From: AAngel at aol.com <AAngel>
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2003 15:19:56 EDT

 From reviewing the literature, I'd say blank verse has become popular for dealing with emotionally charged issues -- those issues that are so intense and personal that they benefit from "telling it slant." The strongest blank verse in novel format is that which relies upon metaphor, imagery and spare language to let the reader into a world that includes death and suicide, physical and emotional pain, mental illness, abuse, and fear. Having said that, I think there are writers who have jumped on the popularity of this form and are pushing work that falls short of some of the strongest novels in poetry. Still, the topics and language of contemporary poetry, whether using blank verse or traditional poetic forms, are easily decoadable for the average young teen reader. I think the stronger contemporary novels in poetry make an excellent introduction to the classic poets and work extremely well when coupled with the classics. Ann Angel
Received on Mon 07 Apr 2003 02:19:56 PM CDT