Examples of Concrete Poetry
Following the example of the Greeks and others before them, poets of the Renaissance revived the practice of creating visual poetry representative of its typically religious subject. These altar poems, as they were called, were extremely popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, and many of the most famous examples of concrete poetry from this period - such as George Herbert's aptly named 'The Altar' - are actually works of this type.
Although interest in concrete poetry began to resurge in Brazil during the mid-20th century, Swiss-Bolivian author Eugen Gomringer was at the forefront of the movement. Sometimes called the 'father' of modern concrete poetry, Gomringer was one of the first to begin experimenting with the bounds of human sense-making abilities. With his own unique style of visual poetry, which often involves geometric figures, Gomringer demonstrates how even repeating a single word in a specific pattern can nuance that word's meaning.
Contemporary writers continue to innovate pattern poetry all the time, sometimes even by recalling old traditions. Given that many of his works have the same sorts of meditational focuses, the concrete poems of Hank Lazer have been compared to traditional Hebrew Shiviti. His 'L'chaim', for instance, depicts concepts and rituals involved in the celebration of Passover in a way that is meant to have the viewer's mind centered on the (ideally personal) aspects of this Jewish holiday.
Lesson Summary
Sometimes called visual or pattern poetry, concrete poetry is a form of verse in which words or lines are arranged to create a physical image. These images are created when a poet uses word spacing, line length, page orientation, or other typographical elements to reflect or comment on the poem's subject or theme through visual representation.
The practice of fashioning concrete poetry has existed since antiquity; however, it has experienced several peaks in popular attention over the millennia. One during the Renaissance prominently featured the altar poem - visual poetry representative of its typically religious subject. The mid-20th century witnessed another resurgence in the genre, spearheaded by Eugen Gomringer, whose works like 'Silencio' have often earned him the title of 'father' of modern concrete poetry.
Concrete poetry is still evolving with works like those of Hank Lazer which recall the Shiviti: a traditional Jewish form of this blend of literary and visual art.
