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Poetry 101

November 2, 2009 | 4 Comments

When I was in grade school, I was taught that a poem has to rhyme.

What I hear you read on Writer's Almanac, to me is NOT poetry. I say its an essay.

Why do you call them "poems" when they don't rhyme?

Thank you,
Judy

Poems may rhyme but it's not required all the time.
If they don't, it's called free verse, or vers libre.
It's like a zebra:
Whether he is in the zoo or running free,
He's a zebra. Same with poetry.
You can call them essays,
But essays don't put their heads down and graze.

4 Comments

Sandy | November 2, 2009 5:36 PM

Dear Garrison,

How serendipitous!
Each day just before I check the APHC website
for updates, I read (or even better listen to) the
daily Writer's Almanac.

I love reading a poem a day, and also enjoy reading
"birthday" updates.

I can't say I completely understood today's poem, but
it sure got me to thinking, and started a great
conversation with my English Professor husband.

Thanks for the daily inspiration.

Best,
Sandy
San Clemente, CA

Iskander | November 3, 2009 1:11 AM

I have a similar comment about poetry. I almost never hear rhyming poems in English these days. The poets win Pulitzer and other prizes, but they only write prose, not poetry.
I'm from Russia and I grew up reading Pushkin, Lermontov, Esenin and many other great Russian poets, as well as countless translations of the great English-speaking (and French-, German-, etc.) poets. Some of them occasionally would write a short poem or two in vers libre style (we call it "white verse"), but not whole books without a single rhyme.
I don't understand, why nowadays rhyming poems are so scarce. Seems like the poets are too lazy to find a rhyme... Why not call those "poems" something else--short poetic essay, for example?

Thank you,
Sincerely,
Iskander

P.S. I've been an admirer of the Prairie Home Companion for about dozen years now. Thank you very much!

Trela Rottinghaus | November 3, 2009 8:33 PM

For English teachers everywhere, I thank you. I begin my poetry unit with two rules: 1. Poetry is meant to be read aloud. 2. Poetry does NOT have to rhyme. Perhaps that's why I use your show in my class so often...

OH, and on a rhyming poetry note -- my little brother won a forensics contest performing YOUR "Casey at the Bat" years ago... and then years later my husband and I became friends with Ernest Thayer's relatives! At the time they weren't NPR-ers, but they adored your version (especially the pigeons). They listen now! (I teach both when I cover narrative poems, my 8th graders love them.)

Judy | November 11, 2009 7:43 AM

I've been looking for a re-read and a copy of that marvelous poem Garrett read this AM on NPR out of Pasadena, CA. Unfortunately, I didn't write it down and aging is my best defense for why I can't remember anything but words like "cascade" and "stones" and something about people standing around commenting on life/death of someone passing through like we all do...am I close?. HELP!...and thanks ahead of time.