Scan is short for scansion, the way the rhythm of a poem works. I’m not using the word in the most technical sense, because that would usually mean graphically marking the lines.
But it basically means that the combination of syllables, meter, and stress “work” to make a line, stanza, or poem as a whole “feel” good. Not in the emotional sense but in that the way it plays out when read aloud or in the mind, it flows harmoniously.
Which isn’t even a fully accurate definition by the standards of analysis, but it’s the one that fits my usage of it.
In other words, I read poems in my head as words, lines and stanzas (as appropriate). When the poem is put together in a way that doing so is without irregularity that impedes reading, it scans well.
This isn’t to say that dissonant poetry can’t be wonderful, but it doesn’t scan well.
And poetry is amazing for catharsis like that. The effort of choosing words and building a poem lets the mind grasp the subject and control it. Nothing is much better at giving relaxation from a thorny problem like that.
No bullshit, this is a very good poem. It conveys the emotion and state of being, in a way that allows a reader to feel something. In this case, I believe it successfully communicates what you were feeling, which is something that isn’t very easy to do, even by accident. It’s easier to stir emotion without directly communicating your own feelings, using the words to trigger memories and thoughts from within the reader.
It’s why I love honest, unpolished poetry more than the famous stuff. The more you get into the craft of poetry, the harder it is to be authentic. I can’t at all any more, it’s why I stopped writing poetry.
Anyway, that’s all tangential. I enjoyed your efforts, thank you for sharing :)
![[OC] angry nonsense written upon waking from a nightmare](https://i.imgur.com/CnPuwqZ.png){kind=link}
Scan is short for scansion, the way the rhythm of a poem works. I’m not using the word in the most technical sense, because that would usually mean graphically marking the lines.
But it basically means that the combination of syllables, meter, and stress “work” to make a line, stanza, or poem as a whole “feel” good. Not in the emotional sense but in that the way it plays out when read aloud or in the mind, it flows harmoniously.
Which isn’t even a fully accurate definition by the standards of analysis, but it’s the one that fits my usage of it.
In other words, I read poems in my head as words, lines and stanzas (as appropriate). When the poem is put together in a way that doing so is without irregularity that impedes reading, it scans well.
This isn’t to say that dissonant poetry can’t be wonderful, but it doesn’t scan well.
And poetry is amazing for catharsis like that. The effort of choosing words and building a poem lets the mind grasp the subject and control it. Nothing is much better at giving relaxation from a thorny problem like that.
No bullshit, this is a very good poem. It conveys the emotion and state of being, in a way that allows a reader to feel something. In this case, I believe it successfully communicates what you were feeling, which is something that isn’t very easy to do, even by accident. It’s easier to stir emotion without directly communicating your own feelings, using the words to trigger memories and thoughts from within the reader.
It’s why I love honest, unpolished poetry more than the famous stuff. The more you get into the craft of poetry, the harder it is to be authentic. I can’t at all any more, it’s why I stopped writing poetry.
Anyway, that’s all tangential. I enjoyed your efforts, thank you for sharing :)