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Lyrical, song like rhymes (Because they make us feel good)
POETIC STYLE by Stuart Leventhal
For a poet, knowing what one wants to say is only the
start of the adventure. The fun and challenge is in finding an entertaining way
to convey your message to others. How you share your thoughts is where the art,
beauty, mystique and wonder of poetry come into play.
To some writing poetry is like constructing a puzzle, fitting words in places to complete a formal structured meter or beat or twisting phrases around to match rhyming patterns. The enjoyment is in crafting a more enjoyable sing-song version of our language. To others the importance is on teasing their reader by leaving subtle hints leading to hidden references and always raising more of life’s questions than supplying answers. There is a lot of contradiction and ambivalence in poetry and scholars of poetry often cannot agree on interpretations. This makes the study of poems sometimes difficult. Thus, the valuing or merit of each poem mostly is conducted on a personal level based on each individual reader’s preference! More often than not when it comes to types of poetry everyone has a particular preference. Some of us love rhymes and hate every poem that does not rhyme. Others find rhymes silly and less scholarly and thus not as deep or meaningful as other more sophisticated styles of verse. Some like long poems while many readers cannot take a long drawn out poem. Many people enjoy sad poetry others favor romantic verse. The favorite types of poetry are as varied as peoples’ personalities. Perhaps that is why many feel poetry is the true language of the inner mind. Edgar Allan Poe said, “Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.” Samuel Johnson said, “Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with truth.” As you can see many intellects of our past equate poetry to a higher way of thinking and communication. Yet, there are still those to whom poetry means a five line limerick that begins with: There was an old man from Nantucket. Who got his foot stuck in a bucket… Yes, poetry is one of those things that mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. First and foremost poetry and poem writing is supposed to be fun! For this reason I never start out teaching or advising on poetry by pushing study or theory. There are many levels of poetry a person can experience. The same poem can be interpreted in different ways by different individuals. A child can find one message in the same poem that an adult sees something else entirely due to their age and maturity yet they both enjoy the same piece. Free verse is a style of poetry which many non-poets claim is undisciplined and has no rules or restraints yet many accomplished poets will tell you free verse is the most highly restrained discipline of all the poetry genres to write. To them writing a poem that appears free and non-classifiable yet is not prose or preachy takes much more effort than following meters and a long ago established pattern of other poetic genres. Once a poet masters some of the basic poetry methods they will naturally seek learning about more challenging and difficult styles of poetry because they better fit their subject matter. Many poets eventually find their own voice which is usually a mix of styles. This is because poetry mirrors life and man’s lifestyles and cultures are always evolving. This means old life’s questions are being answered and new questions are being raised. The new questions seem silly or awkward when they are addressed in the old ways so they need their own platforms in which to be displayed upon and pondered. The world of poetry is vast and varied and ever-changing. Poems can be admired for their flighty charm, whimsical merriment and sing song fun as well as marveled at for their ingenuity and seemingly timeless intellect! Poems and poets have been said to be instrumental in tearing apart governments as well as cementing romances. Poems are used to teach children about everything from history to science and math. And of course they are great for introducing our youth to morals and wholesome living. There comes a time when any serious poet, admirer or student of poetry or literature starts searching for more answers than can be found in the simple rhymes, popular limericks, ballads and songs. That is when one will attempt to struggle through one of the more complicated poems they originally deemed as snooty, pompous, stiff and outdated. These poems take some time to decipher and often reading the best ones will unveil some new meaning to the reader with each subsequent reading. The age old question that each of us has to answer for our self is did these poets actually set out to write this mysteriously and cryptic? Was creating a puzzle part of their literary agenda or are we reading much more into their phrases than was ever intended! I can only hope that everyone eventually gets to that scholarly stage with their enjoyment of poems, poets and poetry. Because there is another dimension to poetry and it opens doors to human thinking and understanding that seems to be much harder for man to broach in any other way. For few can debate that our poets of old were some of the most intelligent thinkers as well as influencers ever to grace this fine earth. I raise my glass to all of you poets of tomorrow and place my vote of confidence that ye shall carry on the fine tradition and continue to pass on this great art form forever more! “Poetry is at least an elegance and at most a revelation.” - Robert Fitzgerald “Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat.” - Robert Frost  Bad by Stu Leventhal.I lie, cheat, curse, beg, borrow and steal.
