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Poetry Writing Tips For New Creative Writers
by Stu Leventhal
I’ll assume you’ve already gotten into the habit of carrying around a pad and a few pens at all times so where ever you are, when a line, phrase or even just an interesting sounding word is over heard or pops into your head you can quickly jot it all down. When the muse strikes, I urge you not to question but to try to slink off into a quiet corner so you can record these strange bursts of inspiration from the subconscious. Write as quickly as you can and for as long as the inspiration lasts. Don’t worry how silly the stuff may seem, you can decipher your scribbling later. These sudden bursts of mysterious, Zen like inspirations can be invaluable for creating unique and original content or adding sparkle to one’s poetry. Once you’ve begun challenging your brain to think like a poet you will even surprise yourself sometimes with the depths of your own creative wit.
Good poetry makes a reader feel something or gets them thinking. Forget about what everyone else is writing or what the popular subjects of the day are. Tap into your own, unique creativity. Think of something that is meaningful for you at this stage in your life. What is bothering you? What inspires you? What has you upset? Think about something that has dramatically influenced your life. Who do you look up to and why? Recall the last time you really smiled a beaming uncontrollable smile. What caused that smile? Was it a child doing something silly? Did the child bring up a memory? When was the last time you were really shocked by something? Expressing these thought, conveying your emotions to others so they can share in your moments is the basis of great poetry.
So, how do we get started with learning the noble craft of poetry writing?
As with learning any literary craft, reading a few of the universally accepted great examples of poetry is a smart first step. Exposing yourself to and getting familiarized with as many of the different types, forms and styles of poetry will allow the new creative poet more options to take advantage of when crafting your own works. If you happen to already enjoy reading a specific type of poem; funny limericks, for instance, acquiring a book collection of famous or classic limericks through a library or local book store is obviously a good way to start. Since you already like limericks, your interest to pen some of your own will grow naturally as you begin to read the limericks with a more critical eye.
You must re-read your favorite limericks with the mind set to study their form and structure rather than just enjoying them for their silly humorous appeal. Soon you will take note of the reoccurring meters many limericks share as well as the sing song quality. As you dissect the best limericks you begin to understand what makes limericks as a whole so popular. Soon you will begin to recognize the simple traits that the great limericks possess which sets them apart and above good and average limericks. Now you have the confidence and the tools to attempt writing some limericks of your own. With trial and error and persistence all coupled with continued study of well written limericks, you will surely develop your skills into a fine author of limericks yourself. Perhaps along the way, you will be curious enough to venture into more of the other many types of poetry styles and formats.
Poetry Writing Tips For New Creative Writers
by Stu Leventhal
I’ll assume you’ve already gotten into the habit of carrying around a pad and a few pens at all times so where ever you are, when a line, phrase or even just an interesting sounding word is over heard or pops into your head you can quickly jot it all down. When the muse strikes, I urge you not to question but to try to slink off into a quiet corner so you can record these strange bursts of inspiration from the subconscious. Write as quickly as you can and for as long as the inspiration lasts. Don’t worry how silly the stuff may seem, you can decipher your scribbling later. These sudden bursts of mysterious, Zen like inspirations can be invaluable for creating unique and original content or adding sparkle to one’s poetry. Once you’ve begun challenging your brain to think like a poet you will even surprise yourself sometimes with the depths of your own creative wit.
Good poetry makes a reader feel something or gets them thinking. Forget about what everyone else is writing or what the popular subjects of the day are. Tap into your own, unique creativity. Think of something that is meaningful for you at this stage in your life. What is bothering you? What inspires you? What has you upset? Think about something that has dramatically influenced your life. Who do you look up to and why? Recall the last time you really smiled a beaming uncontrollable smile. What caused that smile? Was it a child doing something silly? Did the child bring up a memory? When was the last time you were really shocked by something? Expressing these thought, conveying your emotions to others so they can share in your moments is the basis of great poetry.
So, how do we get started with learning the noble craft of poetry writing?
As with learning any literary craft, reading a few of the universally accepted great examples of poetry is a smart first step. Exposing yourself to and getting familiarized with as many of the different types, forms and styles of poetry will allow the new creative poet more options to take advantage of when crafting your own works. If you happen to already enjoy reading a specific type of poem; funny limericks, for instance, acquiring a book collection of famous or classic limericks through a library or local book store is obviously a good way to start. Since you already like limericks, your interest to pen some of your own will grow naturally as you begin to read the limericks with a more critical eye.
