Twisting language is one of the many joys of writing poetry. Sometimes word choice is too obvious, so it's more interesting to create new functions for ordinary words. Although this breaks all the rules that your grammar teacher taught you, it will help you express yourself in fresh, unpredictable ways. If you like, this exercise can be revenge against all the rules of the English language.
Some words have only one language function such as “car” and “street” are used only as nouns. It is normal for many nouns such as “walk” and “kiss” to be equally familiar as both nouns and verbs. This exercise is to experiment with adaptations to language that have never before been created. This is done be starting with a noun and transforming it into a verb, adjective and adverb. The skill of the poet is to find new ways to use, re-use, create and re-create language. Complete the chart below to see what new words you can invent:
Nouns |
Verbs |
Adjectives |
Adverbs |
|
1. Horse |
1. |
1. |
1. Horsily |
|
2. Bottle |
2. Bottled |
2. |
2. |
|
3. Rose |
3. |
3. Rosy |
3. |
|
4. |
4. Appling |
4. |
4. |
|
5. Music |
5. |
5. |
5. |
|
6. Coffee |
6. Coffeed |
6. |
6. |
|
7. Noodle |
7. |
7. |
7. Noodly |
|
8. Guitar |
8. |
8. Guitarable |
8. |
|
9. Paper |
9. |
9. |
9. |
|
10. Window |
10. |
10. |
10. |
|
11. Ladder |
11. Laddered |
11. |
11. |
|
12. Lunch |
12. |
12. Lunchish |
12. |
Twisted Lines of Poetry
After completing the chart in part one, write lines of poetry using your newly created vocabulary. Choose the most effective new words that you’ve invented and show the poetic flavour you create.
|
Language Twist |
Sample Line of Poetry with Poetic Flavour |
|
1. “Horse” used as a… |
1. |
|
2. “Bottle” used as a… |
2. |
|
3. “Rose” used as a… |
3. |
|
4. “Apple” used as a verb |
4. The children appled the orchard until dusk |
|
5. “Music” used as a… |
5. |
|
6. “Coffee’ used as a verb |
6. The Europeans coffeed in the shade |
|
7. “Noodle” used as a… |
7. |
|
8. “Guitar” used as a… |
8. |
|
9. “Paper” used as a… |
9. |
|
10. “Window” used as a… |
10. |
|
11. “Ladder” used as a verb |
11. We laddered our way up the white, snowy hill |
|
12. “Lunch” used as a… |
12. |
Revising Poems for Variety
This technique transforms ordinary lines of poetry into unique expression. Readers might skip over ordinary lines of poetry, so make each line special to catch the reader’s attention. Practice in the examples below.
|
Original Line of Poetry |
Poetry with a Fresh new Flavour |
|
1. My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains (Keats) |
1. My ache is hearting, numbing my painful drowse |
|
2. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood (Frost) |
2. |
|
3. There were some dirty plates (Williams) |
3. The dirt was plating itself to be |
|
4. On the long shore, lit by the moon (Nemerov) |
4. |
|
5. The Soul selects her own Society (Dickinson) |
5. The soulful selection of her society |
|
6. Silver dust, lifted from the earth (Doolittle) |
6. |
A new Recipe for your own Poetry
The purpose of twisting grammar is certainly not to re-write classic poems, but to expand your own writing style. Take one of your recent poems and twist the grammar in one or two lines. Be careful not to overdo this technique or your poem may become a trivial play with words. The goal is to make each poem a fresh, sharp, unique observation of your world. Try this technique to make your poems more memorable.
Original line as you first wrote it
|
Revised with fresher flavour |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|