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Found 2 results

  1. I want to discuss keteks, specifically their form. This thread is about my stylistic thoughts and some tools for writing keteks. There is already a great thread for sharing keteks, Keteks for All!, which includes lots of beautiful keteks and a few of my own. Keteks must read the same forward and backward (allowing for changes in verb form) and have a five part structure. Following these rules are difficult, but the point is not to just show how cleverly you can follow the rules. The structure creates contrasts and parallels. The first part is contrasted by the form to the fifth part. The fourth segment appears as a reflection of the second. The third part emerges as a central pivotal idea. Each ketek has simultaneously a sequential structure and a reflective structure which relate the different ideas. The idea of writing keteks is not to communicate despite the difficult form, but rather to use the form to communicate by taking advantage of the parallels, reflections and contrasts. This is done by maintaining the symmetric word structure while creating asymmetry in the meaning and parts. If you accept my opinion that the point of writing a ketek is to draw out contrasts, then we conclude that we should try to change the meaning of the parts of the ketek so that the ketek is not repetitive. To help, I have made a list of tools, ways of changing the meaning while preserving the structure. When I write a ketek and struggle with a particular part or idea, I go down this list to help me think of ways to fix the problem. 1) Word Order - This tool is forced upon us, but it is worth paying attention to which phrases create a much different meaning when inverted and which don't. (beautiful forests, leaves green with hidden glades) means pretty much the same thing as (glades hidden with green leaves, forests beautiful). I recommend looking for phrases which when inverted mean very different things. For example, (war of love) means something quite different than (love of war) or (children fear monsters) and (monsters fear children). 2) Punctuation - This is probably the most useful and versatile tool. You can completely alter the meaning of a phrase with punctuation. (Dying alone.) means a totally different thing than (dying... alone?) It is also possible to use punctuation to break up confusing inversions and make them more palatable to the reader. (I am hungry.) becomes the starwarsesque (hungry am I) but with some punctuation becomes (Hungry? Am I?). The inversion of word order involved in Keteks makes them confusing for the reader. It is easy to get lost in vague statements and confusing word orders. Readers will only work so hard to get your meaning. As a poet you have to use the punctuation to hold your readers' hand and reassure them. I dislike the practice of using slashes to delineate the five segments of your ketek. It feels choppy. Ideally, the five segments should be clear from the meaning and punctuation. 3) Adding Words - This tool is too often ignored. In writing a ketek I sometimes find that I have inverted a phrase which almost works. Consider this inversion, (In writing, I find peace, rarely, peace find I, writing in). Almost good, but it's too symetrical 'I find peace' and 'peace find I' are too alike, and the last phrase writing in doesn't make sense. To fix this I can add some words. (Silence! In writing, I find peace. Hauntingly rare, haunting peace found. I write in silence.) First, I wanted to add 'silence' to 'writing in' which made that phrase work. Then I used the exclamation mark to create a contrast in beginning. Shouting silence is always somewhat contradictory, which is a good thing in a ketek. I then tried to highlight the uncertain feeling of peace by adding the word 'haunting' to 'peace found'. The final ketek has symetric words but not symmetric meanings and phrase structure, which is the goal. The center word is like a free word you can add in, a blank scrabble tile, which you can use to fix a lot of problems. This process of adding words which fix some problem phrases but adds more has to be balanced by a pruning process. There is a risk of your ketek becoming too wordy and confusing, which will dilute the power of the contrasts created and burden your reader. 4) Verb forms - So altering verb forms is allowed in Keteks. This can be used to place the different parts of the Ketek at different times. In the first half (we are falling). In the second half (fallen are we). This change in tense is why many keteks have a sense of time and movement about them. I have also found switching to commands to be useful. (Bowed, Bow!) I think there is some question on what exactly is allowed. For example, Jasnah changes 'United' to 'Unity' and El changes 'knowledge' to 'knowing'. 'Unity' and 'knowledge' are not strictly speaking verbs. They are verbs turned into nouns, nominalisation I think it's called. This seems to be okay, only one part of the pair needs to be a proper verb. What does not show up in the examples given is an instance where the little words around the verb are changed, like in an infinitive. You cannot change 'knowing' into 'to know'. Nor can you change the form of adverbs (Quick run) should not be turned into (running quickly), no matter how tempting it is. Finally, I see no case where a verb is altered into its negation 'bind' to 'unbinding' is no good. I don't think we should be too hard or strict about the form. Brandon for example includes a Ketek by Allahn where 'Radiant' is turned into 'Radiants', which I would consider a mistake in the form. Such a strict art form would have different schools some looser, some stricter within it. Just remember the closer you stick to the form the more work it will do for you. 5) Context - The hardest and simplest tool. Words can change their meaning simply by what comes before and after them. Imagine a ketek where someone starts with an 'Ocean, quiet' and then moves on to discuss storm and loss before returning to the now 'quiet ocean'. They have been changed by the journey and the words might be similar but the ocean which began with feelings of peace, adventure and hope now is tinged with sadness, regret and uncertainty. This kind of change in meaning, is subtle and powerful and when done right masterful. This must be set up by the rest of the Ketek both in form and meaning. Waves, ocean, quiet beneath, resting. "Now sailors, We return!" I, only I, return. We sailors now rest beneath quiet ocean waves. So that's my list of ketek tools. I think in general authors should choose simple, concrete subjects for their keteks, making breakfast, trying to ask a girl to dance. In writing them avoid flowery language or imagery and do as much pruning as you can. This will make the final product easier to read and understand. The form itself will make you look articulate, clever and deep. I'm going to write some analysis of Brandon's keteks to show how to use the tools above in reading keteks. Finally, I'm a mathematician and a teacher, not an expert or the poetry police. You should take my opinions as just opinions and write what speaks to you. Thanks for reading. I hope this encourages people to write more keteks. I do really like the idea of them.
  2. You are probably aware that this thread is for poetry! Sanderson or otherwise. Spoilers are fine. Keteks are fine. Free verse is fine.* Feel free to post your poetry, stupid or not, here: Also, Sixth hundredth post!
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