To write a poem just look at the world around you or what exists inside you. A poem can cover anything from love to the rusty gate of the old farmhouse. Writing poetry can help you improve your language style, even if, at first, you will have no idea where to start. While writing poetry is certainly a skill that improves with practice (like any other type of writing), wikiHow can put you on the right path.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Get creative
Step 1. Find inspiration
A poem may begin with a fragment of verse, perhaps a line or two that seem to come out of nowhere, and the rest of the poem will just have to be written around them. Here are some ways to find inspiration:
- Get inspired by other authors. Collect poetry books from different authors, or print 10-12 random poems from the internet. Then randomly choose a line from each poem, trying to focus only on the first line you see and not pick the best one. Write all these lines on a sheet of paper and try to arrange them into a sensible poem. The juxtaposition of two completely different lines could give you an idea for your poem.
- Write down all the words and phrases that come to your mind when you think about something. Put all your ideas in black and white.
- It may seem difficult, but don't be afraid to voice your exact feelings. Emotions are what bring poems to life, and if you lie about your emotions it will be easily perceived through what you write. Write them as quickly as possible, and when you're done, scroll through the list and look for links or passages that inspire you.
- Try to immerse yourself in a particular context that you want to write about. For example, if you want to write about nature, take a walk in a park or in a wood. The landscape might inspire you a few verses.
Step 2. Read and listen to poems
Get inspired by the works of the poets you admire. Explore a wide range of works, from poems universally considered classics to the lyrics of the most popular songs. You will find that as your interaction with poetry increases, your sense of aesthetics will gradually take shape and refine.
- To train your ear and meet people who share your passion, participate in public poetry readings.
- Find the lyrics of your favorite songs and interpret them in a poetic way. You may be surprised at the effect they make when reading them from the page, instead of being spoken or sung aloud.
Step 3. Think about what you want to achieve with your poem
Maybe you want to write a poem that expresses your love for your boyfriend or girlfriend; perhaps you want to commemorate a tragic event; or maybe you just want to get a good grade on an Italian test. Think about why you are writing the poem and what audience it will be aimed at, and keep these aspects in mind when writing.
Step 4. Decide on the style of poetry that suits your subject
There are many different poetic styles. As a poet, you have at your disposal a great variety of forms of poetry to choose from: nursery rhymes, sonnets, villanelles, sestines, haiku… the list goes on.
You may decide to abandon form altogether and write your poem in free verse. While the choice may not always be as obvious as in the previous example, the best form of poetry will reveal itself as you write
Part 2 of 3: Let the creativity flow
Step 1. Choose the right words
It is said that if a novel are "words in the best order", a poem is "the best words in the best order".
- Think of the words you use as bricks of different shapes and sizes. Some words will marry very well, others will not. You will have to work on your poem until you have composed a solid word structure.
- Use only necessary words, and those that convey the message of the poem. Choose your words carefully. The difference between assonant words or synonyms can lead to interesting puns.
- A computer spreadsheet like Calc from OpenOffice is very useful for reordering words and checking metrics thanks to column alignment. Put a syllable in each cell. You'll be able to copy the text into a word processor to print it when you're done.
Step 2. Use concrete images and vivid descriptions
Most poems appeal to the senses in some way, to help the reader immerse themselves in the text. Here are some things to consider when composing descriptions.
- Love, hate, happiness: these are abstract concepts. Many (perhaps all) poems deal with emotions and other abstractions. But it is difficult to compose a beautiful poem using only abstractions - it will be uninteresting. The secret is to replace or give life to abstractions with concrete images, things that you can appreciate with the senses: a rose, a shark, a crackling fire, for example. The concept of "correlative objective" can be useful. A correlative objective is an object, or several objects, or a series of events (all concrete) that evoke the emotion or idea of the poem.
- The most striking poems not only use concrete images; they also describe them vividly. Show readers and listeners what you are talking about - help them see and hear the images in the poem. Insert "sensory" hooks. They are words that describe the things you can hear, see, touch, taste and smell, so that the reader can identify with their own experiences.
