is the X-factor in bestselling mythology books?
In response, Satyarth stated that it is called X-factor for a reason implying that there is no definite answer. As the Indian market has no set formula for success, it can be challenging to identify the exact X-factor that makes a book a bestseller. Instead, he advised writers to focus on writing what genuinely excites them rather than writing with the intention of creating a bestseller. According to him, when writers write with passion and excitement, it naturally reflects in their work, and readers are more likely to identify the X-factor in their writing.
Q: What is your favourite mythology story?
The Mahabharatha.
Q: What’s your current read?
The Mahabharatha– A set of 10 contemporary books with Mahabharatha Stories by Bibek Debroy
Q: How can we modernize mythology?
The author mentioned that while there are many stories in mythology that are inherently modern, such as King Sudyumna’s transformation into a woman, which is relevant to contemporary queer representation, it’s important to be conscious of the context and period in which a story is set. For instance, there are stories in mythology that may not make sense when modernized, such as the one where Rama punishes a Shudra. Therefore, the key is for the writer to make a deliberate and informed choice about what elements to modernize and what to keep intact based on the content of the story.
Q: In retellings of mythology, some authors introduce new characters to the existing narrative. Doesn’t that confuse readers about what’s the original version and what’s not?
The author agreed that some retellings of mythology do introduce new characters, which is the author’s creative and dramatic license. However, the readers should approach such retellings with the awareness that it’s not the original version and the writer has exercised their creative liberty. This can be found/made clear through the author’s note or introduction at the beginning of the book.
Q:Apart from Krishna, who is your favourite character in Mahabharatha?
While Krishna remains his favourite character, the author said that if he had to choose one from the Puranas, it would be Lord Vishnu. He said he admires him for the selfless act of taking avatars to serve the greater good (Jankalyan), even if it means being cursed.
With that inspiring answer, the conversation came to a close. It was an absolutely insightful session with Satyarth Nayak. The team Blogchatter never ceases to delight its members with such sessions and other workshops/challenges. I have done my best to recount everything I can remember, and I hope that this conversation has been as inspiring for you as it has been for me.
I’m sure if you are reading this, at least for once you would have written poetry or attempted to write one. Whether a student, teacher, parent, someone from a literary background, homemaker or an uneducated person, everyone makes an effort to write a poem at some point in their lifetime. The simple reason behind this is that poetry is a means of self-expression, to capture emotions, thoughts, and experiences in a creative and imaginative way. Here’s a beginner’s guide to writing poetry from scratch.
Poetry can be used to tell a story, convey a message, evoke a feeling, or simply play with language. Writing poetry can also be a form of therapy, allowing people to work through difficult emotions and explore their inner selves. Additionally, poetry has been a significant part of human culture for thousands of years, passing down stories, beliefs, and traditions from one generation to the next.
Where did I start?
So whatever your reason for writing poetry be, know that you are not alone and every expression matters. You don’t need a degree in literature or great writing skills to pen poetry. If you don’t believe me, let me tell you how I started writing one. It is a little embarrassing for me to put it here but then if it could help you see a possibility for your own poetry-writing journey, then why not, right?
When I was around 11 years old (that’s 23 years back) I started writing and my very first fascination was nature and it still remains to be so. My ‘idea’ of poetry at that time was just about lines ending with rhymes. This is how my very first poem, started (don’t laugh at it; it was a kid’s expression then!):
Nature, nature, nature
It's God's creature
If we destroy nature
Who will save the future?
A path of creative self-expression
Do you see that? At this age, after years of writing experience, I can see so many things flawed in the above stanza. For one, it has to be God’s ‘creation’ & not ‘creature’ and the whole thing looks like a ‘forced rhyming’ just to call it poetry. Don’t even ask me about the rest of the stanzas. But wait, does it matter that it was flawed? Absolutely no; because I see it as a ‘start’.
Yes, that day, a small kid started her journey towards self-expression and all that mattered to her were words that helped her make sense of what was happening around her and also inside her mind. And my dear friend, that’s all that should matter to you too when you are starting to pen poetry.
Writing poetry is a path of creative self-expression.
Choose a theme that talks to you
Now that you know what really matters, let’s get to the act of writing. All you need is an intention to write one. Firstly, choose a theme that talks to you or tap into an emotion that you are currently experiencing. That way you can easily get into the flow of writing instead of getting about it mechanically. Start somewhere, anywhere but just start. It really doesn’t matter if you write a great starting line or not, trust me!
Hack
If you are still stuck wondering where to start, then simply borrow a line/phrase from any book you read or a poem you liked. You can later replace the first line with something of your own; it really works. And yeah, it is not copying, it’s simply taking inspiration.
