Reverse Poetry
Here is a reverse poem for you, you may want to watch this video first to understand how they work (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgFU5Ak88-k) (yes ok the basic style of my poem was based on that video but the contents is different), but basically read it downwards and then read it upwards. It was great fun trying to write it but I’m not sure about the results, I’ll let you be the judge.
.
This is how I think
give in
don’t
fight
failed dreams
destroy
hopes and joys
the dark
it consumes
the light
without a fight
Or so I thought till a friend turned me round, now I know.
.
Hope you enjoy, please feel free to comment.
The Lonely Recluse.
The Lonely Recluse
The Lonely Recluse 
The concept and the messages are both great.
Sadly I cannot claim the concept as my own, I found it through the link above. Thank you for your kind words, I truly glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Michael, this is incredible work. I have never been able to wrap my mind around this form, and you really nailed it. “Hopes and joys/destroy/failed dreams” in the reverse mode was my favorite moment. I ate those words and they tasted like chocolate. Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/road-asides/
First just to say I’m not Michael, in this or any other current mask. Thank you for your kind words Amy, I love your imagery for your enjoyment and am overjoyed that you liked it so much.
The Lonely Recluse.
Very cool–watched the video–a nice prompt to try. It reminded me of a “reverse” poem that I wrote called a palindrome. It was so tricky to do so that it read (and made sense) backward and forward. See what you think: http://bodhirose.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/unchanged/
Thank you for your kinds words Bodhirose. The video is beautiful, sadly I don’t know the poet who wrote it but it really inspired me. Your palindrome is a lot more clever than this simple reverse poem, I doubt I could successfully write a truy palindromic poem. I just cobbled short bits together to get this, that doesn’t work for a palindrome.
The Lonely Recluse.
well, give in, not fight is good at some point, peacefully state your views and find a different path to win may be what it is really about.
very interesting piece, love the flow.
BIG smiles
I like it.
🙂
To even state your views in the face of adversity is to fight Jingle. Life is a constant fight for survival, even fighting can be peaceful at times. Glad you like it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Using different poetry forms really stretches our creative muscles, doesn’t it? I like this!
Indeed it does, and its always good to have a little work out, isn’t it. Glad you like it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Good that you know now.Beautifully put!
Thank you for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Reverse in more ways than one! Very creative. Thank you for sharing!
Yeah I wanted to write a full revese poem, so the meaning changed with the words. All the creativity is down to the vid I linked. Glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Very creative. 🙂
Please do check out mine: http://dcec.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/thursday-rally-week-43/
Thank you for your kind words. I will.
The Lonely Recluse.
brilliant and so clever …well done you !
Thank you for your kind words of high praise Kez. Glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
ok, yeah, this was fantastic! hehe cool. 🙂
Glad you liked it Luna. Cheers for the kind words.
The Lonely Recluse.
I remember seeing similar a few years ago and was well impressed by the concept. It actually makes you hang on and remember the read better.
You have made a fabulous job of this idea and have inspired me to try my own one. It’ll take me yonks, mind, but I’ll try to have it up for the weekend. I’ll give you bell when I do.
Lena
X
Yeah I saw the vid I linked about 3-4 years ago at this Christian camp, then when I started writing poetry I remembered it and thought “I well have to try that.”
I’m glad you enjoyed it and to hear that it has inspired you fills my heart with joy. It took me a while to write it, but thats more because I tryed several different things and couldn’t go anywhere with any of them on their own so I cobbled them together and got this. I’d love to read yours when you write it.
The Lonely Recluse.
I think it works any way round you read it. Imagery explodes off the page. Than you
It’s probably because there’s about 3 smaller parts stuck together that means it can be read any way round, but thats really the point of a reverse poem. Your words are of high praise so thank you for them, and I’m truly glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Love the form and the thoughts conveyed. Great choice.
Iris
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the kind words.
The Lonely Recluse.
Thats something to learn from..very interesting..Nice write-up!
Alcina
We should learn something from everything, especially from the past, otherwise it has a horrible way of repeating the bad parts. Glad it interested you.
The Lonely Recluse.
wow! this is very clever. It must have been difficult to write, yet you did an excellent job. what an interesting technique!
Thank you TC, you words are too kind. Writing it was more like writing 3 line bits that could be read either way and then sticking each part together (like a jigsaw), it was more fun than difficult.
The Lonely Recluse.
I was very glad for the last line or two … it was an excellent ending … following hopelessness. Excellent!
Thank you for your kind words. My plan was to show that a hopeless situation needs only be seen from a different perspective to become not hopeless at all (like reading the lines in reverse). Glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Oh. My. Gosh.
This is freaking AWESOME.
Beautiful work!
Very clever!
I will be thinking of this for… YEARS
lovelovelovelovelove this!!!!!!
Thank you for your kind words Aynsley, they were greatfully accepted and muchly needed at the moment. Glad you enjoyed it, and that it’ll stick with you.
The Lonely Recluse.
I love it! You definitely taught me something new and cool today. It kind of like two different poems in one, with the same message, and two ways of getting there. Thank you for sharing.
Queenly
Thank you for your kind words Ms. Queenly. Other than the thought that they have the same message I totally agree with you about what it’s like, thats why when I remembered the other one, I had to write my own. Glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Great poem. Enjoyed reading it and love the switch at the end when it seems hopeless
Thank you Andy, glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Hello,
Appreciate your participation at poets rally,
Please return favor to poets who are here yet you did not reach them initially,
Bless your day.
Have fun!
Hi Jingle. As ever thanks for the reminder, but I’m up to date :), its one of the benefits of replying to every comment.
The Lonely Recluse.
[…] The lonely Recluse: https://lonelyrecluse.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/reverse-poetry/ Silly Frog: http://sillyfrogsusan.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/waiting/ Deepti: […]
Promising Poets' Poetry Cafe said this on May 13, 2011 at 6:53 pm |
Great idea and great execution! Thanks for sharing your creativity!
Thank you for your overly kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
The Lonely Recluse.
Fantastic, I could not even begin to figure out how the heck to structure a piece like you did!
Thank you for your kind words A.B. Thomas, I’m glad you enjoyed it. How I wrote it was by writing three or four smaller ones that could be read either way and meant the opposite, and then just glued them together and added the bit that prompts the reverse. I’m sure you could do a far better job than this if you tried.
The Lonely Recluse.
I absolutely love this, so clever! You’ve inspired me to attempt writing poetry again, now I have something new to play with.
Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad you liked it. To hear such high praise as to say I’ve inspired you to start up with poetry again, it makes my heart leap for joy. Thank you for such a blessed feeling.
The Lonely Recluse.
oh really cool!
Glad you enjoyed it mindlovemisery :).
The Lonely Recluse.
That amazing! Really, I enjoyed reading it both ways its fantastic. If you write anymore like these, I’d love to know. Great job!
Thank you for your kind words Tally. If I do ever write another reverse poem (sadly unlikely), I’ll make sure to tell you.
The Lonely Recluse.
i liked it… now I’m going to have to try it.. well done. the geezergirl..
That was my reaction after watching the video I linked this to. Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for your kind words.
The Lonely Recluse.