The Lessons of Poetry

Just as a reminder and to give you a reference point in case you need one, I have summarized the lessons of poetry here.

1. The Power of I: Give your reader someone to be with.

2. Beware the participle: Avoid "ed" or "ing" endings. They weaken your verbs. This does not mean you CAN'T use them, only that you need to be sure that if you do, it does make the poem stronger.

3. Cut to the Bone: Cut all unnecessary words. Remember that a poem is elegant shorthand. And when you can't find another word to cut, then your poem is finished.

4. Line and Stanza Breaks: These can guide your reader as he or she reads your poem. They usually indicate the natural pauses that are needed when reading the poem. Rules are made to be broken, however, so if you break lines or stanzas in an original way, just be sure that you are doing it for a reason.

5. Effective and Ineffective Repetition: Sometimes repetition works well in a poem, and sometimes it just sounds redundant. Read your poem aloud or have someone read it to you so that you will "hear" what it sounds like to a reader.

6. Strong words: Look at each word you have chosen for your poem. Is it the best word you could have chosen? If not, what would be stronger. Feel free to use a thesaurus to inspire you or to suggest new words for your writing.

7. Conclude strongly: The ending of your poem is what gives the reader something to think about after they have finished reading. An echo (repeated line from earlier on in the poem) can remind the reader of an previously mentioned image that still rings true.

8. Begin inside: Starting with an image can help to set the mood for the poem. It helps the reader connect with the ideas you are presenting in the poem.