You must re-read your favorite limericks with the mind set to study their form and structure rather than just enjoying them for their silly humorous appeal. Soon you will take note of the reoccurring meters many limericks share as well as the sing song quality. As you dissect the best limericks you begin to understand what makes limericks as a whole so popular. Soon you will begin to recognize the simple traits that the great limericks possess which sets them apart and above good and average limericks. Now you have the confidence and the tools to attempt writing some limericks of your own. With trial and error and persistence all coupled with continued study of well written limericks, you will surely develop your skills into a fine author of limericks yourself. Perhaps along the way, you will be curious enough to venture into more of the other many types of poetry styles and formats.
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MORE POETRY TERMINOLOGY
LESSONS 101 ENCOMIASTIC VERSE: Encomiastic verse is the name given to poetry that was written to praise individuals or events or to glorify an object or an idea. ELISION: Elision is when a poet intentionally slurs a word, usually by leaving out a few syllables, in order to better fit his lines into his poems established meter pattern. 
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"Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
- Leonard Cohen |
Emulating the great poets and masters is not cheating. It is the essence of all studying and learning that must be applied to mastering any craft in order for the student to be successful. The goal of any student artist; sculptors, violinists, chefs, dancers…is to perfect the known, excepted, skills of their chosen craft then ply them using their own unique style. At first we stay close to the true and tried, proven and approved of methods then as our confidence grows we start to experiment and stray, seeking to expand, improve and challenge ourselves as well as the boundaries of our craft itself.
If you are just getting started as a student of poetry and have not yet developed a specific preference for any one form, it is best to at least briefly familiarize yourself with the more popular forms, styles and general concepts of poetry. As you become aware of how extremely diverse and broad the subject of poetry really is; as limitless as the human mind can perceive. You will also realize there are still similarities that all poems share. There are also rules that apply to each type of poem; although brave and crafty, creative poets are constantly proving that the so called rules are never steadfast and are really just guides at best. When we look at literature in general, most of the rules are set up more for being able to classify, categorize and organize the works into like-minded groups. This especially applies to poems and poetry. The stated rules are not meant to hinder a creative artist or to force a poet to conform to an accepted standard. The rules simply mean that when you vary your limerick writing style too far from the norm, you may not be able to call your creations limericks anymore. It is no less of a poem; it just may not fit into any of the popular classifications. The rules of expression through poetry are intended to be challenged, broken and expanded. Great new and accomplished poets are doing just that all the time.
Free form poetry is a great way for a beginning poet to get their feet wet since one is not boxed in and it is not necessary to conform to any specific structure. The free form poet has the freedom to combine poem methods, rambling and drifting in then out of subject matter. Of course, by the end of the piece, the author must find a way to pull it all together and give all the parts unity based on a common thread.
Poems are about life so poetry ideas are everywhere. An idea can spring while you’re flipping through a magazine, just glancing at the photos. Advertisements use unique phrases that are designed to create an emotional response. Sometimes these emotional trigger phrases can be tweaked to fit your own purposes and topics. Listen to people around you, see and hear what they talk passionately about. Study how they react to situations as they develop. Use that emotion in your writing.
One word of caution; Poetry seems to work best when you stick to simple language. So if you are tackling a scholarly subject try changing the complicated words and phrases into more casual every day terminology. Great poems evoke feelings and get people thinking further and deeper about their topic but to do that they must be smoothly written so others can clearly comprehend. Poems are generally short. You only have a few stanzas or phrases with which to accomplish your goal, of presenting your point, so choose each word for maximum effect. Keep it simple; don’t try to tackle too large of a subject all at one time. You don’t need to cram everything into one poem. The best poetry opens the door to new ideas or presents a different way of looking at old ideas then allows the readers room to engage their own imaginations when it comes to taking the issue further. This is why every time we re-read a great poem, we gain more and more meaning from it.
Got a good story idea?