I been doing it so long It’s hard to remember what’s fake from what’s real. I’ve never learned to live no other way Now baby, you know why I can’t stay I don’t want to make you sad Honey, you’re so good and I’m, oh so bad. I’ve seen some things I hope you’ll never have to see. And I’ve been stuck in places Baby I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Forever scarred by the ghetto, the mean streets and yes, the penitentiary. I’ve failed as a husband already once. And, have none of the qualities needed to be anybody’s Dad. Get the picture? You’re all good Baby and I’m afraid, I’m just all bad! I don’t deserve your love I’m not near good enough I’m destined to disappoint you too While I’m out breaking windows, promises, hearts and laws. You’re out making friends, rallying for the new in vogue cause. I don’t know why you chose me baby Of all the guys you could have had Try to forget about me quickly? You’re all good and I’m all bad. I never graduated. You got your PHD. Not even your love is strong enough to change, a slouch like me. Can’t you see, two folks were never so mismatched as you and me. Our love was never meant to be Baby you’re always glad and I’m always mad. You’re so good and I’m all bad! The Twins by Stu Leventhal
Thousands dead and hundreds more missing A sky line altered when the twins came down They stood so tall they stood so sturdy They fell so gracefully to the ground. A senseless act designed to frighten In the days to follow made the world unite They shocked the world but the world won’t cower It’s time they feel our power Eye’s wide open we’re now ready to fight For peace and justice it’s time to set things right. For years tourists traveled from around the globe To gaze with wonder at the worlds two tallest buildings Only man’s imagination could erect To a city so great, so powerful, famous for fun and full of dreams and hope The devil showed up, looking for a little respect. Our modern day ode to the great pyramids of old the Twins story is destined to be told and told. Two monuments stood symbolizing man is capable of anything But the devil was there to remind us, evil’s always around “Yang and ying, ying and yang” The devil sang. “What goes up must eventually come down.” Lord give me the strength to show a little restraint I used to think I was a holy God fearing man but now I know I ain’t. Lord forgive me because I can’t love no more, until we settle the score All I can think of is revenge and hate Lord we need you now more than ever Help us Lord if it’s not too late. Thousands dead and hundreds missing A sky line altered when the twins came down They stood so tall they stood so sturdy They fell so gracefully to the ground. An eye for an eye, we’re ready to die So sign us up, we’re ready to fight An eye for an eye, we’re ready to die Cause we won’t cry, until things are set right. September eleven, over three thousand innocent people entered heaven September eleven, our nation’s innocence was stolen from us that morning September eleven, the United States issues the world a strong warning. Someone needs to be taught a lesson and this time we’re not asking for anyone’s blessing Stay out of our way For years they stood stretching towards the heavens Proud haughty and slightly naughty. The world’s tallest buildings, symbols of man’s greatest achievement through out the ages Now will go down in histories darkest pages As proof that evil does exist It’s that cowardly evil that fuels our rages At that cowardly evil we shake our fists Thousands dead and hundreds more missing A sky line altered when the twins came down They stood so tall they stood so sturdy They fell so gracefully to the ground A senseless act designed to frighten In the days to follow made the world unite They shocked the world but the world won’t cower Eyes wide open feel our power For peace and justice we’re now ready to fight It’s time to set things right. *All Lyrics Are For Sale! e'mail: Editor@anewtale.com
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"A Poet can Survive everything but a misprint." - Oscar Wild 
Something Sneaky By Stuart Leventhal I should a known I should have heard it in your tone I should a known I always knew I was meant to be alone I should a known There was something sneaky goin on Oh there were signs Like when my cigarettes went missin Yes there were signs When they said they saw the two of you kissin There were signs There was something sneaky goin on when my booze was watered down when my money couldn’t be found When I really needed you Baby And you were not around I should a known, I should a known, I should a known. When you came into my life I opened up my heart and sole I gave you all I had to give and more Cause that’s the only way I know to roll I should a known, I should a known, I should a seen the signs Oh there was signs But I was blind Love kept tellin me everything was going along just fine When all the time, You were never mine And there was something sneaky goin on!... 
*All Lyrics On ANEWTALE.COM Are For Sale!
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I know what I want
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How to write a Poem by Stuart LeventhalSo you really like reading poetry and you’d like to try writing some poems yourself. Where do I start? How does a poet get ideas? Is there a step by step manual for poetry writing? No there isn’t a step one, step two, structured instruction manual for writing poetry. But, there are hints, tips, rules and plenty of advice for writing each of the many types of poetry. Like, with any art form, painting, dancing, singing, artists find their own style or styles throughout the years of practicing and honing their craft. And like with any other art form there are instructors, mentors, schools and volumes of books that can help a poet develop his or her skills and talents until he or she becomes a master of their craft. Certain genres of poetry have specific rules that must be adhered to and a rigid structure that must be followed like Haiku and sonnets. Other poems such as free verse have almost no rules at all. Poets, like other artists are always evolving as they grow and mature while practicing their craft. The so called rules of almost every type of poetry are constantly being stretched, tested and re-written by young, new, bold and confident artists. Poems can be complicated or very simple, long or short, deep, dark and haunting or fun and whimsical.
