How To Write A Pantoum Poem
Have you ever tried writing poetry?
If you’re like me, then it may flow easily sometimes, and at other times feel like you’re trying to write in a foreign language.
Poetic Potential
I don’t think of myself as a poet (Andrew writes lovely bush poetry) but I do love this simple process called a French Pantoum. This form of poetry uses a repetition to create rhythm and flow that’s both surprising and serendipitous.
Step One: Write A Page of ‘Free Writing’
Begin by focusing on a subject that’s important to you and writing your reflections on the topic. You may like to focus on painting and creativity, or you may like to consider freedom and what it means to you, or you may like to focus on someone close to you and what they mean to you. When you think of your topic, what comes to mind? What sensations, feelings, colours, tastes or impressions stir within you?
How does your topic support you in your life? What does it mean to you? How does it help you to experience the world in a deeper way?
Write at least one page without censoring yourself on your topic. Write without judgment and allow yourself to be surprised by what you create. Avoid editing as you go, but instead allow the words to flow onto the page. Use descriptive, sensual and emotive language as much as possible.
Step Two: Choose Six Lines
Once you feel complete with the process of reflection and your writing, read back through and underline at least six lines that stand out to you. They may create a strong picture in your mind’s eye, or they may have a certain lilt or rhythm that you enjoy.
Step Three: Compose Your French Pantoum
Next, write the numbers 1 to 12 on a fresh page. You’ll use the six phrases you’ve underlined from your writing for lines one, two, three, four, six and eight. Do this process intuitively, without overanalyzing which line to put where. Then, complete the following lines by filling in the corresponding phrases by following the French Pantoum poetry sequence on the following page.
Step Four: Polish The Edges
Read over the Pantoum you’ve just created. Feel free to ‘polish the edges’ by lightly editing for flow and rhythm. Don’t get caught up trying to make it perfect, but instead allow it’s rawness and authenticity to bubble through.
Step Five: Reflect On Your Poem
Take a moment to read your poem silently to yourself and then out loud. Notice how it feels and what sensations it stirs up within you. Congratulations, you just wrote a French Pantoum! Try writing another if you feel drawn to.
Like a dream swept in from the ocean by the waves
Slowing to look behind the trees
Rising high into the clouds to capture a bird’s eye view
Picked up and carried along ancient rivers
Slowing to look behind the trees
To be always on the lookout for our love so true
Picked up and carried along ancient rivers
Over many life years and finally my dream is found
After always being on the lookout for our love so true
Rising high into the clouds to capture a bird’s eye view
Over many life years and finally my dream is found
Like a dream swept in from the ocean by the waves.
~ Andrew Newman
French Pantoum
Stanza 1
Line 1:
Line 2:
Line 3:
Line 4:
Stanza 2
Line 5: (repeat of line 2 in stanza 1)
Line 6: (new line)
Line 7: (repeat of line 4 in stanza 1)
Line 8: (new line)
Stanza 3
Line 9: (repeat of line 6 in stanza 2)
Line 10: (repeat of line 3 of stanza 1)
Line 11: (repeat of line 8 of stanza 2)
Line 12: (repeat of line 1 of stanza 1)
Be kind to yourself and nurture your creativity.
With my warmest wishes,
Nicola xx
About Nicola Newman
I'm a Creative Business Coach, Award-Winning Artist & Mentor for Creative Hearts who want to flourish, flow & prosper.
My passion is inspiring and supporting Creative Hearts to trust their inner wisdom and carve out a life that’s personally meaningful and fulfilling to them.
I share practical, evidence-based tools for Creative Hearts seeking to improve their lives or businesses. My work draws from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based techniques, body-based practices, and neuroscience -- and my own creative living adventures -- among other approaches.
My mission is to support Creative Hearts to:
Dissolve creative blocks, develop a loving relationship with themselves, nurture their creativity and reframe the beliefs and patterns that keep them from following their heart and making the creative contribution they would love to make in the world.
My approach is to embrace gentleness, playfulness and self-care to navigate self-doubt and instead cultivate deep self-trust so you can truly enjoy the creative process, bring together your body of work, make money doing what you love and leave a creative legacy you’re proud of.
Let’s pour a cuppa and get to know one another, shall we? :) Read more about my story here.