Forget editing & go with the flow
If you ask any of the writers or poets, they will tell you how most times their first drafts end up nothing but crap. So fret not about perfection and simply add one word after the other. Remember, just one word after the other. Easy, right? For beginners, free verse is the best bet but if you are in the mood for experimentation with different forms like haiku, lyrical poems, etc, then go for it. Just don’t let the structure restrict the flow of your ideas.
Poetry is enriched with vivid imagery (descriptions). Showing and not telling is a writing technique used to create vivid and engaging descriptions by allowing readers to experience and interpret events and emotions, rather than just being told about them. All you need to do is to tap a little deeper into your sense of touch, vision, hearing, smell or taste. Here are some examples of showing and not telling:
Telling: The food was delicious. Showing: The flavors exploded in his mouth as he savored each bite of the perfectly cooked biriyani.
Telling: She was sad. Showing: Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sat alone, staring blankly out the window.
Telling: The view was breathtaking. Showing: The sun set over the mountains, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange and taking his breath away.
Write for one person
Every individual has different perspectives and it’s the ability to put our perspectives out loud and clear that matters. So, loosen up, leave your hesitations and write for one person-yourself. Even if you plan to publish, it’s just you and the other person who is reading that is involved in this equation. So write for either yourself or just one reader. That way, the connection between you and the reader is easily established.
Make it relatable
Have you noticed that a song lyrics appeals to you so much that it feels it was written just for you? Well, that’s where relatability comes into the picture. Even while you are writing your personal experiences, try and make it relatable to the reader.
To make a poem written from personal experience relatable to the reader, you can focus on universal themes and emotions that are common to many people. This can include topics such as love, loss, joy, fear, hope, etc. Additionally, you can use concrete and specific details that paint a vivid picture of your experiences and help the reader connect with them on an emotional level.
Avoid using jargon or uncommon terminology that may confuse or alienate the reader. Finally, you can use literary devices such as imagery, metaphor, and simile to enhance the emotional impact of the poem.
Read it aloud
Reading your poem aloud can help you to identify and correct any issues in your writing, and to gain a better understanding of how the poem will be received by an audience. This is when you will get an idea of how the usage of words complement each other or not, whether is there a rhythmic flow to the poem, is the tone and theme of the poem are conveyed or not, etc.
So, own your poem and read it aloud to help you understand the nuances intuitively. It may sound difficult but try and see. You will get better at it with every poem.
Edit and evolve
Now that you know how your poetry has turned out and how it sounds while reading, it’s time that you make the edits and polish your poem. Though editing may take time to learn, it’s still your poem to experiment and evolve. Take charge of it and check the tone and mood of the poem. Make sure they match the content and the emotional impact you want to convey.
Read the poem several times, paying attention to each line and stanza. Look for areas that could be improved, such as awkward phrasing or unclear meaning. Consider using synonyms, metaphors, and similes to add depth and impact. Check the structure of the poem. Make sure each stanza and line break serves a purpose, and that the poem has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Finally, have someone else read the poem and provide feedback. This can give you a fresh perspective and help you to identify areas that could be improved.
Trust the process
Poetry is a creative form of self-expression. So, trust the process and evolve with each piece of writing. Also, poetry gives you the liberty to break the rules and simply have fun. So what stops you from writing a poetry, today? Get creative. Get bold. Get writing!
P.S. At the start of this post you read the childish poetry that I started with. To know how my writing has evolved over years, you can check these two poems (click on the below images) that are inspired by my all-time fascination with nature. You will see that with years, the experiences and perspectives have evolved. And, that is all that I wish for you to know, so you honour your expressions and emotions in verses without any hesitation.
Hope this post helps. If you are just beginning to pen poetry, feel free to post it in the comments or share it on Twitter and tag me @PoetryPromising.
If you are an established poet, do share your very first piece of poetry. Let others be inspired.
While I strongly believe that a blog with well and consistently written posts can help you ace the blogging game, it’s also true that a good SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) can be the catalyst for the google ranking. Though there are plenty of resources on how to go about on-page or off-page SEO, I have always found them to work best for long-format content and not poetry.
SEO gets trickier when it comes to poetry mainly because of its brevity and also of the difficulty to stuff keywords into it. So I thought why not share a few easy and actionable tweaks that I had applied in this poetry blog of mine and found them work well. So here you go.
“Succesful SEO is not about tricking Google. It’s about partnering with Google to provide the best search results for Google’s users.”
Phil Frost
My top ranking pages
If someone had told me a few months back that you can rank your poetry blog well with just SEO, I would have laughed at them. Like, who are they kidding, huh?