If you are just getting started as a student of poetry and have not yet developed a specific preference for any one form, it is best to at least briefly familiarize yourself with the more popular forms, styles and general concepts of poetry. As you become aware of how extremely diverse and broad the subject of poetry really is; as limitless as the human mind can perceive. You will also realize there are still similarities that all poems share. There are also rules that apply to each type of poem; although brave and crafty, creative poets are constantly proving that the so called rules are never steadfast and are really just guides at best. When we look at literature in general, most of the rules are set up more for being able to classify, categorize and organize the works into like-minded groups. This especially applies to poems and poetry. The stated rules are not meant to hinder a creative artist or to force a poet to conform to an accepted standard. The rules simply mean that when you vary your limerick writing style too far from the norm, you may not be able to call your creations limericks anymore. It is no less of a poem; it just may not fit into any of the popular classifications. The rules of expression through poetry are intended to be challenged, broken and expanded. Great new and accomplished poets are doing just that all the time.
Free form poetry is a great way for a beginning poet to get their feet wet since one is not boxed in and it is not necessary to conform to any specific structure. The free form poet has the freedom to combine poem methods, rambling and drifting in then out of subject matter. Of course, by the end of the piece, the author must find a way to pull it all together and give all the parts unity based on a common thread.
Poems are about life so poetry ideas are everywhere. An idea can spring while you’re flipping through a magazine, just glancing at the photos. Advertisements use unique phrases that are designed to create an emotional response. Sometimes these emotional trigger phrases can be tweaked to fit your own purposes and topics. Listen to people around you, see and hear what they talk passionately about. Study how they react to situations as they develop. Use that emotion in your writing.
One word of caution; Poetry seems to work best when you stick to simple language. So if you are tackling a scholarly subject try changing the complicated words and phrases into more casual every day terminology. Great poems evoke feelings and get people thinking further and deeper about their topic but to do that they must be smoothly written so others can clearly comprehend. Poems are generally short. You only have a few stanzas or phrases with which to accomplish your goal, of presenting your point, so choose each word for maximum effect. Keep it simple; don’t try to tackle too large of a subject all at one time. You don’t need to cram everything into one poem. The best poetry opens the door to new ideas or presents a different way of looking at old ideas then allows the readers room to engage their own imaginations when it comes to taking the issue further. This is why every time we re-read a great poem, we gain more and more meaning from it.
Got a good story idea?
How to Write a Love Poem
Love poems are a way to exhibit one’s feelings for another human being. Enthusiasts have been writing love poems for hundreds of years. During these hectic modern times too frequently we do not take enough time to create poetry or to read and enjoy poems, particularly romantic poetry. Certainly, colleges don’t spend enough time teaching the art work of affection poem writing. Call it corny, call it nerdy but love poetry still ranks number one when it comes to effective courting techniques. Tongue tied while around the object of your affections? Do you start to sweat, mouth gets dry and you start to stutter every time you try to profess your true feelings? Whenever the object of your affection is nearby are you unable to think straight, let alone, speak fluidly enough to proclaim your passion. If you’ve been pining away searching for the best way to let the object of your desires know you’re in love with him/her, this article was written just for you! If you are looking for a memorable way to rekindle the flame? This article is for you too!
Sending the one you love an original love poem written just for them, will immediately open his/her eyes. There’s no better way to get your beloved’s undivided attention. Writing a personalized romantic poem is, hands down, the best way to say; I love you, I care about you, I’ve been thinking of you.
So how do I start?
It’s not necessary to begin from scratch. Gain some inspiration from the poems you remember from childhood. Take: Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is nice and so are you. A simple twist of this rhyme will make such an impression. Try writing it out on a piece of color paper using your beloved’s favorite color ink and I promise you, you’ll knock your companion off their feet! Take it to the next level by writing two or three variations of this simple little rhyme then string them together and you’ve created your first full size love poem!
Now that we’re warmed up, let’s move on to a little longer, more sophisticated, serious poetry. There are so many types of love poems that you may want to go to your local book store or library and check out a couple poetry books to flip through so you can familiarize yourself with some of the many different kinds of poems.
There are whimsical love poems, funny love poems, serious love poems and everything in between. Poetry can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. One way of getting the creative juices flowing is by practicing your rhyming skills. Think of a few words you know you want to include in your love poem then start compiling a list of other words that rhyme to them. See where this free form of thinking takes you. Reading a few limericks, then trying to pen a few simple limericks of your own is another good way to gear up your creative mind for poetry writing. Reading the poetry of famous and well established poets is obviously the quickest most efficient way of learning to write poetry.
