CALLIGRAMS

In 1918 French poet Guillaume Apollinaire published a book of poems that did not look like poems. He named the book Calligrammes which means "beautiful writing". He used words and lines to form his poems. Sometimes the shape related to the subject of the poem.  But actually the calligram style of poem was written before then. It was called "shaped poetry" or "pattern poetry."  English poet George Herber wrote "Easter Wings" and "The Altar" two famous shaped poems. The mouse-tail in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventure in Wonderland might be considered a shaped poem.

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Around the same time as Apollinaire; Italian and Russian poets were experimenting with writing poems in shapes. Lines tilted around a page, words in various sizes. They were known as "Futurists.." They wanted to set words free. 

Shaped poems,calligrams, and Futurist setting words free have combined to take the poem toward being a visual art work.

 

The possibilities for writing calligrams are limitless.  In May of 2000 I started experimenting in writing calligrams. Tears and Diamond are two that I wrote at that time. Ocean was my next attempt and since then I have written many other calligrams.  Unfortunately the wavy lines would not paste into here but I hope you can see the waves when you read it. Just don't get seasick.

Notice the difference between "Tears" posted the traditional way and as a calligram.

tears streaming...
a river of sorrow...
down a sad face

 

(This poem is read vertically. But then you already figured that out I'm sure)

Tears

t        a            d
e                       o
a         r             w
r               i           n
s                v      
                     e            a
  s               r         
t                              s
r            o             a
e            f                d
a                            
m            s                 f
i                 o                a 
n                  r            c  
g                r                e
  o
        w

 

DIAMOND

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*
*the*
*diamond*
*on my hand*
*reflecting love*
*stars , dance*
*an endless*
*diamond*
*sky*
*

 

     Ocean

 

 

                                          feelings                           over     

                  Waves  of                             washing                me.                       


                                       times                            times

                    Gentle at                          other                                  raging.

                                                 moods                         the

                 Different                              of                                ocean.

 

Please Email for permission to use these poems

 

All Text Copyright ©2000

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