B&P’s Shadorma & Beyond – February 27, 2016

Good morning, Bastet here covering for Paloma who is presently indisposed.

Today we’re going to look at the ode.  An ode was originally meant to be sung or used in a sung performance invented by the Greeks in fact the name comes from Greek “oide” meaning to sing or chant.  Later an ode became a lyrical poem, usually dedicated to a particular subject, written in varied or irregular metre (depending on the type of ode).

 “Traditionally, an ode rarely exceeded 150 lines and could be much shorter. The metre in longer odes is usually irregular or consists of stanzas regularly varied, but some shorter odes consist of uniform stanzas. The popularity of the ode as a poetical form tended to diminish during the 20th century (“Ode”).

There are Three distinct types of ode:

Pindaric Ode – attributed to the ancient Greek poet, who is considered the creator of the form, Pindar, are very complex odes with fixed rules for the strophe, antistrophe and epode ( example: The Abraham Cowley Text and Image Archive ODE Of Wit)  We will not be using this form, but it is important to know what it is in order to use the form we do want to use today, so have a peek at the link.

Horatian Ode – The Horatian ode named after the Roman poet, Horace were usually more calm and less formal than the Pindaric Ode, and the Horatian ode was more for personal enjoyment than a stage performance. The Horatian ode is generally more tranquil, contemplative, less formal, less ceremonious, and better suited to quiet reading rather than theatrical production compared to the Pindaric ode.  (An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland
BY ANDREW MARVELL).  Again, we need to know what this ode is all about in order to be able to use some of its elements so have a peek at the poem)

Irregular Ode – “Authors of the irregular ode will retain some of the elements of Pindaric and Horatian odes, but have the freedom to experiment. The irregular ode “employs neither the three-part form of the Pindaric ode nor the two- or four- line stanza that typifies the Horatian ode [and] is also characterized by irregularity of verse and stanzaic structure and by lack of correspondence between parts called  a pseudo-Pindaric ode or Cowleyan ode (after Abraham Cowley)” (Example:“Ode on Solitude by Alexander Pope (1700)”).”

Ode on Solitude by Alexander Pope (1700)

Theme: Seclusion, Loneliness of Places, Solitariness

Type of Ode: Irregular Style

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground.

Unlike a Pindaric or Horatian Ode, Pope’s Ode on Solitude more often shortens the second and fourth lines of each quatrain as opposed to the fourth line in the Pindaric style, or the third line in the Horatian style. While it does use quatrains like the other forms are known for, the irregularities in each stanza separates it from the traditional styles.

I will ask you to attempt to write an Irregular Ode today.   I’ve gone into so much detail because in the past whist participating on poetry prompt blogs, the writers more often than not just wrote – write and ode.  Then, I didn’t know the first thing about odes (and I’m still not an expert believe me). I didn’t know what I was supposed to do and found that very frustrating – same thing happened with sonnet and ballad to tell the truth – and had to go and look the forms up and pull out examples etc. – so I thought I’d spend a little time giving you a dust-up on what an ode is with links to go and read up the details.  The ode has fallen rather out of fashion over the last one hundred or so years, and I suspect that has to do with the general acceleration of modern life and modern entertainment as well.  So I thought we’d try the irregular style which is closer to our way of life and see if we mightn’t write an ode that would be appreciated even in our age of “quicky” flash micro-poetry. Here’s another site that explains the three forms: LINK.

Now for today’s subject … remembering that an Irregular Ode tends more to the individual’s vision of the world, in a sort of contemplation, here is a photo that you can use for either an ode or Shadorma if you prefer to write your poem in that form:

Of course if you take photographs or if you wish to illustrate your work in some other fashion that is fine by us, just remember to attribute owner-ship to the artist you’re borrowing from and link back to the original photo.

Once you’ve written your post don’t forget to tag: B&P’s Shadorma & Beyond and Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie and then link to our Mr. Linky app.

Have a great week everyone! Ciao Bastet.

 

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About Bastet

I love to read...I like to write...I've travelled the world and seen the sites. I'm past my prime and feel so young, especially when near the young. I'm writing this blog, to remember, to think and to share...with the hopes that someone else will make a comment that will stimulate new thoughts and pathways. Actually, I'm a gabber, so the logical extension of gabbing is blogging! ;-)

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