Writing poetry is a wonderful outlet for expressing all kinds of ideas. Poetry can be used to convey ideas, information and feelings. Above all poetry is a great means of entertainment. Imagination and imagery are the bricks and mortar of a great poem. Learning, practicing and mastering the use of rhythm, rhyme, tone, and the ability to use the English language and it’s various mechanisms will help you enhance your work. Two of the most popular devices used by beginner as well as professional poets are the use of metaphors and similes. Metaphors are what a creative writer uses when he compares two things. “That man is an ox.” A simile is comparing two things by using either of the words like or as. “That man is as strong as an ox.” The use of these devices allows the poet to assign new meanings to everyday words which the reader is already quite familiar with. Thus, the picture your reader forms in their head of the man is that he is very big and strong and imposing looking. (Like an ox.)
When first sitting down to start writing your love poem, think about the subject of your poem. What are his/her distinguishing characteristics? You care very much for this person, When someone reads your poem, what words will immediately identify the object of your affections to the reader. Does your beloved have a specific job, or a unique look, a way of talking or a way of conducting themself. Think of things that will make it clear that your poem was written just for them. Make a list of all the descriptive words that describe your loved one. Try to create pictures in your reader’s head. Now’s the time to fire up your imagination! Remember, this is the love of your life you are referring to!
Express your feelings! Don’t be embarrassed. This is not the time to be worrying about sounding too corny.
As you start stringing your words and ideas together, start thinking about the overall tone the piece is taking on. Is it smooth and whimsical? Was that the type of poem you were shooting for? Is the piece sounding a little too serious? Make a few adjustments to steer the poem back on track. Now let’s add a little rhyme which is always the secret ingredient to assuring the poem is endearing, entertaining and enjoyable. Pick out the best line so far then figure out a way to repeat it one or two times through out the piece. This will make sure there’s no confusion as to why you took the time to write this poem.
Re-read the whole piece, with the intent of adjusting lines changing words and tweaking, so that the poem flows smoothly, from one stanza to the next. Pay attention to the rhythm which should be developing naturally, on its own, by now. Tap out the beat that has developed. Shorten or lengthen the lines that don’t quite fit the beat. Singing the lines often helps identify flows. Visually, looking at your poem and viewing how it sits on the page can give you clues to problem areas. Is one stanza way longer than all the other stanzas? It may be necessary to split that stanza into two stanzas. If the poem still sounds like something’s out of place or missing, don’t be afraid to show your work to a friend and ask for a little constructive criticism. Another set of eyes and ears may help spot the snag.
“Writing good poetry involves training oneself to become more sensitive and astute.” Explains Marge Twilley, accomplished lyricist, story writer and published poet. “Allowing one’s imagination to inspire us to see things as being wonderful which, day to day, are normally considered mundane or are being taken for granted.”
“Become more aware to life that is going on all around you.” Adds Joan Swarez, creative writing, critic and philosopher. “Plus pay closer attention to all the tiny, little quirks of language.”
“The essence of creative writing is to open your mind to allow yourself to think in different ways and new directions.” Expounds professional Story Writer, poet and song lyricist, Manny (the pen) Marsello, “One never knows when, where or how inspiration will strike you. So carry a pen and notepad with you at all times so you can jot down your spontaneous spurts of genius, your day dreams, worries and bits of overheard conversations. All of these could later become the catalyst for an imaginative poem.”
An added romantic touch for the advanced romantics trying to impress their loved one, would be to try your hand at calligraphy lettering. For additional fun, and to spice things up, try sprinkling your finished love poem with your perfume or cologne before sealing it up inside its envelope. Taking it to the extreme would be to turn your poem into a love song, which you could record yourself singing then present the recording to your loved one. Of course if you got the guts and a little talent you may want to present your gift to your loved one by performing his/her love song live and in person. Believe me it will not take an award winning performance to create a huge, long lasting impression guaranteed to get a big response from the object of your desire. Enjoy and good luck. As with all creative writing endeavors, remember, the more you practice writing love poetry, the better you’ll get.
*Stay tuned for more episodes of poetry 101, where we’ll delve into the specifics of sonnets, odes, ballads, epitaphs, writing sad poetry, humorous poetry, poetry for children and more!
