Physical poetry

I think that the idea of physical poetry is a very interesting one. The fact that words can be so emotive can be reflected in the way you arrange them. Once again we had to do an exercise in my third year, where we created a physical poem both in content, structure and sound. It seemed like a real challenge at first but ocne i began to play with intonation and structure it became quite fun. Heres one of my attempts to have a little giggle at!

VIGOUROUS PHYSICAL POEM

The cold sweat drains through my skins creases,

salty rivers running, rushing down.

The mud, icy, heavy, wet, sucking

at my feet as

my legs are wrapped in a dirty brown.

I dig amidst the clamour and the clucking,

breaking through root, rock or clay,

digging,

             down,

                       down,

                                 down,

then next I must with haste attend the hay.

Pitchfork ready,

stab, turn, stab, turn, stab,

sigh, fall backwards on to a

bale and lie amongst the drab

hay.

UP! Wake and roll and work.

Smoke and dig and sweat again.

Until no work or sweat remain

and then I leave for home where I can sleep.

I eat, hot food and drink good scotch and watch

the animals,

out the window or on the tele.

It’s hard but each reward is mine to reap,

So then tomorrow we sow,

but now it is tonight, and I shall smoke,

and fall asleep with calm around my head,

as quietly I slip in to my bed.