How Not to Write Poetry
Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language — such as sound symbolism, and meter — to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning. That is the general definition of poetry, widely accepted as the norm. However, not everyone enjoys reading and writing poetry. Poetry comes from the heart. It is a matter of expressing your inner thoughts. But, poetry is a game like everything else in life. And as such, it has its own rules; things that the poet is allowed and should do and things that the poet shouldn’t do. It is one thing to express yourself in a poem, but connecting with the reader on a deeper level and provoking thought within them is a totally different thing. And in order to achieve that, there are certain things you just don’t do.
1. Don’t wander around
Set your goal instead of just wandering around. Don’t confuse the reader with inconsistent thoughts. Instead, ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your poem. Do you want to give hope? Do you want to describe a deep emotion, or how autumn makes you feel? Make a decision and then gather your thoughts and arrange them so that together, they will form a path that the reader will follow to your goal.
2. Avoid abstract words
Abstract words describe concepts and emotions. While that’s not a bad thing, the readers have their own definition of them, and with that, the poet’s point might get lost in them. Additionally, a person cannot feel or touch love, humanity, or happiness, therefore when you use them in your poetry, these words fly over the heads of readers without triggering any of their senses. That is why you should use concrete words to show these abstract conceptions. You will touch the readers’ senses in a thought provoking manner; make them feel the warmth of the sun on their skin while they ponder the meaning of it.
3. Invert the ordinary
The best poems come from the poet that can, in essence, change and twist the ordinary into something extraordinary. One doesn’t have to be a literary genius with a vocabulary that resembles a thesaurus. Instead, poets view the world in a different way than the norm, and they take ordinary things and concepts from life and turn them into something worth reading and pondering about. Their words trigger the senses and the mind, even it is just about a meager bus ride. When doing this, however, be careful of the overuse of metaphors and similes; remember that you want the reader to follow your train of thought, not get lost in it. Metaphors and similes are simply tools that help you connect your imagery to the reader.
4. Don’t rhyme without caution
Rhyme and meter can destroy a good poem if their improper use takes the readers’ attention away. This is especially true for sing song rhymes. Sing song rhymes distract the reader from the theme and the point of your poem, and detract from its quality. If you are not sure how to rhyme your poems, read all your favorite poems and focus on the rhyming. Additionally, start with free verse instead of focusing on rhyming. Rhyming can put a lot of pressure on you to get it just right, and will put a stopper on your creative flow.
5. Never leave it raw
Never leave your poem in its “raw” and unpolished state. Instead, go away from it for a few days, and focus on different things. Then go back to revise and edit it; pay attention to the flow. Is it confusing? Is there anything that needs to be improved? Read it like you would read any other poem; forget for a moment that you wrote it. Then, focus on everything that needs improvement, such as details that you’ve omitted when writing the poem the first time around because you’re so familiar with the topic.
6. Avoid subjective feedback
Or, in other words, avoid feedback from people that are close to you: family, friends, and partner. They are biased; they will tell you that they like the poem, even if they don’t, because they don’t want to discourage you or hurt your feelings. Instead, seek people who will give you more professional advice — even if it doesn’t come in the form of positive feedback at the beginning. Remember, no great work was done easily and overnight. It will take time and effort, but you should always strive for strict, objective criticism, rather than a subjective lie.
Editor’s Note: This article was first published in January 2015.
Georgina Roy wants to live in a world filled with magic. As a 22-year-old art student, she’s moonlighting as a writer and is content to fill notebooks and sketchbooks with magical creatures and amazing new worlds. When she is not at school, or scribbling away in a notebook, you can usually find her curled up, reading a good urban fantasy novel, or writing on her laptop, trying to create her own.
Originally published at eBooks India.