Sending the one you love an original love poem written just for them, will immediately open his/her eyes. There’s no better way to get your beloved’s undivided attention. Writing a personalized romantic poem is, hands down, the best way to say; I love you, I care about you, I’ve been thinking of you.
So how do I start?
It’s not necessary to begin from scratch. Gain some inspiration from the poems you remember from childhood. Take: Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is nice and so are you. A simple twist of this rhyme will make such an impression. Try writing it out on a piece of color paper using your beloved’s favorite color ink and I promise you, you’ll knock your companion off their feet! Take it to the next level by writing two or three variations of this simple little rhyme then string them together and you’ve created your first full size love poem!
Now that we’re warmed up, let’s move on to a little longer, more sophisticated, serious poetry. There are so many types of love poems that you may want to go to your local book store or library and check out a couple poetry books to flip through so you can familiarize yourself with some of the many different kinds of poems.
There are whimsical love poems, funny love poems, serious love poems and everything in between. Poetry can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. One way of getting the creative juices flowing is by practicing your rhyming skills. Think of a few words you know you want to include in your love poem then start compiling a list of other words that rhyme to them. See where this free form of thinking takes you. Reading a few limericks, then trying to pen a few simple limericks of your own is another good way to gear up your creative mind for poetry writing. Reading the poetry of famous and well established poets is obviously the quickest most efficient way of learning to write poetry.
Writing poetry is a wonderful outlet for expressing all kinds of ideas. Poetry can be used to convey ideas, information and feelings. Above all poetry is a great means of entertainment. Imagination and imagery are the bricks and mortar of a great poem. Learning, practicing and mastering the use of rhythm, rhyme, tone, and the ability to use the English language and it’s various mechanisms will help you enhance your work. Two of the most popular devices used by beginner as well as professional poets are the use of metaphors and similes. Metaphors are what a creative writer uses when he compares two things. “That man is an ox.” A simile is comparing two things by using either of the words like or as. “That man is as strong as an ox.” The use of these devices allows the poet to assign new meanings to everyday words which the reader is already quite familiar with. Thus, the picture your reader forms in their head of the man is that he is very big and strong and imposing looking. (Like an ox.)
When first sitting down to start writing your love poem, think about the subject of your poem. What are his/her distinguishing characteristics? You care very much for this person, When someone reads your poem, what words will immediately identify the object of your affections to the reader. Does your beloved have a specific job, or a unique look, a way of talking or a way of conducting themself. Think of things that will make it clear that your poem was written just for them. Make a list of all the descriptive words that describe your loved one. Try to create pictures in your reader’s head. Now’s the time to fire up your imagination! Remember, this is the love of your life you are referring to!
Express your feelings! Don’t be embarrassed. This is not the time to be worrying about sounding too corny.
As you start stringing your words and ideas together, start thinking about the overall tone the piece is taking on. Is it smooth and whimsical? Was that the type of poem you were shooting for? Is the piece sounding a little too serious? Make a few adjustments to steer the poem back on track. Now let’s add a little rhyme which is always the secret ingredient to assuring the poem is endearing, entertaining and enjoyable. Pick out the best line so far then figure out a way to repeat it one or two times through out the piece. This will make sure there’s no confusion as to why you took the time to write this poem.
Re-read the whole piece, with the intent of adjusting lines changing words and tweaking, so that the poem flows smoothly, from one stanza to the next. Pay attention to the rhythm which should be developing naturally, on its own, by now. Tap out the beat that has developed. Shorten or lengthen the lines that don’t quite fit the beat. Singing the lines often helps identify flows. Visually, looking at your poem and viewing how it sits on the page can give you clues to problem areas. Is one stanza way longer than all the other stanzas? It may be necessary to split that stanza into two stanzas. If the poem still sounds like something’s out of place or missing, don’t be afraid to show your work to a friend and ask for a little constructive criticism. Another set of eyes and ears may help spot the snag.
“Writing good poetry involves training oneself to become more sensitive and astute.” Explains Marge Twilley, accomplished lyricist, story writer and published poet. “Allowing one’s imagination to inspire us to see things as being wonderful which, day to day, are normally considered mundane or are being taken for granted.”
