How to Write a Poem
Poetry is about observing the world within you or around you.
Poetry is an interesting form of writing. It has few restrictions and can be a great way to express feelings. Poems are in-depth analyses of everything you see, do; or experience. They provide insight to the writer’s way of thinking. When asked what it takes to write a poem, most people immediately reply inspiration.
But when asked what inspires a poem the answers have a little more depth. “I think just life, looking around seeing weird, pretty things, strange things, and just life.” Trisha said. Life can be good source of inspiration. There’s always so much going on, all you have to do is pick something and write about it. Maria said it took, “A lot of imagination, some decent writing skills, and lots of similes and metaphors.
” Though decent skills and use of literary techniques are welcomed in poetry, they aren’t a requirement. Maria also said that, “Anyone can write a poem anyway they want.” Talent is a nice thing to have, but it isn’t a necessity. Anyone who can write his or her name can write a poem. All it takes is a little imagination. “I don’t think there’s a specific way to write a poem.
It’s too ambiguous for there to be a set way.” Trisha said. Many people agreed with Trisha on this. Poetry is a way of self-expression; to put specific guidelines to a poem would be to hinder the creative spirit. Most people are taught to write poems in school.
Everything is put on an educational level, and the technical terms are as important as the actual writing. The way poetry is taught in schools sometimes causes students to turn away from the writing style. “They make kids hate poetry. The school picks stuff they think is general, but most kids can’t associate with it and find it quite boring” Marissa said. Schools have an obligation to teach students the facts. They have to teach about similes, metaphors, alliteration, repetition, haikus; rhyme and all the other technicalities.
Alicia said, “The poetry unit in school feels more like vocabulary to me. We learn all these terms and read a few poems. Then we get tested over it without actually learning to write it ourselves. It’s really just a waste of time.” Knowing the proper terms isn’t the same as knowing how to write a poem.
A person could just as easily write a poem without knowing the terms. “I started writing when I was little, back before they taught in school.” Alicia said, “I think my work back then was better than it is now, cause back then I didn’t worry myself with following the specific formats for each type of poem I wrote. It was easier to write without knowing alliteration and all that stuff.” So if decent skills, literary techniques and knowing the technicalities aren’t a requirement, what does it take to right a poem? According to Richard all it takes is, “Experience.”
