Shape Poetry and Creative Writing

Shape poems have been around for about a century now. Its birth was due to previous poets wanting to have a different way of expressing their thoughts other than the use of metrical patterns or rhymes.

Since Shape poems are not limited by rhymes or any rhyme scheme, even a child can create this type of poem. What are important in shape poems are imagination and creativity. There can be no creativity without imagination. A blank mind cannot result in the creation of anything at all.

How exactly do we write a shape poem? First, you have to be creative when thinking of a topic. Once you come up with a topic, imagine a form or shape that represents your topic. Keep your focus on that form, if it’s possible draw it. After you have drawn the shape or form, begin writing the text that speaks about your topic. If you think you made mistakes, you are always free to revise your poem. When you are done with the text, arrange the words of your poem based on the shape or form you initially thought about. Remember, your topic is represented by the shape you chose.

For more inspiration, you can also think about special occasions like birthdays or give a gift for an upcoming event or holiday. Ask yourself, which shape would your recipient like the most? Creating a shape poem outlining a child’s foot or hand would be a nice gift. Also think about letters like O or V because these have accommodating forms. Outline of your favorite items like CD’s, cars or even your favorite foods would be a good idea to base your Shape poems from. Everyday items that kids often use can serve as a canvas for a shape poem. Examples of these items are a pair of sneakers, T-shirts, a paper plate, or a rock. Fruits like bananas can also serve as a good shape and topic for a concrete poem.

If you really can’t think of a topic, then you can ask your parents, search online for unique topics. Remember, in Shape poetry you don’t have to make the text rhyme, you can express your thoughts just like the way you speak. The point of creating a shape poem is to write it as simple as possible and make it easy to understand.

Those who have more fertile imagination will enjoy writing a shape poem. They can literally write about more complex topics shown by elaborated forms. The key to shape poems is creativity.

Once you have written your shape poem, you can color it to add more vitality and then cut it following the outline of the shape which you have chosen. This could be a great gift or it can even function as a décor in your own room, the kitchen, the living room or anywhere at all.

Since Shape poems are neither restricted by words nor rhyming, anyone can have fun making this type of poem. In fact, a Shape poem can also be a tool for people of any generation to express their thoughts and creativity.

You don’t need to include hard-to-understand words. All you need are ordinary words, simple words that are direct to the point. When you have written your shape poem based on the outline of your topic, you can cut it or add more color to it. If you’re a poetry lover, you can even make a collection of your shape poems and proudly use these to decorate your room. To sum it all up, a shape poem is a great way to come up with fresh and unique ideas.