Bound in twine

Abstract

The following thesis contains a collection of original poetry, either written or revised during my tenure as a graduate student. This thesis also contains a critical introduction of the collection's forms, underlying writing processes, experimental techniques, and themes. The first priority of the introduction is to autobiographically trace the state of my poetry from its first poems to this collection of stories and poems. With a full understanding of my poetic history, the form and content of this current work will not only be understood in context, but become more interesting as an evolutionary study. I will discuss the different trends and themes I see working in my poetry. I will show how melding prose and poetry creates a new poetic style designed to engage a larger potential audience than free verse or formalist poetry. Finally I will discuss what this collection hopes to do as a whole. The poetry in this collection is separated into three sections. The first section, titled "Knots" is a collection of what I refer to as poems that consist of a length of one or several segments--meant to be taken in visually, absorbed from a page and understood in its linear storyline. The second section, titled "How To Tie A Noose," is a collection of thematically similar pieces: antagonistic, morally flawed characters in simple, innocent settings. "Tripwire," the third section of this collection, showcases the interim poems written while still considering the overall point of this project. These poems discuss social, political and personal conflictions, and represent my growth as a poet and my continual learning process within the field of creative writing.--Shantel Grace