Line Breaks In Poetry- Alan j Wright


 It is important to keep in mind that line breaks in poetry are important to free verse poetry poems as they are to end rhyme in couplets and staanzas.

when writing poetry the aim should be to keep the words that belong together on the same line so they don't feel displaced. 

In the poem, the poet may wish to emphasize a word or phrase so they may create a line to place the selected text all by itself in order to highlight it for the reader. By doing this the poet can create suspense or surprise within the poem. They are inviting the reader to notice that word, that phrase. 

Main Types of Line Breaks

• Lines that end with a clear grammatical pause or punctuation mark, which slows the rhythm and offers closure are referred to as end stopped line breaks.

•  Lines that run an incomplete thought or sentence over to the next line without punctuation  are called, enjambment. Such line breaks create forward momentum for the poem. 

Why Poets Use Line Breaks
• Pacing: Short lines speed up or create a clipped, urgent feel, while long lines create a slower, more even pace.
• Emphasis: Ending a line on a specific word makes that word stand out in the reader's mind.
• Double Meanings: Breaking a sentence mid-clause lets the final word mean one thing by itself and another when read with the next line

Line breaks can also be used to create visual effects. They help to shape the poem in unique ways. Here are some examples of making conscious decisions regarding line breaks.

Forest Kenning

I exult you ancient forest of trees

I feel such peace

In green spaces,

Such as these

I think of you as…

Life–sustainer

Carbon-container

Plant-nourisher

Air-sharer

Planet-carer

Shade-provider

Animal-shelterer

Shadow–spreader

Bird-protector

Health-detector

Biodiversity, 

Natural serenity,

Providing for humanity 

I walk beneath your giant trees

Your shade and shadow canopies

I thank you for this special place

Contemplative, silent space.

Alan j Wright


The Orange, Red, Yellow Fellow

A 

Painting

Called

Orange

Red

Yellow

Sold!

-$86.9 million dollars

The

Artist,

Mark Rothko

Never saw a penny

Of the sale of his painting

Poor

Fellow

He’d been dead for forty years

Orange

Red 

Yellow.

Alan  j Wright


So, What’s The Answer?

 

Answers rarely travel in straight lines

Sometimes they spin endlessly in circles

Morphing into stories

Brimming with waffle and minutiae

Sometimes they head off and become lost rather quickly

Some answers are reluctant to reveal their true selves

Refusing to dance on the tongue

They frustrate and fail to get to the point

Straight line answers

Often stun and amaze

Like a dart to the heart

Brevity wrapped in a few stinging words.

 

So, what’s the answer?

So, few answers travel in straight lines.

Alan j Wright


*When we as teachers mindfully teach the art of line breaks in poetry, we are empowering young poets to be able to construct their poetic creations exercising greater control over the eventual shape of the poem.


 *Sometimes it just feels right to break into a line of words at a certain point. Don't be afraid to experiment or take a few risks.


Alan j Wright
https://www.alanjwrightauthorpoet.com


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