good poetry, no rhyme

[markwhitten]

I have briefly scanned through some of the poetry submitted here and it seems to me that most of the poetry selected here rymes. I am not downing the poetry selected here in any way as I have not had much time to read them all, but I do see a general lack of unrhymed talent. "He spoke to me, I was under a tree...
I was glad, he cheered me up when I was sad..." Etc. Common, we Christians should be the most talented and creative people on the earth, let's get out of the box and begin to explore the depths of our souls colliding with God's Spirit in some truly professional poems that reach into the marrow of our beings. It's time to get real with some soul sqeezing unrhymed poetry. Perhaps the editors of poetry selection could learn from Whitman.

quay

[Baselice]

Hi Mark
I just ordered a book from Walt Whitman yesterday. I also just started writing poetry so it's new to me. I do realize now that not all poetry has to rhyme so I am interested in trying. And have actually been writing unrhyming poetry from my heart for quite a few years now, without realizing it. I did sumitt a poem to poetry.com ( Mary Ann Baselice, place my name in poets if you want to read)that did not rhyme. Poetry.com is a non Christian site. The poem is called God waits, and it was selected to be used in their Letter's of the soul series,( I had no ideal poems were evened considered for a chance to be published in their books) The poem does not have one rhyme in it, my main focus was to put Jesus' name in the poem on a secular web site to give hope to someone. Trusting God would open the door. I am a new writer, but not a new Christian. I also have another poem on that site called best friends no rhymes and To be like Jesus with rhymes. I must admit every poem on Christianwriters.com that I sumitted Rhymes. I will submitt a non rhyming poem soon, and pray it gets excepted . So thanks Mark for speaking up, I am hungry to learn anything new that could help me serve Jesus more effectivly.
Gods Grace and Mercy to you
Mary Ann Baselice

[justonevoice]

I wonder; have you any experience writing poetry, I haven't seen any of your work and I've been looking for it..
Also, poetry like any other form of art is a matter of personal taste, some like it to rhyme and others do not,I think it is very closeminded of you to say that rhyming poetry is some how being boxed in; I write both styles of poetry and they both come from my heart.
I would seriously like to read some of your own poetry, could you not post it here in this forum so that we can read it?

[markwhitten]

i appreciate you response and am humbled by your gentle grace in rebuking
such a young lad with hasty and arrogant statements. Please forgive me if
I have offended you in any other way. It was out of my frustrations, with
seemingly less than par-poetry littered with cliche's and such commom
rhyming couplets, that I found myself raging against the lack of my
brothers and sisters creativity and raw originality, that the "world" so
seems to mine without difficulty. I only think that God's people have
more in them than simple rhymes to cover the real gut glimpses of who they
really are. i feel robbed from the talent they have been given to share
with their spiritual siblings, and so often my comments truly intend on
bringing out the best in people by challenging them to think or produce in
ways they previously thought not possible, even if it means getting under
their skin a little bit.

I will be posting some of my poetry on the site soon, if the publishers will have it. Some of it may stretch the religious box a little bit, so I'm wondering if they will be displayed, but I will try once I get from Lu how you do that copyright symbol.

mark

[justonevoice]

( + ) +c = (C)
it should connect in the box. At least it does on other sites.

My intention was not to convey an offence. Rather; it was to teach that one should not dismiss one persons work to promote another. We should be able as Christians to enjoy and learn from all forms of Christian art or literature.
You have a beautiful vocabulary, your choice of words and comand of the English Language is outstanding, as a matter of fact sir I am humbled to reply to your message, yet I must say with all these things at your disposal it is not nessassary for you to be defaming or accusatory. You have a good point and the truth will argue the merits of your post, you have no need to.
God bless you in all you do for him. I am not offended or hurt, I am too old for that. I have too much to do and too little time to do it in...............