As poets, while we know how difficult it is to even get our work to be seen, it is even more difficult to believe in someone talking about getting our poetry blog on the first page of google, just by SEO. So I can understand if you are reading this article through the lens of suspicion.
To ascertain that these tips work, let me start with sharing the proof first. Here are three screenshots where you can find,
My website ranking first for the keyword “promising poetry”.
One of my poems ranked on the first page of google images, for the keyword “lipogram poem”.
My review of the poetry book, Gitanjali is ranked on Google’s first page.
A screenshot of my website ranked first for the keyword “promising poetry”.
A screenshot of one of my poems ranked on the first page of google images, for the keyword “lipogram poem”.
Screenshot of my review of the poetry book, Gitanjali which is ranked on Google’s first page.
Now that you are convinced, let me just dive into the tips part.
5 Easy and Actionable SEO Tips for Poetry Blogs
Include intro/conclusion
Brevity is the biggest enemy of poetry which makes it not feasible to rank on the first page. A minimum of 300 words count gets traction for google ranking and the lengthier it gets (quality matters too!), the better the traction is. So, here is the tweak. Try to include an introduction and/or conclusion, before/after your poetry which can help you get the desired word count.
Choose your title wise
As poets, it can be very tempting to give unusual or abstract or mystic titles to our poetry pieces but let me warn you that it can be of no help when it comes to ranking. Say, for example, one of my poems, “Rasa” wouldn’t have ranked on google images’ first page, had I titled it just as “Rasa”. Come on, who on earth would search as “A poem on Rasa”?
So, the trick here was to title it, “Rasa- A Lipogram Poem”. Now, the keyword “lipogram poem” did the magic here and brought visibility to the piece. The key takeaway here is to have a lengthy title while describing what the poem is about or the poetry format. If you wish you can add your actual creative title of the poem as a subtitle.
Keep in mind that the user is mostly a layman, looking for poems using simple words/phrases like, ‘a poem on love’, ‘ a poem on domestic abuse‘, etc.
Wait, there is also another reason the poem, Rasa, was ranked and that’s the next tip.
Add ALT tags for the images
Well, as you could have seen in the screenshots above the poem Rasa was optimised for its image. When it comes to optimising your poetry, you got to make use of all the possible ways to do so and adding attractive images is one thing to do. But it just doesn’t stop there.
Add a description of the image used using ALT tags and also in the caption of the image. This way you are helping google find your page through the images. Sometimes while the content itself may not rank, the image may rank (as in the case of my poem, here) on the top page and bring in traction or views.
Check out this easy-peasy video to learn how to add ALT tags for images:
Include video
It’s not just about lengthening your poetry post but it’s also about keeping your audience hooked and staying on your page for a considerable amount of time. Since the brevity of poetry can’t keep anyone hooked for a long time, embedding a video can help retain the reader for some time.
So get creative and go for adding a video of the spoken word version of your poem or just add a related youtube video to the page. Make sure the content of the video aligns with your poetry and doesn’t look like a forced inclusion.
Get creative
Ok, now don’t get me wrong saying we are poets and doesn’t that mean we are already creative? Well, I agree. It’s not about getting creative about poetries that I’m talking about. I’m asking you to get creative with the format of your posts that you pen for your poetry blog.
Most times, one may think that a poetry blog is all about sharing poetries but it is not. Think about everything that has got to do with poetry and pen them. Write reviews for poetry books, do poetry analysis, get a poet interviewed and write about it, etc. This way, you are still soaking in the essence of poetry while also being able to furnish long-format content which is the key to page optimisation.
In the below post on my review of Tagore’s Gitanjali , you shall find all the above points incorporated.
My review of the poetry book, Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore.
Concluding Words
SEO of poetry blogs can be tricky but with little tweaks here and there, you can ace the game. If you had noticed, the underlying factor behind all the tips is to make the posts “reader friendly” by giving them an insight on how or what made you come up with a poem or adding user-friendly titles or ALT text for images or videos or bringing them into your poetry world through more related educative/entertaining information.
Hope you found this post useful. Do let me know if you want to learn more on SEO specific to poetry blogs.
This post was written for the prompt “Simple SEO tricks nobody told you”, as a part of #BlogchatterBlogHop.
Baffled reading the heading that says, ‘Poetry makes nothing happen’? Well, you are not alone if you come across this for the first time. I was confused too when I heard it for the first time, especially from a renowned poet like Sampurna Chattarji while quoting it to explain the purpose of poetry. It may sound contradicting but in actuality it is not. To get the essence of it, read ahead.
Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.
~WilliamWordsworth
Celebrating World Poetry Day on the 21st of March, 2022 with a conversation with the poet and translator, Sampurna Chattarji, as part of the #BlogchatterWritFest2022, turned out to be a blissful and resourceful session. The one-hour session flew in a jiffy only to make us, the poetry enthusiasts, more thirsty for the poetry conversation.
