Creative Composition 1 - Free Verse and Poetic Techniques

A set of flashcards covering key concepts, definitions, and examples of free verse, line breaks, enjambment, caesura, and Walt Whitman from the Creative Composition lecture.

What is free verse poetry?

Free verse is poetry that rejects traditional rules like uniform rhyming or predictable meter patterns. The poet invents a custom shape on the page based entirely on the emotional pulse of the subject matter.

What is a line break in poetry?

A line break is simply the point where one line ends and the next begins, chosen freely by the poet to control pacing, emphasis, rhythm, and meaning.

Who wrote the poem "Today Is Your Luck"?

Bruce Lansky.

What is enjambment in poetry?

Enjambment is running a sentence or phrase across a line break without any terminal punctuation (like a period or comma), pulling the reader quickly down to create tension or a sudden plot twist.

In the enjambment example "I pulled the trigger / of the camera / and captured her smile", what effect does the break after "trigger" have?

The break after "trigger" creates a brief moment of danger before line 2 re-contextualizes it.

What is a caesura?

A caesura is a sharp, intentional pause or fracture right in the middle of a single line, usually marked by punctuation like an em-dash (-), colon (;), or period (.).

Which sentence is used as an example of caesura in the lecture notes?

"We watched the fire die. Then-silence. The smoke took the roof."

Who is known universally as the "Father of Free Verse"?

American poet Walt Whitman.

How did Walt Whitman revolutionize literature in 1855?

He tossed out strict European rhyming constraints, electing instead to write lines that moved like natural human breath and ocean waves.

What literary effect is created by the em-dash in Walt Whitman's line "I lean and loafe at my ease observing-a spear of summer grass."?

The em-dash creates a physical, breathless pause, making the reader stop and intensely stare at the blade of grass right along with the speaker.