Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Welcome to National Poetry Month in the US! Q&A with poet Stephanie Burkhart




It's National Poetry Month in the US and this month I'll be sharing various poems and poets with you so I hope you enjoy. 

From http://www.poets.orgStarted by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Starting in 1999, Canada began celebrating National Poetry Month in April.  In 2000, Great Britain began celebrating National Poetry Month in October.  It was inspired by the success of Black History Month and Women's History Month in the US.

The Current US Poet Laureate is: Natasha Tretheway.

Enjoy this Q&A with me as I share some of my poetry with you.

Question: How long have you been writing poetry?

Steph: Since I was a teenager. (Close to 30 years now!)  I had a poem, a sonnet, called "The Storm" published in my High School Literary Magazine, The Oracle.

Question: What is your favorite poetry style to write?

Steph: I like the Quatern, but I also enjoy the haiku and villanelle.

Question: Who is your favorite poet?

Steph: One of my all time favorites is Emily Dickinson. I find the exploration of her themes involving flowers and morbidity fascinating.  Not only that, her poetry is easy to read, expressive, and the word play stimulates the senses.

Question: What's one of your favorite Emily Dickinson poems?

Steph: I heard a Fly Buzz When I Died.


Question: Can you share some of your poetry with us?


I'd love to. This is a Quatern poem, French form of poetry similar to the Kyrielle.

 There are 16 lines, 4 quatrains

 A refrain is in a different line each quatrain. In the 1st quatrain it is in line 1, in the 2nd quatrain, it is in line 2. in the 3rd quatrain, it is in line 3, in the 4th quatrain, it is in line 4.

 There are 8 syllables per line.

 It does not follow a set rhyme scheme.

Shattered by the light of the Moon

Shattered by the light of the moon,
I dropped to the forest ground.
His words were icy and bitter.
Heartbreak's cold arrow would not come out.

I shivered, stung, pricked by ice,
shattered by the light of the moon.
Once done, my nocturnal lover
walked away, no compassion

splayed upon his face, no cold grace.
My brittle bones ached, my skin quaked,
shattered by the light of the moon.
Rejection, so coolly done rent.

Dark hours past, sunrise's twilight peeks
out over an obsidian cloud.
My doomed heart, beating still, was
shattered by the light of the moon.



A VILLANELLE

This is a French form of poetry called the Villanelle.

This is a 19 line poem with the following rhyming scheme: aba, aba, aba, aba, aba, abaa

The 1st and 3rd lines are repeated in alternating order and appear together in the last two lines.


THE VINES (a villanelle poem)

The grapes grew wild and free.
He walked through the spiny vines,
Knowing the sun and soil were key.

The sunlight pierced the broad canopy.
He laid out his plan along careful lines.
The grapes grew wild and free.

The wind came, rattling the tree.
With deliberate precision, he placed his signs.
Knowing the sun and soil were key.

Frost brought his land to it's knees.
He blew heat on the readying vines.
The grapes grew wild and free.

Clouds covered the insects and bees.
He watched and waited in the lines.
Knowing the sun and soil were key.

The rain drove away the frost until he could see.
Round bulbs of fruit proved a hopeful sign.
The grapes grew wild and free,
Knowing the sun and soil were the key.

Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. She's published paranormal, contemporary, and steampunk romance. She's also a published children's author. She adores chocolate and two cups of coffee to start off the day. You can find her at: 


WEBSITE:

TWITTER:

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:

You can find a list of her poetry at writing.com here: http://www.writing.com/main/portfolio/item_id/958683-The-Poetry-Shelf


14 comments:

  1. Steph--I am convinced you are a genius.Truly,all this poetry,and the different kinds, too, is not easy. I can't do it at all.
    In addition, your novels and shorter stories have a maturity and intelligence that is rare. I mean this--you are definitely quite brilliant.And to keep it all going, and writing a new story so fast...wow.I am impressed.

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    1. Celia, you're too kind. Different styles of poetry can be very challenging. I like the challenge of the quatern, kryielle, and villanelle, but it isn't easy composing them, either. I'm so glad you enjoy them and you enjoy my writing.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  2. I've not spent time learning about all the different and unique styles of poetry before, Stephanie. Thanks for tweaking my interest on this and making me more aware. I liked your poems. :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Paisley. I didn't know about the different styles until a couple of years ago and I started experimenting with them.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  3. Those are two new poetry styles that I hadn't heard of before. Thanks for sharing. Like you I love writing poetry. It is the precision of the word choice that makes it so much fun.

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    1. I agree Melissa - it's the word choice/play that makes the poet unique.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  4. Steph, you're so talented and in so different fields. I like your poems.

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    1. Thanks for dropping in, Mona. I'm glad you've enjoyed them.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  5. I am so impressed, not only that you write poetry but that you are so educated on the rules and forms. Beautiful work--another side of you that still surprises everyone!

    I especially like the first one.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Dani. I'm glad you enjoyed the poetry. When I did the research, I really enjoyed it.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  6. Lovely, I posted earlier today and I guess it didn't come through. Oh well, just wanted to say you learn something all the time. I know a few names for poems, but I don't readily think about them when I write poetry. Thank you for the inside look at the names for the words I write.

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    1. Sorry your earlier post didn't come through. I'm glad you had a chance to stop. If you "Google" poetry styles, you'll come across a bunch of them.

      Smiles
      Steph

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  7. Steph, thanks for reminding me that this is Poetry Month. I remember World Poetry Day is in Oct. but quite overlooked this month. And thanks for sharing some of your poems. You have inspired me to put a few haiku on FB since I don't have a blog. Oh, and Emily Dickinson is my favorite poet as well.

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    1. Hiakus are great for FB, too. I just may have to put some of mine up there, too. Yay! I'll have a post up about Emily Dickinson on Historical Belles & Beaus on Friday, 12 APR. Here's the link:

      http://historicalbellesandbeaus.blogspot.com

      Smiles
      Steph

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