I have created a new poetic form called 'Infill with Attitude' for a my next Poetry Contest.
To me, there are several ingredients that help a poem become noticed and appreciated:
=> An intriguing title that immediately piques the reader's curiosity.
=> A purposeful layout or form that sets the scene before the poem is even read—whether it's a sonnet, a quatrain, or something entirely new.
=> Strong metaphorical writing that shows rather than tells.
In this new form, the layout itself becomes part of the poem. The words are carefully 'infilled' into a silhouette whose shape reinforces the poem's subject and meaning.
A simple example is my poem "One Lump or Two." - The word 'lump' invites questions and associations beyond its obvious meaning. Why lump? The poem begins with two slightly offset square shapes on the page one below the other. The two short poems within them essentially say:
One is nice. Two is too many! One Lump or Two
The square itself becomes part of the theme. It is an ideal shape because it is easy to infill with text, yet it also carries symbolic meaning. A square is defined by one side, with the remaining sides following naturally. Physically, however, to maintain a true square with flexible sides, equal pressure must be applied simultaneously to all four sides.
That idea lends itself to metaphor. A balanced life might require four equally important supports—for example: health, friendships, hope, and purpose. If one or more sides weaken, the shape changes. If the two vertical sides collapse, the square becomes more like a plate. Viewed from an angle, the shadow of a cube, with the light behind you, can distort into a triangle—as though one side has disappeared altogether. The distortion grows as the day lengthens!
The possibilities with other shape silhouettes are endless. The silhouette might be a pyramid, an hourglass, a goblet, or virtually any recognisable object. Animals are particularly effective. I have written a poem called "Kat-ttitude," in which the words are infilled into the shape of a cat. The poem explores how some people's personalities resemble those of cats and beyond.
Kat-titude
In general, broader, more solid silhouettes produce the most legible poems, although rougher, sketchier, or more abstract shapes, can also work well when they complement the subject.
That is the essence of Infill with Attitude: a poem whose words are infilled into a silhouette shape that is itself an integral part of the poem's meaning (perhaps the fifth metaphor)!
Have Fun!
Note: The Contest will be judged assessing 20% for the Title, 30% for the shape/form/clarity and 50% for the poem. Note: => Short lines work best and rhymes are ineffective unless the poem is recited of sung.
PS UPDATE UPDATE I have now developed an draft fully functioning website that has a neat front-end to load your poems into shapes. Please send me a Soup-Mail and I can send you a link which will provide the file to you in a download. Just click the file once you have it and it will run on your home device - Cheers!!