What is the purpose of poetry? Does poetry essentially mean a spontaneous overflow of emotions or does it include crafting too? What are some essential basics for becoming a better poet? Can multiple formats of poetry be included in a single poetry book? Do we follow trends when it comes to writing poetry? How much can a poet experiment with the format of poetry? If these are some questions in your mind, read along to get resourceful insights gained from a conversation with the amazing poet, translator and editor Sampurna Chattarji.
Here is a quick recap of the session with key takeaways from it. The session saw Sampurna Chattarji take up participants’ questions and answer them with insights from her personal experience as a poet, translator and editor.
Purpose of Poetry
The conversation had an interesting start with the poet answering the question what is the purpose of poetry. Chattarji indulged us in a poetic conversation by saying that it’s a perennial question and quoting, “Poetry makes nothing happen”, from the famed poem ‘In Memory of W.B.Yeats’ by W.H.Auden
Chattarji went ahead to explain beautifully on how poetry survives, transcending time and in essence becoming a way of happening. She said that words are a way of happening; dynamic and not static. The happening though can either be slow and meditative or choose to explode. Ultimately, poetry is in the now.
With reference to the poem, Sampurna Chattarji highlighted that
it’s a poet’s responsibilityto be the mouth of truth but not a mouthpiece.
Poetry as a spontaneous overflow of emotions versus poetry as a craft
When asked if poetry is just about the spontaneous overflow of emotions or does it need to be crafted, pat came the reply from the poet insisting that only an overflow of emotions may just be a hot mess on paper and that there is a need for formatting and crafting.
Chattarji emphasized that both the emotions as well as the crafting be given equal importance to get captivating poetry. She went on to share the following tips generously:
Basics that a poet needs to follow to get better at the art of poetry
Know the nuts and bolts of the language: the grammar, spellings, punctuation, etc.
Have a deep love for the language and the craft. Devour others’ works before starting with yours.
Write to rewrite. Don’t be satisfied with the first draft. Develop the ability to take criticisms and work on bettering the craft.
Equip yourself to become your own editor. This comes with years of experience though.
Have patience and persistence.
PRO TIP: As suggested by Sampurna Chattarji, check out and learn about different poetry formats by searching through the glossary here.
Multiple formats of poetry in one book
On the question, of multiple formats of poetry can be included in a single book, Sampurna Chattarji explained that it can be done with careful consideration. She added that the poet must be aware of the inner logic and flow behind the intertwining of multiple formats. Chattarji went on to explain how in her book“Space Gulliver” multiple forms of poetry imbibed in one book and it was absolutely helpful.
On that note, she mentioned that her favourite poetry forms are prose poetry—for its tensile & dynamic nature—and also non-sequential, non-narrative forms of poetry.
At this point, a special mention of Inger Christensen’s book Alphabet got me even more excited as it is based on the Fibonacci Sequence. At that moment, the Mathematician & the poet in me was like- ‘Aaaaah…I can just go on & on with this conversation!’. Sampurna Chattarji also mentioned writing a poem based on the prime number 37, also a star number, and her reasons and thoughts behind it. It only got interesting and I was just wishing that the conversation doesn’t end.
On a side note, one of my recently published poetry in “The Great Indian Anthology” by the Half Baked Beans has that Mathematical touch to it, titled “Number & numeral are not the same”. (winks!!)
Experimenting with “trends” in poetry: Yay or nay?
With the constraint of time, the poet moved on to answer the next question if it was wise to go with “trends” for beginner poets. Chattarji mentioned that one should be wise enough to know that what can be trending can end up forgotten too. So, it’s better to plunge into the deep end, hone your craft first and experiment with language and forms first-hand. Clearly, her emphasis was on getting better at the craft instead of just going by the trends.
On poetry translation
Here are a few important tips that Chattarji shared when asked for advice regarding poetry translations, especially when there is a cultural difference in the languages involved:
Firstly, it is highly important to understand both languages inside out.
For words that are hard to translate, she urged the poets to be inventive. She added that of all the translators, poetry translators are the best.
When it comes to untranslatable nuances, she suggested that one gets into the skin of the other poet, strike a conversation, gets to know the back story of the poem and then come up with a translation.
In case of uncertainty when it comes to translating a poem of a dead poet, she insisted that we go with our instincts, follow our heart and trust it.
Make research and dictionary your friends.
Most importantly, she emphasized that we have the courage to walk away from translating a poem. She said not to destroy a poem by bad translation and it’s better to leave it alone.
Create strategies, try hard and find solutions, like adding footnotes for cultural references or vernacular words.
