How to Write a Good Poem

WARNING: I am not claiming that I am an expert on writing poetry by any means, however these are a few things that I have picked up along the way.

1. A poem is your soul speaking in images. So write what you are passionate about. The most meaningful poems to me are the ones that I relate to personally. Write about your dog, your home, your last relationship, but give it a twist. Insert a colorful metaphor, taste your figurative language, just go for that alliteration. Just get the idea down.

2. I've heard this excuse a lot, "I'm just not good a poetry." Lies, perhaps you haven't practiced. I live by the mantra of, if you're passionate about it, you're going to do it better than someone who isn't as passionate about it. I want you to think about a glass of water, the glass of water is like a novel, novella, short story-whatever, but poetry is the condensation on that glass. Poetry takes all of the sensations of story writing and condenses them. Good poetry is pristine, every word is functioning to create a perfected crystalline droplet.

3. Read good poetry. That's it. I'm going to quote Macklemore, which sounds kind of cliche because I'm telling you to read good poetry....but that's besides the point. "The greats were great because they painted a lot." Great poets aren't made over night, they are people, much more qualified than I who've perfected their craft, their style. Go read up on Silvia  Plath, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson. These poets know what it's like to be a true poet, see what they think it means to be a true poet. What do you think it means to be a true poet? Look up contemporary poets, find your niche. Are you spoken word? More of a meter and form kind of person? Explore your options! You'll get nothing but excited.

4. My personal favorite tip. Condense. You don't need it, drop it. It tastes clunky, drop it. Write a poem with seventy two stanzas, then write what you remember of those stanzas, because the ones that you remember are probably the most potent.

5. Find somewhere to write and just write. Whether that be on a mountain top, in your room at 12:57 am, or in a local coffee shop. You have the best equipment in the world, a poet's heart. Give it a spin.

Good  Luck Kids,

xoxox

-SD