“Become more aware to life that is going on all around you.” Adds Joan Swarez, creative writing, critic and philosopher. “Plus pay closer attention to all the tiny, little quirks of language.”
“The essence of creative writing is to open your mind to allow yourself to think in different ways and new directions.” Expounds professional Story Writer, poet and song lyricist, Manny (the pen) Marsello, “One never knows when, where or how inspiration will strike you. So carry a pen and notepad with you at all times so you can jot down your spontaneous spurts of genius, your day dreams, worries and bits of overheard conversations. All of these could later become the catalyst for an imaginative poem.”
An added romantic touch for the advanced romantics trying to impress their loved one, would be to try your hand at calligraphy lettering. For additional fun, and to spice things up, try sprinkling your finished love poem with your perfume or cologne before sealing it up inside its envelope. Taking it to the extreme would be to turn your poem into a love song, which you could record yourself singing then present the recording to your loved one. Of course if you got the guts and a little talent you may want to present your gift to your loved one by performing his/her love song live and in person. Believe me it will not take an award winning performance to create a huge, long lasting impression guaranteed to get a big response from the object of your desire. Enjoy and good luck. As with all creative writing endeavors, remember, the more you practice writing love poetry, the better you’ll get.
*Stay tuned for more episodes of poetry 101, where we’ll delve into the specifics of sonnets, odes, ballads, epitaphs, writing sad poetry, humorous poetry, poetry for children and more!
Is Formal Poetry Dead?
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Poetry Tips and Poem Writing Advice For The Creative Writer
by Stuart Leventhal
Modern art is mostly about amusement and occasionally about informing the public about some new emergence. Society moves in cycles, eventually the old loses out to the new. Art records this and more. Art also shows all our fears as well as our hopes and dreams for the future. Poetry is art personified, using words instead of paint, clay or instrumental notes.
Poetry is challenging, illusive, mystic, enlightening, instructive and overall, hopefully fun! Word Art is utilized to help you express yourself in a more unique and meaningful way than just regular talk. Poetry, just like songwriting, lyric writing and even creative fiction writing, is a means of communication that the poet uses to make his/her message more attractive to the listener or more dynamic. Poetry is communication on a whole different, usually elevated, level. Some fans view poems as they view paintings and sculpture, like it is just another piece of tangible art to be stared at in awe and admired. But poetry takes art someplace more. There's underlying themes and symbolism, sometimes even hidden life messages to be decoded in a good poem.
Poetry allows the creative writer to express sophisticated ideas and get the point across to the masses by using its entertainment element as bait. The messages are presented artistically in order to capture our attention. Further artistic means are applied to assure we will stay tuned until the end, when the real message is revealed. By presenting, often deep and complicated ideas that may be controversial in attractive and appealing packaging, the messages are initially accepted and can often grow more meaningful and powerful. Think about how a simple child rhyme is repeated from one kid to another in a school yard. Some of these child rhymes have been passed down from generation to generation mostly because they are cute and funny. The fact that they are meant to teach our children a life’s lesson is an added bonus.
“Sticks and stones, may break my bones. But, names will never hurt me.” The message is clear; Don’t, call people using insulting names and if someone calls you by an insulting name, you should ignore them. It is easy to see that if an adult told a child, “It’s not nice to call people names.” The message would go in one ear and out the other. But, put the same message in a silly, short rhyme and you’ll have that same kid repeating it over and over to everyone. This is the essence of how poetry, just like all art, is much more effective at presenting an idea than simply talking about it is. Mastering how to tap into that power of persuasion by first crafting your combinations of words and phrases into something with great entertainment value and then incorporating a meaningful, underlying message is the gift of great poets. For it has been said, that mountains can be moved, armies conquered and tyrants over throw via the pen and the poem much more effectively than by wielding the sword.
Take your songwriting, lyric writing and poetry to a new level by introducing your audience to a new world. Show your readers something they’ve never seen before. Open doors for them they don’t even know exist. In our daily conversation and in our writing, we tend to use a vocabulary that we are familiar and comfortable with. This can be limiting. Finding a better way to express yourself, or a more creative, new, artsy way, to describe things, can be frustrating and difficult but the payoffs will be huge. Innovation is often the deal maker or breaker, between good and great poetry. People stand up and take notice when they are presented with something truly unique. Humans are a curious species. We love to experience new things or have our beloved older things presented to us in a seriously new fashion. Figure out how to spur your readers’ imaginations. They won’t mind being preached to as long as the ride is fun, exciting or of endearing value.
