Page 26 - eMuse Vol.9 No.10_Neat

Our imagination sometimes gets “trampled on” in the process
of growing up and inhibitions creep in as we concern ourselves
with the regret of yesterday and the worry about tomorrow.
However most children live “in the moment” so if you ask a
child to draw a picture, he CAN and he DOES.
If you ask an adult to draw a picture he/she usually says — “I
can’t even draw a straight line.” (Which probably wouldn’t be
needed anyway!)
Nurture your imagination for it contains the most colourful
“word pictures” which enhance your poetry.
by Jenny Jeays I quote from a poem of mine about the imagination called “DREAM
POWER” in which 2 children, in Ireland, who are “believers”, are
transported to the centre of the earth and an old leprechaun gives
A.T.C.L. in Art of Speech and Drama (Lon.) them some advice which is summed up in the stanza —
“Although these streets you see are gold
Chapter VII Lead Words In dreams and hopes as they give your
You have much greater worth
Imagination birth.”
LEAD WORDS — It is good to check the “lead word” in each line in INFORMATION — that you gather consciously or subconsciously,
case you have started 3 out of 4 lines with, say, the word “And”. can be woven into your work. Reg Mitchell who designed the
You may be able to replace some of these, without losing the “spitfire”, did so after observing seagulls, and I was able to
meaning with something like — weave this into a poem called “Seagull”.
but — so — now — when — then — though — who — etc. SO MUCH OF YOU comes through in your work.

It’s always worth checking. Your VALUES — your VOCABULARY — your KNOWLEDGE —
your EXPERIENCES — Your SPELLING! — your PUNCTUION, etc.
Some other ingredients are — and so much more!
NATURAL BALANCE — fits with the natural stress of the word. Be available to The Muse and ALLOW THE MUSE TO ADD THE “SPARK”.
— / — / — — / — — / — C. J. DENNIS and WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE said much the same
I won- der who’s sail- ing out there on the sea thing in substance when they wrote —
— / — / — / — / The world ‘as got me snouted just a treat;
Be-neath a tree that’s large and grand. Crool forchin’s dirty left ‘as smote me soul:
An’ all them joys of life I ‘eld so sweet
This is in a combination meter (see this quote and “The Man From Is up the pole!
Snowy River” in section on combination meter). Look at the
last line above. It’s easy to find the natural stress and where DENNIS added impact to the hopelessness of The Bloke by cut-
it falls. There are three heavy metric stresses, one on each of ting the last line off abruptly with iambic dimeter.
these sounds — far, — go, — way, Similar feelings were expressed by SHAKESPEARE when he penned —
The natural emphasis falls on far (and you can test this by read- When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes
ing the line over 3 times trying the emphasis on each of these I all alone beweep my outcast state,
3 SOUNDS). Natural Balance (or emphasis) guards against a And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
“singy-songy” performance. And look upon myself, and curse my fate.
WRITING ON DEMAND — You can invite the Muse as explained
earlier. Also, ask yourself out loud “what do I want to say Shakespeare also wrote this line for Hamlet —
about . . . . /to . . .” Believe you can write on demand and you “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends.”
may find you’re writing whenever you like for various occa-
sions. Poet Laureates and the old Court Jesters were expected Dennis put it this way for the bloke
to write instantly for the event. “It’s ‘ow Gawd builds a bloke.”
DIALOGUE — Narrative poems often include dialogue (i.e. “The However you look at it — POETRY is to be ENJOYED.
Man From Snowy River) and in this stanza of mine you are in Whether, writing, reading, * performing . . . . . or just listening
and out of dialogue —
“You’re right, you know,” he’d say to you ENJOY
And he would pause and smile, * If performing, don’t overlook the value of the tape recorder’s
“you know,” he’d say, “What you should do? “brain washing” ability. Add this to your practice. Put your
Go straight on, for a mile”. work on tape and let it run as you do mundane chores, don’t
“Talk” your dialogue out loud. Don’t be afraid to use it. pay any special attention to it and you will be surprised at how
it will improve your memory. Just as the next song comes up
LIFE EXPERIENCE and THE IMAGINATION — in your mind before the tape plays it; the words will come up
Children usually have — great unlimited imagination, and for you in the same way. This doesn’t replace rehearsal but
less life experience. it gives you assurance that your memory won’t let you down.
Adults usually have — great life experience and Go confidently up there to the platform, you’ve done the work
less imagination. and earned the “spot”
26 eMuse October 2020