“Box” – Square Poem
Box
I squeeze me, fitting into box;
squeeze all rounding, as sharpness shocks
me, rounding on even muted plaints,
fitting (as even sides) soul’s constraints
into sharpness. Muted soul’s clamped voice
box shocks plaints, constraints–voice noise.
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The above is a “square poem” written for dVerse Poets Pub “Form For All” challenge, hosted by Samuel Peralta, and based upon a matrix form developed by Lewis Carroll in which the poem reads both horizontally AND vertically, with the first line of the poem made up of the first word of each line; second line made up of all the second words, etc. Sam has a wonderful article about the form, so check it out!
In the case of my poem, PUNCTUATION is very important, as I only intend for pauses to be taken where punctuated, and not at the end of each line. I tried to make my own recording to illustrate that but so far I haven’t been able to upload it. (Probably for the best!)
Aside from checking out dVerse Poets Pub, also check out my books! (If you have the time and are in the mood for something silly or elephantine.) Children’s counting book 1 Mississippi -for lovers of rivers, light and pachyderms. Or, if you in the mood for something older, check out Going on Somewhere, poetry, or Nose Dive, a very fun novel that is perfect for a pool or beachside escape.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: dVerse Poets Form for All, Fitting Round Peg Into Square Hole, manicddaily, Matrix Poem, Sqaring off Round edges poem, Square Poem
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ManicDDaily 
June 28, 2012 at 9:47 pm
I’ve seen very few poets who can wield the hyphenated-word technique well, and you’re one of them. I haven’t mastered it myself, but you use it so well in this square poem form, where punctuation is so important. Bravo!
June 28, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Thanks, Sam. I realize that I complicated things for myself by working in the rhyme, but I was so impressed with yours on dVerse and I liked the idea of adding that musicality. I also really like enjambement in forms with repeated words like that. It was an interesting challenge – thanks so much. I’d never heard of it before. k.
June 28, 2012 at 9:47 pm
i like what you did here. the poem squeezed you into a box. i felt that way when i wrote mine, and you described it perfectly. now the box could also represent a cube which would be a 3d version of the square…hmmmm interesting thought!!
zealous wives
June 28, 2012 at 10:10 pm
nice…rounding even muted plaints…cool line.. and nice use of plaints too….this is def one of the hardest things i have ever written..when i write in form i feel so constrained…and feel sometimes sterile…nicely done to form…cool pic too…
June 28, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Thanks, Brian. I know you hate forms, but you did a great job. k.
June 28, 2012 at 10:21 pm
I love what you did here..very entertaining. It describes what my head felt like being constrained by this form!
June 28, 2012 at 10:38 pm
never squeeze yourself inside a box…just saying..you’re not made for this…rather for running wild and free…smiles…good job on the form though..
June 28, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Good advice! k.
June 28, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Very well crafted, superb matrix example. I love that you used punctuation as a relief to reshape the box the speaker is in.
June 28, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Wonderful and you handled it so well! I sometimes think the straightjacket of form is sadomasochistic way to fight it with grace and style.
June 29, 2012 at 12:11 am
Just love this, so neat, love how it ends – that last line. I can just imagine that voice noise so well. This is such a great idea for this prompt.. am really impressed.
June 29, 2012 at 12:52 am
This is so good. Fantastic verse, yet still nailing down the Square Poem’s requirements. Excellent read. Thanks
June 29, 2012 at 2:36 am
Somehow painful thinking about round sides being squashed to sharpness on the box internal edges. Awesome work on the form.
June 29, 2012 at 5:43 am
Don’t agree! I think it a shame you haven’t been able to upload your recording. What we have is fascinating to me, I would love to hear how you envisage it being read.
June 29, 2012 at 5:52 am
Aside from embarrassment, I think it would help with enjambements. Things like voice box meant to be run together, and rounding on (as in attacking or turning on) rather than rounding. I think people read pretty quickly and with a very compressed poem, that can be difficult. K.
June 29, 2012 at 7:03 am
You know I tried again, and did get an okay recording now. But none of the formats that I am using will upload to wordpress. I feel silly to make a movie of it, although that would upload more easily. Maybe sometime, I’ll do one with a drawing. k.
June 29, 2012 at 7:21 am
I like the concept K of voice noise, fits well with poetry form.
http://everydayamazin.blogspot.ca/2012/06/walk.html
June 29, 2012 at 9:41 am
Great job with this, k–I couldn’t wrap my skull around it this time, but it’s an interesting form for sure, and I can see using it for something short and pointed someday. (Smiling at the punctuation notes.)
June 29, 2012 at 9:54 am
Yes, well, I know things like “voice box” would go completely unnoticed without notes as to comma attention! It is silly.
How do you upload your readings by the way? Don’t bother telling if a trade secret or too long. I finally made some tapes but the uploading was not yet possible. I don’t know if it’s something I even want to do but with this poem it may have made sense as the punctuation is fairly extreme.
It is an interesting form. I think it may have worked better without the rhyme, or with different rhyme. k.
June 29, 2012 at 3:10 pm
I enjoy the edginess of this square poem. Squeezed, sharpness, constraints, clamped. All of these describing how I felt while writing one!!! Nicely completed and fun to read. ~jane
June 29, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I love this: “squeeze all rounding.”
June 29, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Fascinating here how the form so often has defined the topic or its evolution..either seeking freedom or feeling trapped. Only Brian’s didn’t exactly state that although with the repetitions it was implied the Doorman was locked into an alternate reality. I thought you managed the music and the form very well.
June 30, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Thanks, Gay. You are right. k .
June 29, 2012 at 9:41 pm
You were able to make it turn at line end. I couldn’t a rhythm going enough, or maybe content enough, to accomplish what you have in this poem. Brava!
June 29, 2012 at 10:15 pm
I like that you did yours about being boxed as that is how forms make me feel. 🙂