Hello and welcome to the Poets Pub's poetry style challenges. Each month we will be challenging our members to write poetry in a new style. Have you ever written a sonnet, limerick, haiku, or BLITZ poem? Well now is your chance to exercise your p...
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Welcome to a new challenge! Welcome to April, a giddy and cheerful month! We are going to be exploring all the wonderful things you can do with PERSONIFICATION poetry.
Personification is the very simple concept of applying human feeling/thoughts/attributes to inanimate or abstract objects. April is 4th month in our calendar year, however when I use the words "giddy" and "cheerful" to describe it, it gives you a much bigger picture of what kind of month April is. In essence, it can be likened to a simile (a direct or explicit comparison) or metaphor (an implicit comparison).
Simile – The wind was like the toddler's tantrum, hissing and screaming at us to have its way.
Metaphor – In a fit of rage, the wind assaulted us; he left us bruised and battered.
In both instances the "wind" is given human characteristics, leaving the reader with a deeper understanding of what the scene entails.
Personification is used every day, all around us; mostly in advertising. The Pillsbury Doughboy is a perfect example of personification.
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Personification gives any kind of writing depth and dimension, but it particularly lends itself well to poetry. You can find examples of it through out the history of poetry, from Shakespeare to Dickinson, to Sylvia Plath.
Here are two examples of personification; the first is an example of it being applied to an abstract concept and the second it is being applied to an object.
Regret vs Grace By MystresMyna
Regret sits silently, by my side. Knowing I have nothing more to hide. He smiles, then chuckles and rolls his eyes; Seeing me now, without my disguise.
Surly now, he would leave me alone? But no, he reminds me in a melodious tone... My wicked betrayals he vomits back; Again, and again with an evil knack.
Until the day Forgiveness shines, Regret cowers and coyly whines. Forgiveness steps up and says, "Now Go!" Regret hisses and moves away slow.
Forgiveness smiles and embraces me, Dries my eyes and helps me see. Regret no longer has a place, I have been forgiven by His Grace.
Death of a Stone By MystresMyna
In sorrow the stone lays, Unmoving in the cutting rain. Greedily, the earth beneath, Drinks the stone's sandy pain.
Each chilling drop, a dagger, Plunging into the stone's heart; Carrying away its substance... Tearing the stone apart.
There once was a time... When the stone was a bolder, grand. Mighty and massive, hulking, Until the rain turned it to sand.
The stone, soon only a pebble, Washed away in the laughing rain. Who will remember the stone? As it softly weeps in vain.
Now it is your turn to give it a go!! Let's see what you can come up with. Here are a few prompts to get your creative juices flowing.
Prompt #1 – Describe waves as a loving mother to the shore.
Prompt #2 – Describe death as a welcomed old friend.
Prompt #3 – Look around the room where you are and choose a random object to write about, giving it human attributes.