- Give examples instead of limiting yourself to purely mental and intellectual descriptions. A silly example: compare "It made a loud noise" and "It made the same noise as a hippo eating crispy potato chips with metal teeth."
Step 3. Use poetic techniques to make your poem more beautiful
Poetic techniques can enhance the beauty and meaning of what you write. The best known poetic instrument is the rhyme.
- Rhymes can add suspense to your lines, enhance their meanings, or make poetry more cohesive. They can also make it more enjoyable. Don't overdo the rhymes.
- Other poetic tools include metrics and figures of speech, such as metaphors, assonances, alliterations and anaphores. If you don't know them, do some research on the net or in your Italian book. Figures of speech can complete a poem, or if used incorrectly, ruin it.
Step 4. Add a "twist" to the end of the poem
Reserve the most striking message at the end of the poem. The last line of a poem is like the end of a joke - something that evokes an emotional response. Give the reader something to think about, to occupy their thoughts after they read your poem.
Resist the temptation to explain it; let the reader be captivated by the poem and develop their own interpretation of your experience and message
Part 3 of 3: Bringing your creation to life
Step 1. Listen to your poem
Although many people nowadays have only known it in written form, poetry has predominantly been an oral form for thousands of years, and the sound of poetry is still important today. As you write and edit your poem, read it aloud and hear how it sounds.
- The internal structure of a poem usually focuses on rhythm, rhymes, or both. Consider classic styles like sonnets or the Greek epic for inspiration.
- If you want to try your hand at poetry in English, it will be useful to know that spoken English is based on the iambic pentameter, in which the metric follows an alternating pattern of 10 stressed and unstressed syllables. Many poems written in iambic pentameters, such as Shakespeare's, begin with an unstressed one-syllable word, to begin the alternating pattern.
- So you can turn your poems into songs. It's easier to find a melody for a regular metric, so you may want to delete words or add them to get the same number of syllables in each verse.
Step 2. Edit your poem
When you have written the basis of the poem, set it aside for a while and then read it aloud. Analyze it and evaluate the choice of words in combination with the rhythm. Eliminate unnecessary words and replace images that don't work.
- Some people edit a poem at once, while others keep making small corrections.
- Don't be afraid to rewrite parts of the poem that don't convince you. Some poems have verses that just don't convey their message well, and need to be replaced.
Step 3. Share your work
It can be difficult to criticize your work, so after making the first few changes, try having your poem read by friends or a poetry group. You may not approve of their suggestions (and you don't have to follow them), but you may receive constructive advice.
- The comments are positive. Let your poems circulate, and ask friends to critique your work. Ask them to be honest, even if they have negative opinions.
- Never apologize for your work when it is criticized, and instead focus on listening to the opinions of your readers. Filter their responses, choosing advice to follow and to ignore, then make any changes you see fit.
- Offer to make a critique of the works of others. Criticizing the work of others can help you develop a critical eye, which you can also use for your own works.
Advice
- If you want other people to read your poems ask yourself "If someone showed me this poem, would I like it?". If the answer is "no", keep editing it.
- When you start writing a poem, it can be helpful to write the words that summarize the subject in the center of the paper, and think of words that match the subject. If you do this before you start writing, you'll already have a variety of words to choose from. It will be very useful if you are a beginner.
- Solve the problem of writer's block by always carrying a notebook with you, where you can write down the ideas that come to your mind. Creative ideas don't always come to us at the right times.
- Emotion is an important part of poetry. If an emotion is not imbued with the poem, the result will be unnatural and forced.
- It doesn't have to be rhyming. Even a free verse can be beautiful and exciting.
- Do not inhibit your emotions as you write, try to bring out everything that comes to mind and then give it a shape.
- Don't torture yourself by always showing your works to people who don't appreciate poetry. It is a mistake that could make you desist from your intent to be a poet. It is often difficult to explain that you are simply trying something new. The best thing to do is ask someone who is willing to help you (and appreciate the art of poetry) and criticize your works.
- Avoid clichés or overused images. Sun, heart, love are rhymes you should avoid at all costs.
