Poetic Features
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Version: 1.0
Overseer: Oobie Weinberg
Introduction
In this layer exegetes must identify and present the top three poetic features of their psalm.
Definition
For our purposes we define a poetic feature as a feature of intentional design that shapes and reflects the message of the psalm. Take for example the following poetic feature from Psalm 29:
The feature identified is the matching opening and closing frames of the psalm. This feature clearly has intentional design, with matching lengths of four lines each, the careful distribution of YHWH across each of those four lines, the repetition of the keyword "strength", and the repeated theme of giving. The feature also shapes and reflects the message of the psalm by highlighting and combining the keywords "strength" and YHWH as central to the psalm's message as a whole, namely as a demonstration of YHWH's strength.
Criteria for Evaluating Poetic Features
Poetic features are evaluated according to three criteria:
Significance: How significant is the poetic feature in its contribution to the message/progression/power of the psalm as a whole? Or is its significance not clear or limited to only a small section? Or merely structural (e.g. marking off section/stanza breaks)?
Intentionality: With how much confidence can we say that the feature is part of the intentional design of the psalm? What compelling evidence points to intelligent design behind the feature? What poetic techniques are being used to create the feature?
Clarity: Is the feature clear, coherent, and simple enough to grasp quickly? Or is does it feel convoluted, with too many elements, unintegrated elements, or too many possible effects? How effective, elegant, and clear are the visual presentation and the feature/effect boxes?
Steps
- Copy the poetic features template from the template board and paste it onto your MIRO board.
- Copy the Hebrew-English text from the Poetic Structure visual and paste it onto the template. Delete all grey boxes and braces, and clear all special formatting of the text (e.g., bold, color) except for the color marking any emendations and revocalizations. Be sure to include the note for the emendations and revocalizations.
- Based on the Poetic Structure analysis, visually combine the lines of the text into poetic sections by deleting the space between verses (line groupings) that belong to the same paragraph (see visual below). Indent all b-lines, c-lines, and d-lines to visually indicate verses within the sections (see visual below). Indent (TAB) twice for b/c/d-lines in the Hebrew text and once for the CBC English text. At this point, the text should look something like the following:
- Copy and paste the template with the Hebrew/English text inside of it three times (one for each poetic feature).
- Now you are ready to identify the top three poetic features of the psalm. Given the unique artistry of each poem, there is no mechanical process for identifying the most significant poetic features. This identification requires thoughtful and prolonged meditation on the psalm as well as a general familiarity with Hebrew poetry and an expectation of the kinds of features Hebrew poems are likely to exhibit.[1] Nevertheless, some general guidelines for identifying the top poetic features may be given:
- Is the Psalm as a whole arranged in a pattern (e.g., acrostic, chiastic, etc.)? If so, then this will likely qualify as a top poetic feature.
- Do noticeable and meaningful correspondences function to connect lines or strophes across the Psalm? If so, then this may qualify as a top poetic feature. The connections may be formed by repeated roots, repeated sounds, repeated semantic domains, repeated rhythmic patterns, repeated syntactic structures, (etc.) or a combination of various elements. (See e.g., Ps. 1 "No Standing"; Ps. 2 "Think Again"; Ps. 3 "Rise and Rescue; Ps. 4 "Doubles"; Ps. 6 "Repetition, Resolution, and Reversal"
- How does the author use imagery (not only figurative language [metaphors] but also concrete non-figurative images)? Do the images relate to one another in meaningful ways? (See e.g., Ps. 1 "Footsteps", Ps. 2 "Heaven and Earth and In-Between"; Ps. 4 "A New Day Dawns".
- How does the author use sound to form connections, to signal points of prominence, or to create certain moods or effects? (See e.g., Ps. 1 "Opposite direction"; Ps. 2 "Son of God"; Ps. 3 "Response to Taunts"
- Are there any points of prominence in the Psalm (i.e., place where poetic features cluster)? (See e.g., Ps. 3 "The Sound of Silencing"; "The Heights of Poetry and the Depths of Pain; Ps. 150 "Poetic Party"
- Are there any strong allusions to other portions of the OT?
