By Poetry Co-Editor Oliver Keyhani
There is no one definition nor one set of standards for what constitutes visual poetry. However, one critical aspect is that it shouldn’t be considered simply as a poem with a visual in the background or vice versa. We could start by saying that visual poetry is form of literary expression that combines the power of language with the beauty of visual art. This category of poetry emphasizes, amongst other aspects, the visual parameters of language, which expands to how placement, shape, size, and typography of words are arranged on a page. At some basic level, we seek work that is both aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking; the essence of which should include words, even if abstracted into asemic text, having no specific semantic content, and/or images that combine to create powerful and meaningful messages–even if those “messages” are the obscuring of the language and words themselves!
Concrete poetry (also known as shape poetry) is one common form of visual poetry. Words are arranged into a particular shape or design, such that the constructed image becomes part of the meaning of the poem. Concrete poetry can be incredibly effective at conveying complex ideas and emotions in visually stunning and intellectually engaging manners. Similarly, but sometimes distinct, calligram poetry uses words to create an image that resembles or mimics the subject of the poem. Often used to create poems about nature, animals, or other objects, that can be rendered with words forming the image, it can be a powerful means for conveying both beauty and complexity of the natural world.
Visual poetry can also include non-representational language coupled to visual elements as intermedia and extends to non-language “alien” scripts (as mentioned, asemic writing). Visual poetry forms are highly versatile and can be used to express emotions, ideas, sometimes in a playful and lighthearted manner, but can also be deeply serious and thought-provoking. These poems are particularly apt at sharply conveying personal experiences or to make commentary on social and political issues. From we, the Editors’ perspective, visual poetry allows the poet to experiment with different forms and styles. There are no hard and fast rules about what visual poems should look like, which means that poets have the freedom to be creative and to explore new ways of expressing themselves.
A few thoughts: (i) have a clear idea of what you want to convey with your poem, (ii) know what message you want to communicate, and (iii) understand how and why you are using the visual elements of the poem to communicate that message. Some of the most powerful works of visual poetry have been created by poets who were willing to take risks and to push the boundaries of the form. Remember that visual poetry is more than just the way words look on the page coupled to images, it is about the synthesis and network between the words and the images, and how these elements combine to create connected meaningful works of art. Broadly speaking, we look for pieces that experiment with forms and styles to reach and touch the audience. This is only our second year having Visual Poetry as a category for Bacopa. We hope to see your creations as works of art that can inspire and speak to the human experience in a profound way.
Take a look below at last years Award and Honorable Mention for inspiration!
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| Bacopa Literary Review Visual Poetry 2022 Award: "A Change in Mood II" by Karla Van Vliet |
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| Bacopa Literary Review Visual Poetry 2022 Honorable Mention: "NEWS" by J. Nishida |
