Poetic Asides

No matter what you write, a bit of poetic license can be a valuable asset to any writer's arsenal.

- BY ROBERT LEE BREWER

SECRET PASSAGES TO WRITING THE WEIRD AND WHIMSICAL

Poems are capable of covering so much of the human experience, but they're really perfect vehicles for capturing the weird and whimsical notes. Perhaps it’s because poetry encourages wordplay and leaps of logic. Metaphor alone turns common people and objects into strange new beings that are the same but different and more (and possibly less) all at the same time—and that’s weird (and at times whimsical).

The question becomes whether the weird and whimsical just happens, or is it something that can be cultivated and discovered through efforts put forth by the poet? While I believe there are poems that just happen, I also believe a lot of poetry comes from active poets constantly feeling around for new openings and processing their observations and thoughts on a range of topics.

Every poet has their own methods for discovering their poems, but I want to share two secret passages I’ve found over the years that can help other writers explore the weird and whimsical in poetry.

Observe the abnormal parts of life.