The Big Idea of this Poetry Collection
For this Poetry Collection, I wanted to write poems that took place within a fictional universe that I have been writing about for the past few years. In this class I have come to see and appreciate poetry as a great medium to write and tell stories. Poetry as a medium has tools that help it cover emotions and thoughts in a manner superior to novels. In my mind, poetry offers a snapshot into a character's mind. It allows the writer to focus on what they are feeling and really draw it out. So that's what I decided to do.
I tried to write the poems in such a way that didn't require any background information. These poems exist in an alternate version of our very own solar system. A place where the planets are ruled by an egotistical conquering prideful alien race known as the plenatites, due to their planet-like strength and abilities. They have a rigid hierarchy based on power. Because power is so important to the plenatite race, they favor stronger members and brush off the weaker ones and treat them as nuisances. They don't allow the lowest grade to interact with the high ones as they see them as a waste of time. The lower you go down the Plenatite Hierarchy the weaker the plenatites are.
The main character in these poems is based on the planet Pluto. As you know Pluto is no longer considered a planet like Earth or Jupiter. Because of its size and other factors, it is considered a dwarf planet. The main character is a low-class plenatite, who was born into a family of ruling plenatites, where he did not fit in with his royal siblings. Pluto is banished to the outskirts of the Milky Way Sector for resembling the lower members of society.
These poems are all from Pluto's perspective as he comes to terms with being looked down upon and rejected by his family. The second poem deals with how he comes to terms with his hypocrisy in the past and later finds redemption and a friend. And the last poem is very different from the previous two. It deals with the idea of soul mates in a very general manner. It is very detached from the world that the previous poems inhabit. I did that on purpose. Even though they are the main character's thoughts, they are also my own and I want to make that statement able to stand on its own. The main character comes up with these thoughts a little bit after the events of the previous poem and they are a stark contrast to his siblings' view of love as mentioned in the first poem.
My Experience: Writing, Revisioning, and what was Frustrating
I knew I wanted to write three poems that told a small part of a story I have always wanted to write at the very beginning. So when it came down to writing these poems I just kept my premise in mind, and allowed the story to play in my mind, and carefully documented the characters' thoughts and emotions like an all-knowing observer who was close to the characters. The most frustrating part about this is trying to fully and accurately convey the ideas that were playing in my head.