Question

Write two poems. In the first, write a poem of six lines, each with the same number of beats (remember that each specific syllable is one beat). In the second, write a poem of six lines, but give each line a different number of beats. Make both poems about the same subject. How does changing the structure change the feeling of the poem?

Your response below should include both poems, and two to three sentences discussing how changing the structure changed the feeling of the poem.

Help me Plz

Answer 1

Barking (1)

On a dark night

Dogs bark loudly

Alerting us

Of the danger

Lights flicker on

To empty yards

Barking (2)

The neighborhood dogs bark in the night

Waking their owners with the sound

Houses start glowing with light

No danger to be found

But they bark

And bark

I feel like changing the structure of the poem because it gave me more space to describe what I saw in my neighborhood. I think increasing the beats in the second poem giving the poem a deeper sense of concern. The first poem with it’s shorter beats flows faster creating less suspense.

Answer 2

The Candle (1)

On a white night

Cold and special

The candlelight

Slowly trembles;

A small sunrise

It resembles

The Candle (2)

The candle sitting on the window

Contrasting against the white snow

Resembles a small sunset

As it trembles

So fiery,

So slow...

I feel like changing the structure of the poem gave me more space to describe what I saw in my imagination.

I also believe that the poem with the same number of beats is more 'musical', while the other one is like telling a story. I think another difference is that the second one feels more natural and it describes an image, while the first one is shorter but more emotional.