First ask yourself what pleases you while you read poems. Is it the wit of the authors that make you say, wow what a mind that poet must have to come up with that! Is it the relaxing feeling you get when you curl up in front of a fireplace on a cold winter’s night with just a warm glass of milk and your new book of poetry to keep you company. There are so many kinds of poetry; Long ballads, short limericks, rhyming, non-rhyming, It will make it easier to get started if you choose to work on learning one type at a time. When trying to create your first poem you might as well start with a style that you like to read. Do you like musical, sing-song like poetry that celebrates life and living or more serious poems that challenge a reader’s intellect? Maybe you enjoy poetry that teaches a lesson? Or poetry that makes the reader laugh. Read a bunch of different styles and types of works and try to pick your favorite kind and that’s the one you should start to learn everything you can about. A fast and loose explanation of the difference between prose and poetry is prose is almost always structured in full complete sentences combined to make paragraphs. Poems, whether rhyming or not, are usually structured in some type of meter and rhythmic pattern that repeats itself again and again. Remember the rules are meant to be broken, stretched, expanded and are always under development but when starting out it is recommended the newbie stick to the established guide lines before attempting to forge new territory and create a new type or genre. Here’s some advise on getting started on writing poetry from some of our established poets. “Read, read, read…” Advises Rocky Springer, an accomplished e writer and published poet and lyricist. “Google the classics and take the works you admire apart. Study how the Greats string stanza’s together and try to emulate their styles, modernizing the subject matter and coming up with your own relevant more current themes. Then, read some more and try to re-write the same subject and theme using a totally different style of another poet who you like. Do this over and over in style after style. Soon you’ll begin to get a feel for the different styles. You’ll probably start to prefer a few styles over other styles.” “Don’t waste time trying to create a total poem at this stage. Don’t even waste time coming up with a new subject or new theme to work with. This is an exercise to get you familiar with the various types of poems and understanding how each style is formed. You’re used to reading your favorite poems as a fan, simply for enjoyment. Now you’ll begin to read them from a student’s point of view, analyzing their structures and studying their beats and tones. Reading good quality poems, breaking them down then practicing the author’s techniques, will help you get used to thinking outside of your comfort zone. Most of us don’t think or speak in poetic verse naturally. We think and speak in prose (paragraph form) or fragmented abbreviations of ideas drifting in and out of our consciousness. You must train yourself to think like a song writer, lyricist or poet. Try talking for an hour, like you’re a character in a Shakespearian play. It’s fun but not so easy to keep that kind of dialog flowing constantly.” “Ballads, odes, sonnets, limericks, there are so many different forms of poetry.” Explains Jimmy Pitts, a published poet and accomplished story writer and music lyricist. “If you’re like me, you enjoy them all for what they are, each different and wonderful to read or recite in their own way. Remembering how hard it was for me to get started, I’m always delighted for the opportunity to aide an up and coming poet or lyricist. It’s well known that I have a special fondness for rhyming poems, song lyrics and short poems. Since rhymes are the poems I’ve had the most success with naturally, rhymes are what I like to teach. Rhyming poems are fun but creating good ones that will sell can be challenging. Writing music lyrics is therapeutic as well as enjoyable. But remember, there’s a lot of competition in writing song lyrics. If you’re looking to turn professional lyricist, you’ll really have to find a way to stand out from the crowd. The most important starting advice I can give a new rhyming poet is to purchase a rhyming dictionary, a thesaurus and a good English language dictionary. You’ll need these reference books for when the perfect word doesn’t pop right into your head. Also, most serious students of any creative writing genre get in the habit of always carrying around a pocket notepad for jotting down ideas that come to us sporadically throughout the day.” “When I sit down to start a new poem, I don’t set parameters such as picking the length or style. I like to free associate first, jotting down whatever comes to my mind about a subject. I’m not trying to make every word count but just trying to get my creative writing juices flowing. Let your subject matter find its own poetic voice and rhythm. Don’t worry about rhyming or structure yet. Sometimes I just write out my ideas in basic paragraph form. Later, I start thinking about rearranging sentences to fit a pattern. This is when I start replacing words and phrases to get some rhymes going. As a song writer, I’m always on the lookout for strong enough phrases that can become the repeating verse that will carry the piece. Re-read and cut out or replace dull words with livelier, colorful words that stir the