How to Write a Poem

Posted on August 24th, 2009 by Carmelia

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Poetry is one of the earliest forms of literature, second only to playwriting. What differentiates poetry from prose is the use of metered verse to convey emotions, ideas and even ideologies. While the metered verse aspect of poetry is important, it can apply to both in rhyme and free verse (Take cues from these Top ten Poets of the 20th Century). However, modern schools of thought have included prose poetry and alternative forms of poetry.

Like all good writing, poetry must contain something that’s very real in your heart, but at the same time makes use of powerful imagery and remain evocative with using only fewer words than you would with prose.

Read and listen to poetry. Before trying to write poems yourself, try to delve into diverse poetry. Take note of the emotions of the poem, what your interpretation of the poem is and how the poem was constructed. Analyze the poem. Poems usually have their own internal rhythm, whether they are fixed or not.

poem writing

What kind of poetry? While most beginners like to use free verse, but you may find yourself warming to other poetry forms. You can learn How to Write a Sonnet, How to Write a Limerick and How to Write a Haiku by clicking one or all these links. Try writing each kind, and determine what works with you best.
Write down your thoughts as they come to you. Worry about the form later. Write about a subject that moves you. It can be a an emotion, an event or something personal that happened to you.
Read and recite. After writing the first draft of your poem, read your poem first, and recite it out loud second. This will give you a feel of how the rhythm and the of the poem goes, what sounds right and what doesn’t.
When editing, try using the best words to evoke an image or a feeling. Words fit together a certain way, like music does, and it’s always best to have the best words working for you in your poem. Get rid of unnecessary words, try to minimize over-explaining your poem. Choose your words carefully.
Use sensory words. Sensory words are words that you use when evoking or talking about hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and seeing. Sensory words help make your poetry feel more concrete and connects with the reader more.
Poetic devices can be used to make your poem better. Rhyme is the most common poetic device, but you can also make use of alliteration, repetition assonance or metaphor. However, don’t abuse the poetic devices. Use them when the poem needs them.
Like most literature, having a good ending for your poem. It can be surprising, emotional, thought-provoking or simply an end to the story in the poem. Let the ending of your poem prompt your reader to go back to read the poem from the beginning.
Leave your poem unread for two days and go back and re-read it for editing. The days you spent away from the poem will give you a fresher viewpoint. Edit or rewrite your poem to make it work better.
Submit it for criticism. You can have friends or poetry groups critique your work. Getting criticism can be tough, but remind yourself that it’s all part of the learning process. You can take their criticism and leave them as you see fit. Edit your work and go through the whole process again. You will improve the more your polish and practice your poetry writing.