C.R.I.S.P. — The Finer Points of the Method (2.)— “P” for POETICIZE
The last tactic for stylistic revision of sentences in the C.R.I.S.P. Method is indicated by the letter “P” for POETICIZE. I’m generally not a lover of -IZEisms, but this at least completes the acronym, AND I couldn’t think of an alternative term to quickly express the concept.
As with the other parts of the method, there are specific tactics and techniques to do in poeticizing. With the last of the ones I’ll note below, there will be a transition to a new series of postings on RHETORICAL FIGURES, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, and tried and true “WAYS WITH WORDS” that great writers (and, initially of course, great speakers) have recognized, invented, named, and put to use. The German scholar Heinrich Lausberg in his HANDBOOK OF LITERARY RHETORIC identifies over 900 figures as used by ancient, medieval, and modern rhetoricians and poets. My forthcoming overview will be nowhere near as extensive, but it will cover a few dozen that have significant usefulness.
So, to POETICIZE your finished product sentences, I suggest the following:
- As all good poets do, pay attention to the sound of your language as well as its sense, to the music of your words as well as their meaning.
- As Geoffrey of Vinsauf (fl.1200 A.D.) suggests in his POETRIA NOVA [I recommend Sister Margaret Nims translation from the Latin — Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies], make use of the Theory of Transformations. By this theory, taking any key word in your original sentence: noun, verb, adjective, or adverb, RECAST THE SENTENCE USING THAT KEY WORD AS A DIFFERENT PART OF SPEECH and examine your options using the various results. YES, this might seem like HARD WORK WITH WORDS — but that is what GOOD WRITING is all about: hard work at your end, so that the reader has it good. (EXAMPLES: a sentence contains the subject noun “Art” — try to make sentences that say the same thing or keep the same essential content with the word “artisan” [noun, but referring now to the artist and not the art], “artful,” “artistic,” [both adjectives] “artistically,” [adverb] etc. Another example: a sentence with the verb “criticize” — try sentences with “critic,” “critical,” criticism,” “critically,” etc.
- Read your sentences aloud — both to yourself and to other(s) to develop an “ear” for the flow and cadence of powerful prose — OR poetry.
- Read poetry of all types. Having a poetic sense for echoes of sound and rhythmical language will make one a better prose writer.
- Study, learn, and make use of some of the tried and true turns of phrase and figurative — rather than strictly literal — language to be had from RHETORICAL FIGURES (both TROPES and SCHEMES — more on these in the next series of articles, but directly relevant to POETICIZE.
But to leave you with one Rhetorical Figure, I’ll throw in a CHIASMUS pattern (Greek for “X-shape”) known well in constructions such as “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” [xy:yx] Here it is: “You can’t develop a masterful way with words if your words keep getting in the way.”
