Welcome to the third edition of our poetry corner. Today, we will display the power of diction in a piece of writing and how, in certain writing styles, authors must carefully structure verses to tell a story from different angles.

PALINDROMIC POEMS

Palindromic poems, which are sometimes called reversal poems, are poems that can be read front to back and back to front. These poems tell two separate stories in the same verses, lines, and structure, which makes them a difficult style to write. Typically, these poems are centered around a specific theme and have two opposing perspectives on the topic based on the direction in which they are read. Palindromic poems can also be done with line-by-line symmetry, which means the line can be repeated front to back. For example, words such as “racecar” or phrases such as “was it a car or a cat I saw” can be read the same from front to back. 

Authors choose to use palindromic poems to emphasize the poem’s message and bring readers’ attention to different perspectives on a singular topic. These poems speak to the duality of a theme, and authors find the balance between creativity, correct structures, and clarity.

EXCERPT FROM “FREEDOM”

We are chained in ropes of fear

So do not try to tell me that

You and I are free

Stuck in a cage of oppression 

At the end of a long day, we are not

The beauty of our choice

Only the darkness beneath our feet just released 

In piles of long gilded gold thread

I stand, 

No action matters more than when

I understand

I do not have to stare at the mirror in disbelief

Watching my freedom reflect into me 

(now read bottom to top)