Finally yet primarily, care enough for the poem as if it is your own and do justice to it.
On pitching poetry for magazines
As Sampurna Chattarji is also a Poetry Editor, it was more than apt to know what she looks for in a poetry submission as an editor. To start with, she made a note that one should not consider submission as “pitching” as the word pitching gives a sense of selling. She said the better word would be poetry submission and mentioned that primarily she looks for a certain amount of craft in the poetry.
She added that she looks for a voice — honest, new and startling — and a willingness to work with the editor in partnership.
As a pro tip, Sampurna Chattarji suggested not to overdo the cover letter or bio and rather work harder on the poem instead. Finally, she said to keep the poem true, simple and distinct.
Towards the close of the session, when asked for poetry reading suggestions, especially for kids and beginners, Chattarji left us with the following reading list:
Coney Island of the Mind: Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats: T.S. Eliot
Beastly Tales from Here and There: Vikram Seth
Revolting Rhymes: Roald Dahl
The Fried Frog and Other Funny Freaky Foodie Feisty Poems: Sampurna Chattarji
Learn from the Almond Leaf: Eunice de Souza
The Penguin Book of Indian Poets edited by Jeet Thayil (for a wide variety of themes, styles, generations: out in April)
Indian Love Poems selected and edited by Meena Alexander (Everyman Pocket Poets)
Wordygurdyboom! The Nonsense World of Sukumar Ray translated by Sampurna Chattarji (Puffin Classics)
On a final note, Sampurna Chattarji mentioned looking up for first books of those you consider established poets now and reading more anthologies.
The session then ended with a reading of her poem “Evil Eye” in her magical voice.
Overall, it was an exciting and engaging session that I just keep ruminating upon and this blog post is one way to do so. Hope you find this useful.
I just can’t thank enough the Blogchatter Team for making such conversations with poets/authors possible through the BlogchatterWritFest. As my fellow blogger Harshita would put it here, the BlogchatterWritFest is a different level of crazy!
Apart from providing us with this wonderful session where 3 to 4 of my questions got answered, Blogchatter did go one step ahead to choose me as one of the winners of a book giveaway. I am definitely on a poetic high and I’m sure you would have definitely got to know it by now.
Happy Me!
I leave you on that note and see you soon with Intuitive Poetries in the month of April (just a few more days to go!). Stay tuned.
10 preparatory steps for crafting your masterpiece poem
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It’s every poet’s dream to write better poetry and craft that masterpiece poem every time they sit to pen one. But what’s stopping them from doing so? Is it the pressure that comes with it or is there a need to find and fix the basics right?
In this article, we shall see how can a poet get better at creating a masterpiece poem without coming under pressure and what are the basic essentials for it.
Poets, especially the ones whose works are unpublished and who are just beginning to get a grip on the art form, don’t easily call themselves a poet.
There is always a feeling of being less or being incompetent to call themselves a poet, call it impostor syndrome or whatever you may fancy, but it is true.
They might be calling themselves a writer or even a freelancer, but never a poet. They will be creating masterpieces but may call poetry writing a side hustle. Mainly because poetry is not that rewarding monetarily in spite of poetry making it to the mainstream these days.
But does that make one any less of a poet?
If you are one who is still not convinced to call yourself a poet or if you do call yourself one and make sure you get better at being a poet, then this is for you.
Let me get you through some background before sharing some experiential knowledge through this year’s poetry month experiment.
My experience with NaPoWriMo gave me the conviction of calling myself a poet
The first time that I came to know about National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) was in the year 2017 when I came across two of Pune’s best poetry circles, Pune Poetry Slam and Bullockcart Poetry. I had been following their pages on Facebook for months and used to try their prompts regularly even though I had not posted it much, thanks to the impostor syndrome.
Then came national poetry month and out of some adrenaline rush, I just took up the challenge to try and write 30 poems in 30 days.
The first few days were a poetic high. I had my friends and relatives cheering up. My mind was fresh and I had enough words to play around with. It felt as though I was back to my college days with that competitive spirit.
It was certainly my first big step towards taking poetry on a serious note. I was experimenting and enjoying it all along. And then after 13 days into writing or so, it started getting difficult. The prompts got tougher and I was also going out of ideas.
But if there was something that kept me through then it was the accountability factor of taking an open challenge in an online space.
After over a week’s time, my Facebook audience had actually started developing an interest in reading my posts and more than myself, they were looking forward to the poems. That, in fact, kept me going and helped me push through the dry days.
But least did I know then that there wasn’t actually any necessity to create a masterpiece every day. The point was to be consistent, explore, experiment, learn and get your idea out. Something that I didn’t know as a first-time entrant into the challenge. But that year, that challenge laid a strong foundation for what was to come in the years after.
