How is Poetic License to be Understood: Freedom of Expression For the Poet

Are you an artisan who enjoys the freedom of taking artistic license? In other words, are you into freedom of expression when writing poetry?

Freelance writers and other writers often take poetic license to emphasize a point. Taking poetic license with a literary or other kind of project may appear to be unconventional or unwarranted at times, but it is usually effective. In other words, it achieves results. It is important for artisans to understand what poetic license is and how it works.

What is poetic license?

Freedictionary.com defines poetic license as “the liberty taken by an artist or a writer in deviating from conventional form or fact to achieve a desired effect.”

For writers and artisans, poetic license helps to “heighten the effect of their work”. For example, a writer may employ unusual, unexpected, seemingly inappropriate or even obsolete words to express something in a way that entices a reader and holds his or her interest. 

“Poetic license gives a writer the element of literary or artistic freedom, or “freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech).”

Is poetic license a literary device that most poets employ?

Yes, many poets take poetic license in their work, as there are times when a multiplicity of words or concepts cannot state what he or she attempts to portray in his or her poetry. A single word used appropriately can make a very powerful statement.

Any writer can employ poetic license to achieve unusual impact. Poetic license taken by artisans in general, makes statements in a more dramatic way. For example, an artist may intentionally distort a face in a painting, to portray exaggerated, strong emotion.

Poetic license entails creative thinking that often extends beyond normal rules and conventions or thinking outside the box. It can involve caricatures, historical elements or narrative to achieve increased effectiveness. 

Used correctly, poetic license can prove to be a powerful tool for artisans.

Rule breaking of any kind is not usually a good idea, as it may open the work of any artisan, including writers and poets to adverse or negative criticism. Other disadvantages to taking poetic license may include an utter distortion of meaning or text. Context changed by a revision of grammatical usage may confuse the reader. It may evoke unexpected emotional responses, as well.

Appropriate use of poetic license can make a project intriguing, exciting and more interesting, regardless of what kind of work it is. Any kind of expression that is unusual and different can present a challenge, as well as expand artistic horizons and thus, poetic license generally has merit.