09-13-2016, 10:40 AM
Reasons for a line break.
This is one of the most difficult things for me to interpret when reading a free verse poem. In my mind, and in my practice, I primarily use line breaks to create distance - a separation between elements that should not be near each other - reflecting a physical position or a mental separation (which I view differently than a pause in thought or speech). From what I have gathered briefly reading a crit or two here, it seems some prefer that line breaks relate to such a pause in thought or speech.
I suppose, just out of mild curiosity, what do you consider as you are thinking about where to break a line when you write in free verse?
This is one of the most difficult things for me to interpret when reading a free verse poem. In my mind, and in my practice, I primarily use line breaks to create distance - a separation between elements that should not be near each other - reflecting a physical position or a mental separation (which I view differently than a pause in thought or speech). From what I have gathered briefly reading a crit or two here, it seems some prefer that line breaks relate to such a pause in thought or speech.
I suppose, just out of mild curiosity, what do you consider as you are thinking about where to break a line when you write in free verse?
If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room.
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona
"Or, if a poet writes a poem, then immediately commits suicide (as any decent poet should)..." -- Erthona