Using Space on the Page

Line Breaks

What’s so cool about line breaks?

They’re our signal that a text is poetry, not prose.

They can create rhythm. They control the pace/speed of a

poem. They can emphasize words or ideas.

Take a look…William Carlos Williams’

“This Is Just to Say” in Varied Forms

This is just to say I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast. Forgive me; they were delicious – so sweet and so cold.

This Is Just to Say I have eaten the plums that were in the iceboxand which you were probably saving for breakfast.Forgive me; they were delicious – so sweet and so cold.

What’s the difference between these two poems?

This Is Just to Say I have eaten the plums that were in the iceboxand which you were probably saving for breakfast.Forgive me; they were delicious – so sweet and so cold.

This Is Just to Say Ihave eatenthe plumsthat were inthe iceboxand whichyou were probablysavingforbreakfastForgive methey weredeliciousso sweetand so cold

What’s the difference between these two poems?

What effect do the shorter lines have?

Stanza Breaks

What’s so sweet about stanzas? (a.k.a. verse or strophe)

Stanza is Italian for “room” • Think of stanzas of a poem as rooms of a house

Indicates a pause Often coincides with the rhythm of a

poem/song. Used strictly in forms Prevents confusion (through organization)/

boredom in readers Poem’s form of a paragraph Best thing? There’s no right or wrong way to

divide one of your own poems.

This Is Just to Say Ihave eatenthe plumsthat were inthe iceboxand whichyou were probablysavingforbreakfastForgive methey weredeliciousso sweetand so cold

This Is Just to Say Ihave eaten the plumsthat were in the icebox and whichyou were probablysaving forbreakfast Forgive me they weredeliciousso sweetand so cold

How do the stanza breaks influence the reading of the poem?

This Is Just to Say Ihave eaten the plumsthat were in the icebox and whichyou were probablysaving forbreakfast Forgive me they weredeliciousso sweetand so cold

This Is Just to Say I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving for breakfast

Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

How do the stanza breaks influence the reading of the poem?

Food for Thought re: stanzas

What happens when you break a line/stanza mid-sentence?

Example “This is Just to Say”

• William Carlos Williams You determine the line breaks &

stanza breaks.

There’s a Whole Page Out There

Play with… Justification (left, right, center) Font

• Typeface• Size• Bold/italics/underline

Shape of poems Tabs Space between words

See Natalie’s poem.