[ladypreacher]

Between you and Saved by Grace I've already been blessed! I've needed a creative outlet for quite a while, so the Ladypreacher writes again...
I enjoy poetry a lot, both reading and writing it. I was troubled a bit, (but am accepting of replies already given concerning the matter,) about the thought of poetry somehow being tainted if it rhymes. Nevertheless, I'd like to say that even if the poem doesn't rhyme it has a rhythm that carries it. I'd like to share my openion on that matter as I've been thinking, (which I'm accused of doing often,) that it doesn't really matter if it rhymes or not so long as it has integrity of spirit. Bad poetry is just that, bad poetry. I've read some pretty horrific things that didn't rhyme at all; I've also read some pretty bad singsong poems too.
I'd like to share a couple of snippets from some of my personal work. Maybe just to share, maybe just to prove a point...

The Heart of a Rhyme
A rhyme of mirth, or of woe,
Comes from the heart,
So well I know.
Then it's tapered with some reason,
Some will find it out of season.
Some things are written before their time,
As so often happens with a rhyme.
Then there's some of Holy Writ,
With sayings strange and misfit.
Who can see enough to hear
The things that are written so very clear?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
'Though no Prophet nor Poet,
Let truth be my words.

The Wedding Guest
She sat there quiet, still, and alone,
As forward she gazed toward the heavenly throne.
She came as a witness, one waiting to see,
The wedding of Jesus, and His Bride to be.
She had come early, not wanting to miss,
Not one single moment of His wedded bliss.
Jesus her Savior, her Comforter, and Friend,
Had promised to lead her, to the very end.
The end of all life as she did now know it,
To the throne of His glory, for her to behold it.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Truth of Beauty
The sonnet of a son of water,
A lover of beauty,
A lover of truth.
My hungry soul he feeds
With words
From above.
Understanding.
Tears trickle down my eyes
And I sigh,
At the beauty of deep words.
A small hill of knowledge
Transformed
Into a mountain of insight,
Pattering softer than sound
Reaching far into eternity.
John Keats came to me as a gift,
A gift from beyond this world's realm of reality,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The beauty of truth is the only true beauty,
To say no more is my duty.

The above is from an unpublished collection of poems. Unpublished doesn't mean undesirable, just hasn't been put into the right hands yet. God has a way of giving His children excellent words, so if I can leave you with a final thought; let a poems' worth be determined by His standards, and not the world's. If something happens to want to rhyme, just let it...

[Baselice]

Ladypreacher
I loved your poems, I have written both rhyming and unrhyming poetry, yet it seems the rhyming ones come easier. Being brand new to writing poetry, your reply helps. Your poems are awesome you have a great talent our Lord has blessed you with. May He always be glorified through it!
God's Grace and peace to you dear Lady.
Mary Ann Baselice

[ladypreacher]

Mary Ann,
Thank you for your generosity and warmth of spirit. I appreciate the positive affirmation!
God bless you in all you do.
Sincerely,
Ladypreacher

[justonevoice]

I Love your work dear sister; I am sorry I have not replyed until now but I have been preaching a revival in a small church, in our area. My e-mails have been some what abandoned for a short period. Your work is quite good, and yes it does flow very well. Try submitting some of it to Christian-Poetry.org; known as Crossway Publications, they publish many types of Christian poetry and many of mine are there. I think you would love the site. God bless you in all you do for him, and thank you so much for your kind words toward us.

[ladypreacher]

Saved by Grace,

Thank you. I took note of the publisher. I'll look into it. I'm glad you enjoyed what I shared. I live to share. Preachin' a revival huh? A woman after my own heart! I've done a whole lot more preachin' in my novel than I've ever really had the opportunity to elsewhere. God knows my heart and I just keep on going forward, one step at a time. My manuscript was placed into some pretty happy hands today...This is my quiet time so back to the grindstone...

Sincerely,

Ladypreacher

[justonevoice]

That url is ChristianPoetry.org
no center slash,
Praise God, I wish you much success with your book,
God bless you in all you do for him

[justonevoice]

Wonderful, very well done. Thank you for posting them I enjoyed them very much...........