If you’ve ever been interested in writing poetry, but felt you just couldn’t do it, read on.
Our favorite moments wouldn’t be the same without the beauty and allure of poetry. But what is it about poetry that fascinates us so much?
At first, there seems to be a simple answer. We love poetry because we relate to it. We like to read poems and listen to music that remind us of our own lives. Falling in love. The birth of a child. Graduating from college. There are so many impactful and relatable events. However, just writing a poem that you think your audience will relate to rarely works. You need more. You need to create a visual.
All literature is to some degree visual. We visualize what we read, and the more concrete the words the more powerful the visualization. Therefore, an important guideline for writing poetry is to use concrete description. Even while writing about such idealogical concepts as love and hate, concrete words help to get our ideas through. Instead of writing my great love for her, try I brought flowers to her door every day. Instead of writing I despise him, try I curl my fist at the sight of him. Any idea can be made concrete with a little creativity.
Next, you must let go of your logic. Poetry is generally not logical, such as a short story or novel might be. An effect need not follow a cause. An ending need not follow a beginning. Events may occur in any order. Do not allow yourself to criticize your poem until you have finished writing it. Let your mind wander as you write. Mind-wandering often helps you come up with great metaphors.
Metaphor is your friend. Some of the most memorable parts of poems are metaphors. Search for new metaphors. A metaphor’s power comes from its novelty. On the other hand, avoid clichés. Clichés cheapen writing. For poetry, a particularly common cliché is end rhyme: the last word of the current line rhymes with the last word of the previous line. You don’t have to rhyme every line in poetry. You don’t have to rhyme at all. Try other methods to create resonance in your writing. Repeat consonant sounds, or repeat vowel sounds. Try eye rhymes, in which the words look as if they should rhyme but don’t: love and grove. Whatever you do, keep it interesting.
Finally, it’s okay to leave a little mystery. The meaning behind your poem doesn’t have to be apparent after the first read. This is one of the most difficult skills to master. On the one hand, you don’t want to purposely hide the meaning behind your poetry, and on the other hand you don’t want to give it away. Seek a comfortable balance, somewhere between complete mystery and blatancy.
I hope you’ll feel more comfortable about jotting down that poem you’ve intended to write for months, or perhaps, even years. No matter how long you have waited, don’t let yourself get caught up with rules. The number one rule about poetry is there are no rules. Don’t worry that you aren’t following every guideline mentioned here. Most poets don’t, but they are, nonetheless, aware of them. And now you are too.