Surprisingly, I also got to win the month’s challenge of writing 30 poems in 30 days for the prompts shared by Bullock Cart Poetry with a few of my poems making it to the “poem of the day”.
From NaPoWriMo, 2017, by Bullockcart Poetry
I couldn’t continue to write for PPS simultaneously and I just attempted for the first 6 days and one of my very short poems (written just in 2 mins right before getting off to sleep) got selected for the “poem of the day”.
With the high and experience that the challenge gave, I continued taking NaPoWriMo challenges since then, only that I kept the poems to myself and was not pushing to do 30 poems in a month’s time. Rather, I took the prompts, created over days.
At times, I went for creating multiple pieces for a single prompt. I started playing with the prompts and enjoyed and learned a lot over years. More than writing, I enjoyed reading and exploring new poetry pages and finding amazing talents.
NaPoWriMo led Poetpreneurship
Fast forward to 2020, the foundation that was laid years back had now helped me dive into the space of what I call, Poetpreneurship. As a poetpreneur, I now help others find solace in reading, writing and gifting poetry. Isn’t that cool?
While poetry and making money have always been thought to be poles apart, I could jump into my solopreneur journey with poetry as the only capital because of the experience of years of writing and NaPoWriMo has had a prominent place in it.
More on my entrepreneurial journey, Promising Poetry, in the future but here is something that I did this year that I wanted to share with you.
NaPoWriMo-2021- An Experiment
April 2021, as with every year, was a month of poetic high with writings for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) prompts doing their rounds online. This year, I thought why not do NaPoWriMo with a difference.
So I went ahead to experimenting and sharing the process of writing one poem from scratch on my Instagram handle. As part of it, the first 10 days were about the preparatory steps for crafting a better poem.
10 preparatory steps for crafting your masterpiece poem
Idea and intention
So what comes first is the idea and intent. Why you want to write a poem and what you want to write about matters the most to have a great poem by the end. It’s not the starting line of the poem that I’m talking about, it’s about the central theme.
Personally, I write poems for multiple purposes, like for learning, experimenting with a particular technique or style, writing for my customised products or for prompts. But my favourite pieces of poetry are those that flow freely out of overwhelming emotion or an experience.
To help you get started, here are a few questions to ponder and reflect on:
What does poetry mean to you?
Why do you want to write a poem?
What are some lived experiences that you can talk about in-depth?
🤩Ask yourself these questions and if you don’t get an answer still, sit in silence. Try focusing on the emotions you go through at the moment. Be a witness, don’t judge. Let the silence in you do the talking and reflecting.
😊Remember, poetry has to flow. For that to happen, allow yourself to be vulnerable and just BE!
Read The classic and contemporary
To be a poet/writer, reading matters. To be a writer, you need to be a reader too.
For me, in poetry, reading the classics has helped to understand the richness of the language, the life crisis & evolution over that period while contemporary poetries have opened the door to experimentation in structure (at times no structure) and novelty of ideas.
For me, reading in between the process of writing helps me come out of the boundaries of my own voice/perspective and helps me look at the piece that I’m working on with newer perspectives & possibilities.
💫 Here are a few reasons why you should read for better writing:
It helps widen/break your boundaries giving wings to your imagination.
Helps improve your vocabulary.
Helps identify multiple approaches to the same idea.
Gives exposure to various genres and styles of writing.
It’s fun, relaxing and enriching.
😊 And yes, reading is also counted as progress in terms of crafting a poem.
Art of Observation
Poetry is essentially an art that helps us view the world from a different angle.
It helps broaden our views and to make the views clearer and specific with observation playing an important role.
. 😊A poet/writer essentially needs to have or essentially develop a keen eye for observation. It’s the minute details & vivid imagery that makes for a great poem.
🖋One of the classic examples for observation is William Wordsworth’s poem “I wandered lonely as a Cloud” where he just didn’t pass by a stretch of daffodils, rather he took time to observe and capture it in his words.
💫By observation, it’s not just about the visual cues, it also matters about the tactile, auditory, gustatory or olfactory cues.
🌟Here are a few questions that can help you in getting better at the art of observation:
Where/what was the first moment did you eye on the subject/object of your poem? Do you remember the context? What picture does it paint in your mind?
How do you make the subject/object in your poem come alive through visual/emotional/auditory/tactile cues?
Does the subject/object of your poem symbolize anything beyond the obvious?
😊 Remember, there is always more to the subject than the obvious.
Play with perspectives
Perspective in a poem is a tool wherein you get to decide how you want your readers to look at a particular object/subject that you are talking about in your poem.
