Words as Art: A New Perspective on Shaped Poetry
Graduation Date
Spring 2009
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program Name
Humanities
First Reader
Joan Baranow, PhD
Second Reader
Leslie Ross, PhD
Abstract
This project consists of two parts: (1) a discussion of the genre of shaped poetry; and (2) a small portfolio of my shaped poems. Shaped poetry involves the fusing of poetry with a visual element so that it appeals to the eye as well as the ear. I discuss the priority of fixed forms in Western poetry, and how the emergence of free verse laid the groundwork for a new focus upon the appearance of the poem on the page. The theories of “projective verse” put forth by the followers of the Black Mountain School placed further emphasis upon the layout of the poem on the page. Although often viewed as little more than a gimmick, elements of shaping are more commonly found in free verse than is generally realized, and postmodern practitioners such as John Hollander and May Swenson have demonstrated that shaped poetry deserves to be viewed as a serious poetic form. I conclude Part 1 by reviewing some postmodern shaped poetry. Part 2 contains a portfolio of my shaped poems, with notes.