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I've heard many writers say that they simply cannot write poetry. On the other hand, I've heard many others say that would never be able to write a short story. However, this week we are going to focus on poetry!
If you've never tried writing poetry, give these steps a shot! And if you routinely write poetry, maybe this newsletter will inspire you to try something new!
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Seven Steps to Trying Out Poetry!
 I always start with a cup of coffee, but feel free to grab your favorite beverage before beginning.
1. Brain Storm and Free Write
Before you begin writing, you need to choose a subject to write about. Even a prompt will work.
When choosing a subject, you’ll want to write about something you feel passionately about. The topic can be something you love, like a person, place, or thing. A subject can also be something you struggle with. Don’t allow yourself to get bogged down by all the options; just pick something. The idea is to start brainstorming.
For our purposes let's choose the topic of Spring.
Set a timer for five to ten minutes and jot down words or phrases related to the topic: rainbows, flowers, thunderstorms, picnics, rain, clouds, spring cleaning, revival, blooms, warmth
2. Decide on a Theme
Poetry often has a theme or a message the poet wants to convey to the reader. Developing a theme will give your writing purpose and help you focus your effort. Look back at your freewriting and see if a theme, or lesson, has developed naturally, one that you can refine.
Then decide if you want to teach something with this poem or express feelings.
3. Metaphors
Compare the subject of your poem to something it seemingly has nothing in common with. When you directly compare two, unlike things, you’re using a form of figurative language called a metaphor.
For example, our topic is Spring. Let's compare that to Friends.
Spring: warm, sunny, exciting
Friends: loving, warm, fun
Using a metaphor will reinforce your theme by making your poem memorable to your reader. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing the thing you’d like to compare your subject to. In that case, you’ll want to compare your subject to something positive. Perhaps compare friendship to sunshine or a calm lake. The metaphor does the work of conveying your poem’s central message.
4. Adding Figurative Language
There are many other types of figurative language, but here are a few common ones. Pick two of the five I’ve listed to include in your poem.
 Simile is a comparison of two unlike things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as.’
Example: Samantha was as giddy as a schoolgirl to find a twenty-dollar bill in her coat pocket.
Personification is giving human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects.
Example: Samantha’s car engine whined with exhaustion as she drove up the hill.
Hyperbole is when an author exaggerates a claim for emphasis.
Example: Samantha was so hungry she could eat an entire hippo.
Allusion is when an author references another text, historical event, or person in their writing. Allusions can be direct or implied.
Example: Nearing the age of eighty-five, Samantha felt as old as Medusa.
Alliteration: when an author repeats the same letter sound at the beginning of two or more words
Example: Samantha sighed as she searched her stark apartment for a missing sacred stone.
5. Decide on Structure
If you want to start quickly, consider writing a free-verse poem. Free verse poems are poems that have no rhyme scheme, meter, or structure. In a free verse poem, you’re free to write unrestricted.
If you want to play with poetry forms, you can take a look at {x:link:http://www.shadowpoetry.com/index.html}Shadow Poetry{/xlink} to explore some interesting forms.
Here are some terms to familiarize yourself with:
Rhyme Scheme: rhyme scheme refers to the pattern of rhymes used in a poem. The sound at the end of each line determines the rhyme scheme. Writers label words with letters to signify rhyming terms, and this is how rhyme schemes are defined.
Meter: a little more advanced than rhyme scheme, meter deals with a poem’s rhythm expressed through stressed and unstressed syllables. Meter can get pretty complicated.
Stanza: a stanza is a group of lines placed together as a single unit in a poem. A stanza is to a poem what a paragraph is to prose writing. Stanzas don’t have to be the same number of lines throughout a poem, either. They can vary as paragraphs do.
Line Breaks: these are the breaks between stanzas in a poem. They help to create rhythm and set stanzas apart from one another.
6. Time to Write the Poem
Combine your figurative language, metaphors, and structure. Poetry is unique to the writer. When it comes to poetry, the “rules” are flexible.
For example, in 1965 a young poet named Aram Saroyan wrote a poem called lighght. It goes like this...
lighght
That’s it. That's the entire poem. Saroyan was paid $750 for his poem. You may or may not believe that’s poetry, but a lot of people accept it as just that. The point is, write the poem that comes to you. But, here are a few things to consider that might help guide you:
A. Compare your subject to something else by using metaphors
B. Try to relate a theme or a simple lesson for your readers
C. Use at least two forms of figurative language techniques
D. Create a meter or rhyme scheme (if you’re up to it)
E. Write at least two stanzas and use a line break
7. Read, Edit, Share
When you’re finished, read over your poem. Try to read it out loud to get a feel for the poem’s rhythm. Post your poem in the newsfeed and ask others to read and review your poem. You can stretch grammar rules, but do it with a purpose. Then, you can rewrite your poem.
Remember, all writing is rewriting and the editing process can take longer than it did to write your first draft.
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Poetry: March 08, 2023 Issue [#11842]
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