- The above questions and categories by no means exhaust the kinds of poetic features in the Psalms. Some of the most fascinating poetic features do not fit in any of the above categories (or they belong to multiple categories at once). See e.g., Ps. 6 Death and Resurrection, Ps. 150 "Overflowing praise".
- Visualise each poetic feature on MIRO using whatever visual means are most effective (e.g., bold, underline, italics, colors, highlights, shapes, etc.).
- Describe the feature in the text box labeled "Feature." This is purely descriptive and minimally interpretive. Simply describe the feature which you have visualized.
- Describe the effect(s) of the feature in the text box labeled "Effects" (see examples in the above links).
- Give the poetic feature a memorable name.
Help
Good Examples
Common Mistakes
Each of the three criteria introduced above (significance, intentionality, clarity) corresponds to potential mistakes:
Significance: Exegetes must be careful not to choose a poetic feature that has limited significance. Perhaps it is a stunning feature with clearly intentional design and sophisticated poetic technique, but its effect is localized to just one small section and it does not clearly connect to the message of the psalm as a whole. This does not mean that poetic features cannot focus on just one or two verses, but if so then those one or two verses should capture the psalm's whole message and be key verses in the psalm (e.g. the final verse, or the exact middle verse, or the most prominent verse).
Intentionality: Sometimes exegetes identify a beautiful pattern, theme, progression, or arrangement in the psalm, but it does not exhibit signs of clear intentional design by the psalmist. The feature box (and the visual) must present concrete and compelling evidence of intentional design, not just a pattern that may be accidental.
Clarity: Here there are three dangers (at least!). The first is trying to incorporate too many elements in the feature box. When we find patterns and evidence of poetic technique, it can be tempting to try to present all of it at once and involve many elements in one feature. Features are usually more effective with fewer elements. Second, sometimes features can have too many possible effects. Try to sharpen the effect down to one key thrust that shapes/reflects the message of the psalm. Third, the visual can easily become too busy and overwhelming. Again, minimalism will often be the most effective.
Additional Resources
[Forthcoming]
Rubric
Dimension | Description |
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Completeness |
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Quality of analysis |
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Engagement with secondary literature |
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Clarity of language |
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Formatting/Style |
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Submitting your draft
Copy the text below into your forum submission post, entitled Poetic Features - Psalm ###. After posting, change your post into a wiki post so the reviewers can check the boxes. To change your forum post into a wiki post, click on the three-dot menu at the end of the text.
Click on the wrench.
Select "make wiki."
[Poetic Features Layer Rubric](https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/Poetic_Features#Rubric) |Guardian Review|Overseer Review|Final Checks|Description| | --- | --- | --- | --- | ||||**Completeness** |[ ]||| Each element required by the creator guidelines has been included. |[ ]||| Three poetic features have been identified and visualized. |[ ]||| Prose explanations of the "features" and their "effects." ||||**Quality of analysis** |[ ]|[ ]|[ ]| Each of the top poetic features brings out a unique element of the psalm's poetic beauty. |[ ]|[ ]|[ ]| The features are well grounded in compelling evidence, and, for the most part, the features resemble the kinds of features that are given as examples in the guidelines. ||||**Engagement with secondary literature** |[ ]|[ ]|| Secondary sources (esp. van der Lugt and Fokkelman) are cited where relevant. ||||**Clarity of language** |[ ]|[ ]|[ ]| Explanations of poetic features and effects are clear and concise. |[ ]|[ ]|[ ]| Language is not too technical so as to be inaccessible to [Sarah](https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/Personas). ||||**Formatting/Style** |[ ]||| The visuals are based on the templates in MIRO and so use the correct font sizes, styles, and colors. |[ ]||| The CBC is up-to-date for all visuals.
Footnotes
- ↑ For the latter, see e.g., Wilfred Watson, Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to its Techniques (Sheffield Academic Press: Sheffield), 2001; Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Poetry; Adele Berlin, The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism