For years I've thought it would be a good thing if screenwriters regularly read (and wrote) poetry. I think doing so could add qualities to our screenplays that are, perhaps, sometimes difficult to describe but are, nonetheless, rich, evocative, and powerful.
Just recently I read the following lines from Mary Oliver's poem Rain:
All afternoon it rained, then
such power came down from the clouds
on a yellow thread,
as authoritative as God is supposed to be.
When it hit the tree, her body
opened forever.
To me, these lines inspire a powerfully strong image. I can imagine a filmmaker also being inspired to take these words and visually create an equally evocative and arresting image. (Assuming the screenplay called for such an image/scene.)
So, do you read poetry? Write poetry?
Do you have any favorite poets?
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This is such a good insight! I never thought of poetry that way but you make an excellent point. Favorite poet: Irving Layton
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I'm actually working on a Blog Post (or article???) describing this benefit. So glad someone else knows the VALUE!!!!
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Michael David Thanks, I never heard of Irving Layton, but I see he wrote a lot and was a very respected poet. I will check out his work. Thanks.
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Miquiel Banks I look forward to reading your blog post/article. This is something I've been thinking about for years. Personally, I find that when I read poetry out loud it tends to orient my brain such that my writing improves.
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Yes I agree - poets have to maximise word economy, which is what we screenwriters strive to do. We can learn a lot from poets.
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I used to read and write poetry, Tucker Teague. I can see how poetry can help with writing scripts. Using less words to describe what's going on, picking the right words, and rhythm.
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What a great idea! I don’t read poetry, but I am going to now.
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A little poetry from a screenplay:
INT. ENGINE CUBICLE
Circular, jammed with instruments.
All of them idle.
Console chairs for two.
Empty.
-From the Screenplay Alien written by Walter Hill and David Giler based on the screenplay by Dan O'Bannon and Story by Dan O'Bannon and Ronal Shusett.
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read and write it.
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and some of my favourite poets are Tu Fu, Joy Harjo, Rumi, Juan Chi, TS Eliot.
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Oh yeah, all the time. One of my favorites is Thomas McGrath
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Christopher Phillips interesting you mention the Walter Hill screenplay for Alien. Although I've been thinking for a long time about the relationship of poetry to screenwriting, it was coming across that screenplay recently that really got me thinking about it, and Hill's style strongly influenced my most recent screenplay. I actually had the Alien screenplay open as I wrote.
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Geoff Hall TS Eliot is one of my all-time faves. I need to get more familiar with the others you mentioned.
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Tucker Teague Tu Fu is well worth the investment of time. Translation of his work by David Hinton are in my mind the best. Enjoy!
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Hi Tucker Teague
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Poetry is such an amazing form of writing. Like music, it csn express the undercurrents of a moment that prose rarely captures. T.S. Eliot is my favorite poet but I love Aime Cesaire,Sylvia Plath amongst many others. One of my screenplays, which I hope to direct, tells the tale of a boy who loves The Wasteland.
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Eugene Cobb in college I once made a small art-film based on The Wasteland. Such an amazing poem.
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Marsy Robinson all great musicians. I listen to them regularly. A lot of Nick Cave recently.
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I only read poetry occasionally, but I will write it if it fits in the story I'm working on.
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I used to read and write a lot of poetry during my teenage years, mostly from the French poets à-la Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud. Eventually, I leaned more towards the English language. Occasionally, if I feel the motivation, I can write some prosaïc poetry.
For the curious ones: https://www.theprose.com/MarcelNaultJr
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Marcel Nault Jr. ah, Marcel. Paul Verlaine or Arthur Rimbaud? Either way, you weren’t afraid of spending A Season in Hell! I read it many years ago when I was studying French Culture and Art History (the Impressionist/Post Impressionist era). I loved it. We toured, it seemed, every major gallery in Paris. The heady days of being a student!
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Geoff Hall Arthur Rimbaud... My bad. lol
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Marcel Nault Jr. LOL!