Writing.Com General Discussion

Well I can try.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no one link here to explain how to review poems. There are many types of poems, beyond the basic styles, free verse, rhymed, formed, etc. Some poems are literal, and some of metaphoric. Some are personal, some are funny, some are light and some are deep.

Which all adds to the challenge of reviewing them because it isn't always clear what the writer intended. Some may chose to not explain a poem because they want to see what the public thinks.

I think a good place to start is with any of the poetry forums or groups here on WDC and see what tips they offer. Plus, I suggest looking over a few contests. Some of the judges post what they are looking for and their reviews are sometimes public. Sometimes seeing how others view a piece can give you a idea. Just remember that in poetry, often the reviewer will see what they want to see, which isn't what another reviewer sees so take the reviews you study with a grain of salt.