'In our lives we need both the comforts of repetition and the delights of change and they need to be in balance. Too much repetition means a routine of dull habit, of closing out the world. Too much change and we lose our centre. The same principle applies to poems that use repetition.'Kim Addonizo and Deborah Laux, 'The Poet's Companion : A guide to the Pleasure of Writing Poetry, 1997'
Repetition can be used in a variety of ways:
- A word is repeated at different points.
- A phrase is repeated.
- One line is repeated throughout the poem.
- An entire stanza is repeated.
Many times, repeated phrases or lines come at the beginning and end of stanzas or poems. The repetition of words become an echo; a familiar melody running throughout the poem.
Here is a poem by English poet John Rice that uses repetition and rhyme to good effect.
ON SOME OTHER PLANET
On some other planet
near some other star,
there’s a music-loving alien
who has a green estate car
On some other planet
on some far distant world,
there’s a bright sunny garden
where a cat lies curled.
On some other planet
a trillion miles away,
there are parks and beaches
where young aliens play
On some other plane
t in another time zone,
there are intelligent beings
who feel very much alone.
On some other planet
one that we can’t see,
there must be one person
who’s a duplicate of me.
John Rice
I love coming to your blog and learning, Alan. "On Some Other Planet" is a wonderful example of repetition done right. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Bridget. In this forum, we each find ourselves afforded so many opportunities to learn and grow.
DeleteThis poem took me right back to childhood, and the hours I imagined a duplicate self on a duplicate planet in a duplicate solar system traveling around a duplicate sun! Thanks for the good repetition reminder.
ReplyDeleteChildhood was synonymous with imagination writ large. John Rice's poem is a strong memory jogger, no doubt Buffy.
DeleteI like the advice & love the poem, Alan. Wouldn't it be great in a picture book?
ReplyDeleteI agree Linda, these words would lend themselves to a picture book format.
DeleteNice! I'm getting a teeny bit tired of repetition in my life right now, but it's great in that poem!
ReplyDeleteToo much repetition in our daily lives can tip us into tedium Ruth. I guess we have to remain mindful of this in our writing too.
DeleteI am a fan of repetition and use it a lot. It has a lot to do with the music and rhythm that I like in poetry. Sweet poem. Thank you, Alan, for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteLike you Janice, I like repetition. It is a familiar melody we can sprinkle carefully through our poetic works. Glad you liked John Rice's poem. He is a favourite of mine.
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