  Romance/Love
This week: Poetry and Romance Edited by: SantaBee  
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In 1996, the Academy of American Poets kicked off the first ever National Poetry Month. The intent was to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry as well as to celebrate poetry’s importance in our world of literature. I’ll be taking a look at a poet, styles of poetry, as well as expanding on the idea of “romance” in poetry. |
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Romantic poetry is a broad topic. In a very literal look, it evokes emotions of first love, first passions, intense feelings of belonging, hope, and self-worth before settling into a more even, consistent, steady beat. But there’s more to romantic poetry than just an examination of what we consider “romantic.” There’s a whole era of “romanticism” that deals with nature, love, and the personal experience. While Elizabeth Barrett Browning maybe considered one of the more “passionate” romantic poets, (“How Do I Love Thee) . Maya Angelou’s poetry embraces the “romanticism” that deal with nature, love and the personal experience.
Maya Angelou was born on 4 April 1928. She spent 50 years in the media, wrote 7 autobiographies, poems, and essays. Her writing tackles the following themes: racism, identity, family, and travel. When she was young, she remained mute for 5 years. During this time she developed an extensive memory, and a love of books as well as the world around her. Angelou has the distinction of reciting her poetry at a presidential inauguration: Bill Clinton’s. Prior to her, the last poet to recite his poetry at a presidential inauguration was Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy’s.
“Romanticism” is a style of poetry about nature and love while having an emphasis on the personal experience. I discovered this poem by Angelou that speaks to romanticism. I love the expression and word play and thought I’d share it here with you.
Touched by an Angel
By: Maya Anelou
We, unaccustomed to courage
Exiles by delight
Live coiled in sheels of loneliness
Until love leaves its high holy temple
And comes into our sight
To liberate us in life.
Love arrives
And in its train comes ecstasies
Old memories of pleasure
Ancient histories of pain.
Yet, if we are bold,
Love strikes away the chains of fear
From our souls.
We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love’s light
We dare be brave
And suddenly we see
That love costs all we are
And will ever be.
Yet, it is only love
Which sets us free.
There is unlimited styles of poetry you can tap into to express romance, love, eroticism, and romanticism. I thought I’d touch upon 3 styles today.
Acrostic: In this poem, the first letter in each line forms a word or message when red in a sequence. Example:
L onging
O ld-fashioned
V intage
E legant
Quatrain
A quatrain is a stanza consisting of 4 lines. Lines 2 and 4 must rhyme while having a similar number of syllables.
Romanticism
A poem about nature and love while having emphasis on the emphasis on the person experience.
Challenge for you: Write a “romantic” poem using a acrostic or quatrain style and send me a bitem link. I’ll feature your poem in my next Romance/Love Newsletter.
2nd Challenge: Tell me why does poetry matter to you.
3rd Challenge: Write a Mother’s Day poem. All will be featured in my next Romance/Love newsletter.
Have fun this month with poetry. Here's some great suggestions for National Poetry Month: Keep a poem in your pocket this month. Read some of your favorite poets. Thank a poet here on WDC.
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Your Full Time Romance/Love Newsletter Editors: Crys-not really here  LoneKrampuswolf  SantaBee
Feedback from my Romance/Love Newsletter DTD: 4 MAR 2015:
I received from great feedback on what you were looking for in a romantic heroine! Thanks everyone for writing in.
J. Thayne 
There's definitely something to be said for the classic romance heroine, and while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, I do prefer to see characters with some really blatant and obvious hurdle to overcome.
A great example of this would be "The Ill-Made Mute" by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. The heroine of this story is not only mute (as the title implies), but is also horribly disfigured, her face and body a mass of scars due to a childhood accident.
The story of how her personality and inner-beauty allow her to find love despite these obstacles make it one of the most powerful romances I've ever read, and infinitely more thought-provoking than any Disney princess. The "HEA", as you put it, is much more powerful when it seems all-but-impossible.
Thank you so much for sharing that story. I think a romance is more impactful when it taps into emotion like that.
monty31802
From my Heroine I want a Wonder Woman.
I think most men would love a wonder woman.
Quick-Quill 
I'm in agreement with you. I'll take it a bit further. People are bombarded with the perfect models and actresses. Even a few with natural are covered and air brushed. In a romance book that is well read, the heroine maybe beautiful. but they have flaws. I want the woman to be able to change. My favorite heroine is Shanna by Katherine Woodiwiss. This girl was smart, had a plan and every time she was confronted with a reality she made a path around it until she could no longer dodge the issue and she had to come clean. I can't tell you what she looked like. I don't remember, but I remember HER! her choices, what she did about the curves life threw at her. Even when she was the one that started the ball rolling in the wrong direction. That's my template for a heroine. If you've not read the book you are missing one wild story with drama, romance, sex, titillation and a suspense mystery all rolled into one! RIP Ms Woodiwiss. You are my plumb bob.
I've heard of Katherine Woodiwiss. She's considered one of the first to really "modernize" the romance drama because of how she approached writing the heroine. I haven't read a book by Woodiwiss, but I'll put her on the list for my spring reading.
dragonwoman
I expect my heroine to be comfortable in her body, whatever shape or size. Because she is confident and sexy even without a low cut sweater lol. Standard beauty is unnecessary, it's how she presents herself. Smart, funny and honest, perhaps to a fault.
I agree - true beauty resonates in presentation.
Sum1's Home! 
I expect a heroine to be a good character, described well so I have a mental image of her. She doesn't have to be beautiful, except in the eyes of her beloved. She doesn't have to be feminine, nor a tom-boy. She needs to be consistent in how she acts, just like any other character. For example, she can't be described as a woman who's a wife and mother, and has cared for her children for the last 15 years or so, but then exhibits the characteristics of a warrior. The two don't jive in my eyes.
Very good points. Most readers, even myself expect consistency in her actions. That's what makes a heroine and they're realistic, it's easy to see the beauty behind the character.
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Romance/Love: April 01, 2015 Issue [#6903]
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