"Staccato" is the
Italian word, meaning detached. In
music a dot is usually placed above the music note, indicating those notes should be distinctly seperate, while also being
short in length.
"Staccato Poetry" is a term applying to abrubt,
short, detached, distinct, choppy poetry; a term used by poet Maia Szekeley to describe her style of writing.
Similar to Haiku, but not the same. Staccato Poetry has no set meter or form. The point is brevity. Saying as much as you can, in as few words as possible.
This kind of poetry should have a musical quality to it, abrubt and distinct, when read.
This poetic style can also be attributed to Belfast writer Ciaran
Carson, whose 2003 poem 'Breaking' broke from his usual meandering works, to be labelled Staccato.
Examples of Staccato Poetry by Szekeley.
---
airplanes float
unmoving in the sky
tiny orbs of light
like stars, flickering
all those
peoplegoing somewhere
--
i want to feel you with palms,
and fingers, and fingertips,
mouth too, lips
--
Breaking by Ciaran
Carsonred alert
car
parkedin a red
zone
about to
disintegrate
it's
oh
so quiet
you can
almost
hear it rust
