How to Create Visual Poetry

        “Concrete poetry, also known as Visual Poetry and shape poetry, is a type of poetry in which the arrangement and overall look of the words is just as important at conveying the effect/message as the words and rhymes in poetry do themselves.” ¹


        Created in Brazil by Max Bill and Öyving Fahlström – two Eupoean artists - Concrete poetry and “its early methods were described in the Brazilian group Noigandres' manifesto "Pilot Plan for Concrete Poetry."(²)  It is during this period that Concrete Poetry was intended to be abstract and not allude to any specific piece of poetry or identifiable shape.  When the 1960’s came to the forefront of everyone’s mind, concrete poetry became less abstract and was adopted by poets as a specific form rather than simply a combination of literature and visual art.  A few early pioneers of the visual arts in literature are:  E.E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, and John Hollander.

        For the sake of the guide and to keep my own mind straight, we’ll continue referring to Concrete Poetry as simply Visual Poetry or “V.P.”  Unlike Villanelles, visual poetry can be rather fun and test your artistic creativity at the same time. Let’s start with what many call “shape poetry”.  Though shape poetry is visual poetry, it is often seen as either a sub category of visual poetry; meaning it has its own specifications which are slightly different than its parent, or as a wholly different type.  However, those that see it as a wholly different type of poetry would be completely wrong. Shape poetry can be aesthetic, and it is rather visual – almost the same as v.p.

<sub>we love as one

   We see as two
     believe as two

  We laugh as three,
         speak as three,
                cry as three.

            We learn as four,
                 seethe as four,
                        beg as four,
                           run as four.

                        We plan as five,
                                hate as five,
                                 drink as five,
                                     live as five,
                                    work as five.

Differences are what make us perfect.
                                    
                              We work as five,
                                     live as five,
                                 drink as five,
                                hate as five,
                               plan as five.

                       We run as four,
                          beg as four,
                    seethe as four,
                     learn as four.

              We cry as three,
              speak as three,
             laugh as three.

   We believe as two,
             see as two.

We love as one.</sub>

        I created this some time ago, and its title is “Mirror Symmetry.” The idea is that when two people love each other, they still have differences – sometimes radical. However, these differences are what make the two lovers perfect, and the shape as a directional arrow pointing to the right comes from the Number Line everyone learns in pre-calc, trig, or Algebra II; meaning that though these two people are quite different, their love will go on forever.  Sappy, yes, but you get the idea.

        Let’s say that I took it a step further and created a picture of a rose and put it to the left of this poem.  What would that do for the overall poem? It would make its meaning more powerful, and that’s the point.  Many artists accompany their pieces of poetry with impressive pieces of art, be it traditional or digital.  That art often reflects what the artist/author is trying to portray, so he/she has a much more powerful message than either poetry or his/her art alone.  Another way to think of it is this: Art as a background is the direction in which the artist/author wants us to face and the poetry is the path we are supposed to walk.  I believe you can understand now.

        Last month I featured some wonderful pieces of v.p.  Each piece is astounding in its own way, but they are all aesthetic and wonderfully arranged. In my Artist’s Comments, you will find a link that takes you directly to the news article³.  I hope you enjoy. For now, though, I will show you a piece of visual poetry I created. It’s not much, but you’ll be able to have a peek at what I’m speaking of.

[link] ⁴

        Review: The two sub categories of Concrete Poetry are: Visual Poetry and Shape Poetry: Visual Poetry is usually accompanied with a piece of art. Shape poetry uses the words themselves to make a shape.

So, I think that’s it.  If you have any more questions, just send me a note.