Concrete Poetry - Let It Hit Your Head

Concrete and poetry don't exactly seem like two great words that go great together. Concrete is an ancient building material that hurts when it hits your head. And poetry is ... gee, come to think of it ...

But when used in the phrase, "concrete poetry" (also called pattern poetry or shape poetry), concrete means something else entirely. In fact, concrete poetry is a movement within poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme, etc. So it's poetry rendered concretely, with shape and pattern contributing to the overall experience of receiving the text's meaning.

If you're still a little befuddled, go here. Not only is there a great collection of concrete poetry via this site, but there's also a good amount of theoretical explanation about the movement (and this is a movement that loves theoretical explanation). Further, you'll find a notice for a concrete poetry exhibit coming in Vancouver, BC, starting October 9, 2009, entitled Angels in the Angles, which is an alluring, shapely title. After viewing some of the offerings on the site, I have to say there is something exhilarating about this pattern thing. It's poetry and visual art brought together in the 21st century, much like poetry and music were brought together in the 20th century, giving us the pleasures of pop, rock, rap, folk, etc.

Of course, I know what some of you are thinking, to which I say - Don't knock it. It's concrete!

Photo via Mechanical Brides.