Perspective is the lens that you are going to give your reader through which they can see and observe your characters, happenings, and feelings in the poem, in detail, in the way you see them.
Say, for example, if you decide to capture the love between a couple as your theme, you can play with multiple perspectives like being either of the people in love or take an observer’s stance and pen a poem as a witness to their love or maybe you can talk from the perspective of the couch that watches the couple love, fight, unite & spend time together.
🤩Perspectives can be aplenty, at times irrational too but what’s poetry without a bit of craziness?
So try to find a unique perspective to get your poem started. Dare to be different😊
🌟Here are a few questions that can help you get started:
Who/what is the subject/object in your poem that’s going to talk to the reader?
What is the emotion that the subject/object wants to instil in the reader?
Does the subject/object want to talk in first person/second person/third person?
Write without worrying
There is a tendency to have the impostor syndrome and be critical of our idea to an extent that we kill the idea even before letting it breathe.
We judge ourselves quickly and see progress from the lens of criticism.
🤩Let us keep progress to be very simple here. Let it be just one idea, one line, one learning or even one word in addition to what you had yesterday. Simple.
Now why I say that is poetry happens when we let it happen. And worrying about the structure, elements or finish since the start doesn’t help in any way. For the first few days let the idea sit.
Let an idea come in waves of wonders.
😌What matters is that you start, where & how don’t matter much. This can apply to that one piece of poem that you are thinking to pen or the journey itself as a poet.
💫Interestingly, if I remember properly, I started writing poetry (for me then, poetry meant ending with rhyming lines!) around the age of 13 or so and I remember writing this: Nature, nature, nature/You are God’s creature (now don’t ask me if that even makes sense!)
I laugh and criticize myself whenever I get reminded of my first poem but then I realize, that day, knowingly or unknowingly, I made a start and I’ve progressed to where I’m now today and I’m happy about it.
And I’m sure your poem is going to be far better than the one I started with. So, pen & progress.
🌟Here are a few questions that can help you add another word/verse/idea to your poem:
What are the words that come to your mind when you think about the theme of your poem? Jot it down.
Make a mind map of the theme or the flow of the poem with only words that come to your mind at once you think of the poem.
What inspired you to come up with this theme/idea of the poem? Reflect & make a note.
Experiment
For any art form to survive through the ages, experimentation is a constant criterion.
When it comes to poetry, the very first impression that comes to us is that of rhyme, rhythm and a sense of aesthetics it gives us. But poetry has evolved from being a lyrical ballad or classic sonnet to being a more fluid version—be it in structure or aesthetics— with experimentation.
The best thing about poetry is it is not bound by grammar or any other rules, which makes it more interesting and a great canvas for experimentation.
Well, you can experiment with ideas, structure or your own voice through the poems. You can structure it to fit in a box or make it flow and occupy the whole page with disoriented spaces. You can make the verses rhyme or just let it sound like a chaotic crime. All it needs to be is honest and just be.
🌟Here are a few questions to help you get started with experimenting with your poetry.
What does the structure of your poem convey? Can you break a few lines, add a few spaces and restructure to have added symbolic meaning?
Does your poem necessarily need to read from left to right or flow from top to bottom?
Is it necessary for the whole poem to convey one single idea? Can it have multiple/contradicting ideas?
Write—every—single—day
If you are an aspiring Poet sitting out there and finding it difficult to string words and blame it on writer’s block, then I’m sorry. Let me tell you that writer’s block is nothing but a myth.
😊Just like one needs to work out every day to achieve fitness/health goals, the creative muscles need to be exercised every day.
To do so, you need to understand that you need to just write every day and not necessarily create a masterpiece every day.
When you make it a habit, you are consciously or unconsciously getting better at the art of writing, learning vocabulary, and getting creative one word at a time.
🌟Here are a few things that can help you get into the habit of writing every day:
Accept that writer’s block is a myth.
Do not fall under the pressure of creating a masterpiece every day. Just write.
Have a fixed time to put words into paper. Make it part of your routine, make it religious.
If you feel you are stuck, just write about it—how you feel being stuck. As simple as that.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be poetry. It can be prose too.
Journaling or writing for prompts helps too.
If nothing works, just try this. Take a favourite piece of writing from a book and put pen to paper, just copying the content. And trust me, the mere act of putting pen to the paper itself helps relax the creative muscles and gives a fresh flow of thoughts.
Hope you don’t forget to exercise your writing muscle every day.
Declutter Drill
Let us understand that crafting a masterpiece is not a single-day thing. It takes time and it is OK to feel lost mid-way into the process.
Let me tell you, in spite of not thinking, reading or writing poetry, the act of doing nothing is also an essential part of crafting and processing poetry.
