Your Guide to Concrete Poems
By Yaseen Shaikh
Historical Information
- What: A form of poetry that uses arrangements of words to convey the message of the poem
- When: Started to gain popularity during the 1940s/1950s
- Who: A group of people in Switzerland, Sweden and Brazil
- Where: It was first used in Switzerland, Sweden and Brazil
- Famous People who used it: George Herbert, Lewis Carroll, Ezra Pound, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Stephane Mallarmé.
Definition
Concrete poems - are poems focused on a visual element, in addition to the poem itself.
Purpose
Concrete poems convey the poet’s thoughts through a style which isn't confined to normal writing styles and gives a visual to reinforce the poet’s message.
How does one write this form of poetry?
Choose a topic (i.e birds)
Make a poem without the form or visual first
- Now you can make it visually appealing in text editors like Word. Alternatively, you can use MS Paint to make one.
Rules
- The poem must resemble what it is talking about (i.e. if a poem was talking about time, it could resemble a clock or watch).
- That’s it!
- Now it is like free-verse. It doesn't have to rhyme, or have a certain about of syllables or have a certain rhyme scheme.