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Question: Can anybody tell me a good way to write poems or little excesizes!?
I'm never very good at it, but I'd love to write some!. Is there anything I can do to improve!? Such as a certain poem format or something!?
ThanksWww@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Anna, there is no formula for writing poetry!.!.!.however, here are some tips that should help you get started!.

1!. Don't try to rhyme!. True, the most famous poetry in the world rhymes, but the poets were very, very good at it and it took a long time for them to develop their ear so they could do it so it sounds almost accidental!. Just be "poetic" and try to create images, sounds, and a feeling that you want to convey to your reader!.

2!. Start simple, don't tackle something too complex or too long!. If you can't say it in 12 to 16 lines, you're not focused enough or your subject is too long!. The idea is to paint a picture with your words!.!.!.or create an image!.!.!.or invoke a feeling or concept, and you don't need to write a book or tell a story!. For example, here are four lines that say quite a bit!.!.!.and they don't rhyme:

Oh, I could write a thousand words
And still not say a thing
Or bleed a few well written lines
And forever change the world

The poem is simple!.!.!.it states that it isn't how much you say, it's how you say it!.!.!.but in addition to the message is the "voice" or "tone" of the poem!.!.!.and by that I mean that I didn't say "or write a few well written lines", I said "bleed a few well written lines"!.!.!.so, why did I say "bleed"!? because it invokes an image of sacrifice, of the pen bleeding out its soul onto the page, or that the words I have to say come from suffering and pain, and what those words have to say could change the world!. So here is an example where "one word" made all the difference and actually made the poem say more than the words could have by themselves had I chosen differently!.

3!. Don't use cliche statements like "apple of my eye", "forever and a day", "cold hard truth", or "forever and ever"!.!.!.these phrases are so overused that the ear just ignores them!.!.!.and that's something you don't want your poem to do to your reader!.!.!.you want to say it in a way that is fresh, new, you! What is "your" perspective on something!.!.!.let us see inside "your" head!.

4!. Keep the subject simple and focused!. You can write a poem about a rock in your hand!.!.!.you can tell how it is hard where you are soft, or how it's old and you are young, or that it's small but stronger than you!.!.!.or that it looks so peaceful but you're about to throw it through a window :) !.!.!.and that's it!. Don't tell us how rocks are formed, just tell us that simple image and in the telling make us "care" about what you say, make the image of the rock and your hand mean something besides the rock and your hand!.!.!.make it about you and one of your parents, maybe how even though you're bigger, like your parents are to you, the rock is unmoved by all your words, just like you are when your parents speak!.!.!.so remember, it's not the image alone, it is the "context" of the image that really tells the story!.

5!. Don't be afraid to write more than one poem on the same subject!. You may find that different patterns, sounds, or even the way you say it, will be better on your second or third format!.!.!.or that you go back and edit your first poem with stuff you put in your third one!.

6!. Don't be in a hurry to post it or share it with others!.!.!.let it sit for at least a few days, then go back to it!.!.!.read it out loud and see how it sounds, and then edit it so it sounds better!. And when you think you have it right, have someone who's never read it read it out loud to you so you can listen to what you actually wrote down on paper, because the brain will play tricks on you and what you read out loud may not be what you actually wrote down on paper, or it won't sound the same when someone else reads it!. Don't correct the reader, just pay attention to any parts that sound wrong and fix them!.

7!. Finally, don't be a poetic terrorist!.!.!.by that I mean don't carry around a book of your poems and force people to listen to them, even if they say they like a poem of yours!.!.!.let them ask you for poems, don't pressure them to listen to them!.!.!.people can take things in small doses, but sometimes more than that turns them off and they'll start avoiding you!. Likewise, don't look over their shoulders or into their faces if they are reading one of your poems!.!.!.just give them a copy or let them borrow your book and get it back from them when they're done!.!.!.and DO NOT ask them what they thought of the poem!.!.!.if they like it, they'll tell you!.!.!.and if they tell you they liked it, maybe they did, maybe they didn't!.!.!.it's hard to tell!.!.!.so don't put them on the spot!.

So, I hope these tips will come in handy!.!.!.don't be afraid to write about "strange" stuff!.!.!.there isn't enough strange in the world!.!.!.it seems everyone wants to write about love, pain, breakups, etc!.!.!.be different, write poems about how you see the world and how it connects together in your mind!.

!.!.!.and keep writingWww@QuestionHome@Com

You need to choose rhyme (meter or non-metered) or free- verse which are more like tiny short paragraph size stories that tell what's on your mind!. Those sometimes can be the easiest!. You may already know that!.

I take a big sheet of lined paper decide what I want to write about and label it at the top of the page to keep me focused!. Then on the side lined area I write words or quickie phrases that come to mind even before I start my poem!. Write the poem in pencil go every other line so you have room to scribble words or sentences in without erasing the whole line!. EXAMPLE: THE OCEAN

sand
shells
seashore
seagulls at the waves
foot prints
where do the prints go!?
tide
sun
hot
sandals
Happy laughingWww@QuestionHome@Com