PROCESS NOTE
These pattern poems use a monospaced font, in this case Courier New, though any monospaced font available on Word, such as Aptos Mono or Cascadia Mono, works equally well. While designing a new pattern poem, I use similar techniques to those employed by the 20th century American poet, John Hollander (author of ‘Swan and Shadow’), who was monospacing during the golden age of the typewriter. While conceptualizing a new poem, I first develop the shape (a kind of mould), initially with graph paper. This helps me determine how many letters + spaces I have for each line, and I then check the design with x’s on a monospaced computer screen before I start writing.
A_portfolio_of_pattern_poetry_by_Mark_WyattMark Wyatt now lives in the UK after teaching in South and South-East Asia and the Middle East. His recent pattern poetry inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses has appeared or is forthcoming in About Place, Artemis Journal, Cosmic Daffodil, Exterminating Angel, Full Bleed, The Greyhound Journal, Ink Sweat and Tears, Libre, Osmosis, Shift, Sontag Mag, Streetcake Magazine, and Talking About Strawberries All Of The Time.