It is easiest to enlighten someone when you are discussing a subject that you are the expert on. Therefore every teacher of poetry will start out by advising the class to “Write about what you know.” But the real message they usually fail to get across is that they aren’t trying to put restrictions onto your list of possible subject matter. They do not mean you can only write about things you know intimately. They mean that when you are writing, your ultimate goal is to communicate something. If you’ve chosen poetry to be your method of communication you should be sure to study and develop your skills of the craft. But, most importantly you should use the knowledge of which you are privy and the expertise you have acquired throughout the years as your number one tools when crafting all your poetic communications.
This is not to say that if you love to go sailing and are an excellent sailor then all your poems must be about sailing. The message is, take what you’ve learned while sailing and use those life lessons in your writing and poems, whose subjects may be about things that are completely foreign to sailing. Just like as the themes of great poetry are hidden under the surface of the fantastic entertainment value of the poetry. What you know about sailing doesn’t have to be limited to writing poems about drifting on the endless vast ocean. You can transfer what you’ve learned while sailing; courage, dedication, respect, order, the values of camaraderie, physical fitness themes to add intimate value to any poem on any subject.
If you live near a public park spend some time sitting on a park bench near the center of activity and just observe. What is going on? What can you take from this experience? What did you learn? What universal truths did you witness that can be used not only in poetry that is about a public park but can apply to infinite subjects about anything. Your unique perspective was developed by years of living. Tap into your first hand experiences and elevate your poems to the level of profound, no matter what the poem is about.
It has been said that great poets are the voice of their generation so the best advice I can give, is to use language that is main steam. Again, that should not put any limit on the difficulty or sophistication of the subjects you can tackle. I’m just trying to point out that it is difficult to speak to or for the common folk when using words extracted from Harvard University text books. Now, that is not to imply that a poet should ever talk down to his or her audience, which rarely has good results. Just, don’t try so hard to sound poetic or even worse, to sound intelligent. Yes, the keys to the “theater of the imagination” are descriptive words and phrases. But, the genius comes in how the skilled author puts those delicious and beautiful words to work, in ways they have never been used before.
Scrolling through the dictionary, looking for words that sound big, thinking they will impress anyone is a waste of time. Complicated words get in the way of your message. They are a distraction. If you have a choice, always run with the smallest word possible. When you keep it simple, you speak to everyone; young, old, white collar, blue collar, the political anarchist, the carefree, the student and the wise man. There is no confusion about what you are saying or to whom. Your message is delivered loud and clear and with conviction.
Poetry is challenging, illusive, mystic, enlightening, instructive and overall, hopefully fun! Word Art is utilized to help you express yourself in a more unique and meaningful way than just regular talk. Poetry, just like songwriting, lyric writing and even creative fiction writing, is a means of communication that the poet uses to make his/her message more attractive to the listener or more dynamic. Poetry is communication on a whole different, usually elevated, level. Some fans view poems as they view paintings and sculpture, like it is just another piece of tangible art to be stared at in awe and admired. But poetry takes art someplace more. There's underlying themes and symbolism, sometimes even hidden life messages to be decoded in a good poem.
Poetry allows the creative writer to express sophisticated ideas and get the point across to the masses by using its entertainment element as bait. The messages are presented artistically in order to capture our attention. Further artistic means are applied to assure we will stay tuned until the end, when the real message is revealed. By presenting, often deep and complicated ideas that may be controversial in attractive and appealing packaging, the messages are initially accepted and can often grow more meaningful and powerful. Think about how a simple child rhyme is repeated from one kid to another in a school yard. Some of these child rhymes have been passed down from generation to generation mostly because they are cute and funny. The fact that they are meant to teach our children a life’s lesson is an added bonus.
