How to Write a Great Poem

 
Poetry is not about words sounding pretty. It’s not about depression. It’s not about love. Your creativity, experiences, emotions, and your words define poetry. A poem does not only consist of stanzas with four lines each in ABAB format. Poetry exists as a method to express. Poetry speaks the words you cannot say. Illustrates a feeling you cannot draw. Poetry releases those things and creates a story that embodies everything you want it to. I’ll give you some tips on how to do that.

Let’s begin with imagery. Imagine a setting. Smell the air. See the scene. Close your eyes and immerse yourself in it. Allow your senses to deliver words of description. The thing about poetry it’s all about experiencing your words and a lot of patience. For me, I can’t interrupt myself or the flow will stop. Once you feel that, don’t take a break yet. Start by describing what you hear or what’s outside your window.

Next, is using a thesaurus. Have a page open either on a phone or computer. Sometimes our vocabulary is not expansive enough to give us proper words to use. “Walk” may work, but “stroll” is better. I constantly look up synonyms to everyday words. It’s not about it sounding fancy. You as the writer want to convey a message. Specific words relay that message better than others.

Next, is structure. I tend to leave this until the very end. After reading through the whole poem I create line breaks. The way it's broken up can change a poem. If there are many situations going on, breaking it up in the right parts is important. If the top part speaks about mistakes and the bottom is about redemption, finding the right place to separate those two helps a reader. Organization in poetry helps the flow. Poetry has guidelines, but don’t feel confined to them. It can have stanzas, or it could be a paragraph. It can be half a page or several pages.

Now for the poem itself. I like to start with feelings. Am I cold, upset, stuck (metaphorically), etc. With writing about another person, you can begin with their physical description, their personality, how they make you feel, or an action. If your poem is referring to a memory, describe the scene and why that memory has stuck with you for so long. If you have absolutely no idea what to write about, look around the room. Pick a color and a couple random things or do I what I do and write random sentences. Something will spark an interest and your mind will get creative. It’s like bait. A sentence will stand out and an entire poem can come out of it. Here’s an example of mine:

I turned around to find a friend

I turned around to the end

As solid ground flew away 

I called out to the sky

Because she never said bye


​Cancel the dreams

Undo the seams

She has gone and left me here

Unraveled and unclothed without my friend

Is this truly the end?

I wrote several lines after the first two, but didn’t like the way it sounded. I kept the first two and took off from there. I created a pattern of two lines of rhyme, a break, and two more lines of rhyme. I almost deleted the first draft, but those two lines stuck out to me. It’s not the greatest, but gives you an idea. Poetry comes from within and as with any art, it is difficult to “teach”. Keep sharpening the tool. Never let the mind dull. Everyday brings new inspiration. You need to stay alert and grab at it when the opportunity arises. Keep a notebook with you at all times or download a notebook app. Challenge yourself to writing a poem at the end of the week for a month. Practice, progress, and perfect.

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