emotions. Experiment with rearranging the lines you’ve written in different ways. Sing the lines out loud. Tap your foot loudly as you sing. Re-write lines shortening or lengthening them to fit the same beat as other lines. Soon a pattern will begin to form. Most of the time, my finished poems are nothing like I envisioned they’d be when I first started out.” “Poetry to me means looking closer at the world around us and seeing the magic in the mundane.” States Jay Wood, a lyricist, poet, short story writer and author. “ Poetry means voicing with awe things we take for granted every day and elevating them to the miracle status that they deserve. Great poets need to develop two things. They must become extra aware and hypersensitive to everything around them. They also have to become a lover of language.” “One of the biggest mistakes I see new poets making is they try too hard to sound poetic.” Says Editor Fanny Hersal. “Poetry to me is about expressing emotion. This can only sound genuine if you use words you speak with on a regular basis. Just one too big of a word can kill the whole flow of a poem. Metaphors and similes are the descriptive language of poets. Never use a word the reader has to look up in the dictionary to understand.” There are many different forms of poetry. Reading different styles will give you more ideas for writing your own poems. Don’t be afraid to experiment and combine styles. As always with literature, re-writing and revising is always the key to great works of art. Have patience while perfecting your creative writing craft and practice. Write, write, write! It’s probably a good idea not to tackle too serious subject matter for your poetry when first getting started. But, maybe you have the knack for the dark and dreary. My advice is to keep it fun and remember if your goal is to eventually sell your poetry it has to be first and foremost entertaining, all the so called rules of poetry be damned. "Poets are people who can still see the world through the eyes of children." - Alphonse Daudet
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DRIVEL FINE DRIVEL by Stu Leventhal
Drivel, nothing but drivel Words for words sake. The author’s a bore and a fake. Sold his artistic soul to the devil. There’s always commercials to make. Now all painting and sketches have been replaced by computer images. Advertisements hang in all of our frames. Singing and dancing’s been outlawed Books and poems set aflame. The only colors we’re allowed to wear... Are white, black and grey. Humanity abused the arts they say. And now we all must pay. Less smiles, more frowns. No laughter, no more clowns. All comedians run out of town, on a rail….. Photographers scorned, sculptors warned. Quit or be thrown into jail. Some say reality shows and phone texting were the start of societies decay. Radio and television’s lack of scruples... Caused our precious arts to start to fade away. Now if you’re caught tinkering with words that rhyme. Even during your own spare time. Our courts will consider this a serious crime. Frowned upon with a hefty fine. Vases sit empty, no flowers. Park statues ripped out by the root. Workers toil in silence for hours. What I’d give for the sound of one flute. The right wing burned all the museums down. The left ordered our Theaters bulldozed to the ground. We have Church bells that ring but don’t make a sound. When Bloggers all crowned their own babble profound. The arts we admired, the dreams they inspired are now all expired. Oh what a shame. The arts are all dead. The arts are all gone. While we all sit around pointing the blame. The book stores and newspapers were the first to close. As the amount of drivel for drivel on the internet rose. Every drone who can moan has a cellular phone. The super highway’s in grid lock from my ex’s text messages alone. Universities and colleges were the next to decline. Why spend all that money? Why waste all that time. I’ll just order up me, one brain surgery degree. Down load it for free, On line! All fun is considered evil, relaxation scorned. A man could get stoned for telling a knock-knock joke. Don’t say you haven’t been warned. Wipe that smile off your face There’s no humming or strumming of fingers allowed in this place. Skipping and hopping could get you banded in disgrace. Babble nothing but babble. We’re all addicted to dabble. Even though we have nothing to say. We click on our favorite site and type half the night then come back to type more crap the very next day. And all of us self proclaimed geniuses. Experts on everything from Jersey corn to unicorns to political reforms. We got no diploma, no certificates, no licenses…But hey! Everyone should read all the stuff we’ve been itching to say. Drivel, nothing but drivel Words for words sake This poem was written by a flake and a bore... Who sold his artistic soul to the devil. Another fine, illiterate whore. |
REFERENCES:
1. The Poetry Foundation:
This website is the home of The Poetry Foundation who publishes Poetry magazine. The Poetry Foundation is an independent literary organization committed to achieving a vigorous presence for poetry in American culture. A great reference source for poetry study!
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/
2. The Poetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is the oldest poet society in the USA. A Non-profit organization devoted to fostering and promoting poetry in the America.
http://www.poetrysociety.org/