Is this allowed? - pipTalk Forums

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

serenity blaze
Member Empyrean

since 2000-02-02

Posts 27738

0 posted 2006-10-05 03:23 PM

I am referring to questions that might lead to some enlightening discussion.

I spent some time pulling some of my books off shelves last night, as I was confused regarding a post made here, that as of yet, has not been critiqued. (I was wondering what form the author was hoping to achieve, and since it wasn't stated I thought it would be an easy deal to just look it up.)

That's what I get for thinking. I discovered that even the "experts" are sometimes at odds regarding classification of types of form poetry. (So apparently argument over style and form is a grand tradition, so you guys are in great company in that regard.

To give you all an example of one of the questions I had in mind,I was specifically looking for comparison and contrast to what is an "ode" to a "ballad"--if there is a difference.

I just read in another thread that the problem was addressed before, in a previous thread, but unless I want to spend all my time sifting through every post (even if I wanted to I am not physically able) so, I am hoping that the ever helpful crew here can point out where I can find the more helpful discussions. (Ron: Kit's "Playing with My Feet" has already been duly noted, and I'll ask Mike and Marge to jog my memory regarding their poetic instruction poems.)

Also, I had discussed the possibility of a discussion regarding punctuation in poetry with Sid, but I am unsure if discussion posts are allowed in here when they are not attached to someone else's thread. (Ow--I wanted to use the bwahaha smilie there.)

AND...

Does the Critical Analysis forum work adjuncted to the Poetry Workshop?

If it doesn't I think it might be a good idea.

But for now, I just need some helpful (and accurate) information for study. And yes, Essorant, I will put your book my list, but finances are a problem, as is our public library system. (Nod--despite very generous donations, the state of the New Orleans Metro Area libraries will still take at least a decade to recover from storm damage. Um, that's what they said, I can't verify that factually otherwise.)

So anyhow, if the long-suffering Not-A-Poet-Pete could help me out (or anyone else with a long memory of the more helpful discussion threads in this forum) I would be most appreciative.

Also, is prose allowed to be posted here, or is the analytical eye limited to poetry?

And also, since my "chair time" is limited, it would be great if whatever references you guys might come up with be something easily printed.

I have to lay down a lot. (Note: I resisted the urge to use the smilie, or winkie emoticon. Can I get an amen?)

<--and c'mon, I like to have a little fun.

Thanks in advance and sorry for my confusion.

OH.

and yes, I googled for information, but just as with my books, I found conflicting information out there as well. And a ton of garbage too.

So I'm trusting you guys to help me out a bit regarding discernment of actually true and useful information as opposed to someone's sincere, but erroneous web page. And yes, Ron, I am printing up the information offered on the main site here too.

er...as soon as I remember where The Learning Center is. *blush*

Not A Poet
Member Elite

since 1999-11-03

Posts 3885
Oklahoma, USA

1 posted 2006-10-05 05:07 PM

The following are from Bob's Byway, found here a quite useful glossary of poetic terms.

quote:
ODE
A type of lyric or melic verse, usually irregular rather than uniform, generally of considerable length and sometimes continuous, sometimes divided in accordance with transitions of thought and mood in a complexity of stanzaic forms; it often has varying iambic line lengths with no fixed system of rhyme schemes and is always marked by the rich, intense expression of an elevated thought, often addressed to a praised person or object.

BALLAD
A short narrative poem with stanzas of two or four lines and usually a refrain. The story of a ballad can originate from a wide range of subject matter but frequently deals with folk-lore or popular legends. The plot is the dominant element, dealing with a single crucial episode, narrated impersonally, with frequent use of repetition. They are written in straight-forward verse, seldom with detail, but always with graphic simplicity and force. Most ballads are suitable for singing and, while sometimes varied in practice, are generally written in ballad meter, i.e., alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter, with the last words of the second and fourth lines rhyming, an xbyb rhyme scheme.

So it appears that the only similarity between the two forms is that they both tell a story. The ballad has a relatively restrictive format, both metric and rhyme whereas the ode does not. We do have a ballad expert here at PIP who would be pleased to help you with that form

BTW, what's wrong with winking smilies and such?

Now for your other questions. Unless I remember wrong, prose is allowed. It is rarely posted here, however, and I would guess it would get little, if any, response. The Prose forum would surely be a better venue for it.

Finally, I see nothing wrong with general discussions about poetry and critique here. At least normally (and I expect we will soon return to near normal) there is not that much traffic in CA and related topics should be welcome. I understand that was the original purpose of the Philosophy forum but it has been a very long time since I saw any topics there directly related to poetry. In short, bring it on but everyone please try to keep the topics as well as the discussion related to writing or critiquing poetry.

Ron will correct me if I am wrong

Pete

Ron

Administrator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-05-19

Posts 8669
Michigan, US

2 posted 2006-10-05 06:13 PM

I agree pretty much with everything Pete said.

The only exception might be his take on prose getting very little response in CA. He's probably right, but I think it would be worth a try. We used to have a Fiction Workshop that seemed to be pretty popular. While I don't have a lot of time to read in our Prose forum, I'd probably be more inclined to participate in a more heavily concentrated area like CA. Others might feel the same?

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.