Stepping away from the poem in the process, calming the chaos in your mind and getting in touch with the silence inside you helps get a fresh perspective towards your poem.
In fact, it helps in a much better way during the process of editing. A day/week/month away from the poem and then getting back to it helps us have an objective look at the poem and helps ease the editing process.
Editing is better and easy when you are detached from your poem (essential learning for me, from the recent poetry workshop by @boundindia facilitated by the amazing poet @bhagatpragya ).
So remember, in this case, no progress is also progress.
🌟Here are a few tips for a declutter drill during the process of crafting poetry:
Don’t write just because you are feeling pressured to write one. Just stop wherever you are.
Do not look into your poem. Forget it for a day/week.
Sing, dance, doodle, play guitar or pull out some weeds. But just don’t look at your poetry.
Try something different. Like, if you were writing in English, take a break, and write anything in your mother tongue instead. Or if you were penning a poem on heartbreak, why not read or write a humorous poetry/fiction.
Take a stroll or play badminton. Get some fresh air. Just don’t worry about the poetry. Not yet. Not until you may find the kind of rush (not pressure), the day you started with the idea of your poem and felt that poetic high.
Research
The first draft of poetry happens in a moment of time, it springs & starts to flow and we feel that it’s the best thing to happen at that moment. Yes, it is the best thing to happen but remember that the spring or the flow can actually be an ocean, vast and profound. Research helps to make it happen.
By research, I don’t mean going about researching and looking out for poetic techniques or literary elements. I’m asking you to research the subject/object or idea of the poem.
For example, when I started with the idea of the experimental poetry in this series, “Words of Wisdom From the Wandering Jew”, I was in the mindset of writing something unique and from an observer’s stance of a gardener. It was instinctive that I use or talk about this plant wandering jew as I see it grow like a weed in all the pots in my garden and I just love it.
Then out of curiosity, I googled to learn more about the wandering jew and ended up reading an article on why the plant is called so. In fact, there were writings that say many stand against calling the plant so and prefer to call it a wandering dude. It’s after that that the poem took a specific direction and “calling names” became a part of the poem’s theme.
So research helps you think beyond the confines of your acquired/ experienced knowledge. It helps you picture better and craft with depth.
🌟Here are a few tips on how you can utilize research for crafting better poetry:
Zero down on the subject/object of your poem and research on it to get more specifications on the character/behaviour.
If your poetry is set to evoke a particular emotion research/look out if there are objects/colours that symbolize it and try incorporating them into your poem.
If your poetry is set in a particular place, research the place to get fine images of the place. It helps bring the place alive even if you have never been to the place.
If you are writing an English poem about a Tamilian as a subject of your poem, research the language (more specifically, the regional dialects) and try incorporating the poem to give the magical touch of the vernacular element.
These are just a few tips but you can just go about researching anything and get your work better. Just remember not to get into the rabbit hole of simply reading one article after another. Have your intention set before getting into researching, take notes and get back at your poetry.
The vulnerability weapon
Do you remember that one piece of poetry that made you feel intense and made you feel as if it was talking to/about you? I’m sure that one poem would have made you fall in love with poetry. Maybe if you revisit that poetry today, you may notice the magic element in the poem would be the poet’s vulnerability.
Poetries that make a difference, that touch a chord with us, that are bound to stay are the ones that are intense and honest and it’s a poet’s vulnerability that makes the poem intimate and promising poetry.
Vulnerability is a powerful weapon that when used properly can leave the mark it’s meant to. It has the power to cut into the reader’s heart/mind/soul and heal it surgically, stitching through the choice of words.
🌟Here are a few tips on how you can utilize vulnerability in your poem:
If you are going through a particular emotion, observe it and try putting down the emotion in words. Keep it raw.
Go with your gut feeling to know what exactly you want to write.
Putting a piece of your vulnerable self out in a poem can be scary, especially when you think it’s going to be read by a wider audience. Rather, think this way while you pen. Think that it’s an intimate letter or piece of writing to be shared with just only one person. The perspective of writing/reading to one person helps lower the fear of being vulnerable.
To feel more empowered even while being vulnerable, think this way that you have the power to give voice to someone else (a voiceless soul) who may also be experiencing the same thing as you are and for them, your vulnerability might mean support, a journey of togetherness. Think that way and I’m sure you will be more ready and authentic in exposing a part of yourself in your writing.
Remember that being vulnerable can be more of learning for yourself and for others too. It can be healing and helpful.
A printable on key takeaways
To make it easy for you to remember and try it out, here is a printable on the 10 points discussed above. Feel free to download and save it. Even better, take a print and put it on a wall to make it easier to access every time you sit to pen poetry. It helps.
So there you go with 10 tips that you can implement right away. Hope you find this useful.
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