“Sticks and stones, may break my bones. But, names will never hurt me.” The message is clear; Don’t, call people using insulting names and if someone calls you by an insulting name, you should ignore them. It is easy to see that if an adult told a child, “It’s not nice to call people names.” The message would go in one ear and out the other. But, put the same message in a silly, short rhyme and you’ll have that same kid repeating it over and over to everyone. This is the essence of how poetry, just like all art, is much more effective at presenting an idea than simply talking about it is. Mastering how to tap into that power of persuasion by first crafting your combinations of words and phrases into something with great entertainment value and then incorporating a meaningful, underlying message is the gift of great poets. For it has been said, that mountains can be moved, armies conquered and tyrants over throw via the pen and the poem much more effectively than by wielding the sword.
Take your songwriting, lyric writing and poetry to a new level by introducing your audience to a new world. Show your readers something they’ve never seen before. Open doors for them they don’t even know exist. In our daily conversation and in our writing, we tend to use a vocabulary that we are familiar and comfortable with. This can be limiting. Finding a better way to express yourself, or a more creative, new, artsy way, to describe things, can be frustrating and difficult but the payoffs will be huge. Innovation is often the deal maker or breaker, between good and great poetry. People stand up and take notice when they are presented with something truly unique. Humans are a curious species. We love to experience new things or have our beloved older things presented to us in a seriously new fashion. Figure out how to spur your readers’ imaginations. They won’t mind being preached to as long as the ride is fun, exciting or of endearing value.
It is easiest to enlighten someone when you are discussing a subject that you are the expert on. Therefore every teacher of poetry will start out by advising the class to “Write about what you know.” But the real message they usually fail to get across is that they aren’t trying to put restrictions onto your list of possible subject matter. They do not mean you can only write about things you know intimately. They mean that when you are writing, your ultimate goal is to communicate something. If you’ve chosen poetry to be your method of communication you should be sure to study and develop your skills of the craft. But, most importantly you should use the knowledge of which you are privy and the expertise you have acquired throughout the years as your number one tools when crafting all your poetic communications.
This is not to say that if you love to go sailing and are an excellent sailor then all your poems must be about sailing. The message is, take what you’ve learned while sailing and use those life lessons in your writing and poems, whose subjects may be about things that are completely foreign to sailing. Just like as the themes of great poetry are hidden under the surface of the fantastic entertainment value of the poetry. What you know about sailing doesn’t have to be limited to writing poems about drifting on the endless vast ocean. You can transfer what you’ve learned while sailing; courage, dedication, respect, order, the values of camaraderie, physical fitness themes to add intimate value to any poem on any subject.
If you live near a public park spend some time sitting on a park bench near the center of activity and just observe. What is going on? What can you take from this experience? What did you learn? What universal truths did you witness that can be used not only in poetry that is about a public park but can apply to infinite subjects about anything. Your unique perspective was developed by years of living. Tap into your first hand experiences and elevate your poems to the level of profound, no matter what the poem is about.
It has been said that great poets are the voice of their generation so the best advice I can give, is to use language that is main steam. Again, that should not put any limit on the difficulty or sophistication of the subjects you can tackle. I’m just trying to point out that it is difficult to speak to or for the common folk when using words extracted from Harvard University text books. Now, that is not to imply that a poet should ever talk down to his or her audience, which rarely has good results. Just, don’t try so hard to sound poetic or even worse, to sound intelligent. Yes, the keys to the “theater of the imagination” are descriptive words and phrases. But, the genius comes in how the skilled author puts those delicious and beautiful words to work, in ways they have never been used before.
Scrolling through the dictionary, looking for words that sound big, thinking they will impress anyone is a waste of time. Complicated words get in the way of your message. They are a distraction. If you have a choice, always run with the smallest word possible. When you keep it simple, you speak to everyone; young, old, white collar, blue collar, the political anarchist, the carefree, the student and the wise man. There is no confusion about what you are saying or to whom. Your message is delivered loud and clear and with conviction.
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REFERENCES:
Poetry Soup Blog: www.poetrysoup.com/poetry_blogs This is a fine collection of poetry blogs and poem instruction journals and poem related videos and postings. You will find; advice on poetry writing, explanations of what makes good poetry, poetic definitions, rhyming tips and a lot more poem stuff for both writers and readers of poetry! The Poet Sanctuary: thepoetsanctuary.net This is an online place where authors and poets can post their Poems. Enjoy the Free Poetry Forum where poets post, discuss and share poems for reviews. They sponsor poetry workshops and poetry contests. It is a great place for student poets to get sound constructive criticism and reader feed back! |
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