To write a poem, you must be able to observe the world around or inside you. A poem can be about any subject, be it love, feelings of loss, or even a rusty fence on the farm of your childhood. Writing a poem can seem intimidating to you, especially if you don't think you're naturally creative or bursting with poetic ideas. However, with the right inspiration and the right approach, you can compose a poem that you will be proud to share with your classmates or friends.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare the composition of the poem
Step 1. Do writing exercises
A poem might start off simply with a line, a phrase that seems to pop up out of nowhere, or a picture that just doesn't want to come out of your head. You can find inspiration for your poem by doing writing exercises and observing the world around you. Once you are inspired, you can translate your thoughts into words to make it into a poem.
- For example, you can do a free writing exercise based on a chosen topic. You can then draw inspiration from sentences or images in what you have written to compose your poem. You can search for a free writing topic that already exists or you can invent one.
- Try brainstorming techniques like a mind map or lists of images or ideas. These techniques can help you find inspiration for your poem.
Step 2. Get inspired by your surroundings and the people around you
A walk around your neighborhood or your favorite part of town can inspire you. You can also observe people sitting on a bench in a park or in a public square and use observed elements as sources of inspiration for your poem.
Try writing a poem about someone you care about, like your mom or your best friend. You can use this person as a source of inspiration and develop their qualities and characteristics as an individual in order to compose a poem
Step 3. Choose a specific theme or idea
You can begin to compose the poem by focusing on a specific idea or theme that you find exciting or interesting. This can help you give the poem a specific purpose, which can help you identify the images and descriptions you are going to use.
- For example, you might choose to write a poem on the theme of love and friendship. You might then think about specific times in your life when you have felt love and friendship and ask yourself how you would describe these emotions based on your relationships with other people.
- Try to choose a specific idea or theme, as this can help you avoid making the poem too vague or incomprehensible. For example, rather than choosing the topic of feelings of loss in general, write about something like the loss of a child or your best friend.
Step 4. Choose a poetic form
Stimulate your creativity by choosing a shape for your poem. There are many different forms ranging from free verse to sonnet or ode. You can use a form that you find easy to use, such as the free verse poem, or a more difficult form, such as the sonnet. Choose only one form and stick to its structure so that your poem appears cohesive to readers.
- You could try a short form, like a haiku, quintil, or calligram. You could then have fun taking on the challenges posed by some poetic form.
- You can also try writing a comic poem or choose a lyrical form such as a sonnet, ballad or ode to compose a more romantic or sentimental text.
Step 5. Read examples of poems
To better understand what other poets are writing, look for poems. You can read poems written in the same poetic form you are interested in or dealing with ideas or themes that inspire you. You can also read well-known poems considered "classic" to get a better idea of this literary genre. Try to read poems like:
- "Happy who, like Ulysses, had a nice trip", by Joachim du Bellay
- "The albatross", by Charles Baudelaire
- “Listening to the shell””, by André Breton
- "The crow and the fox", by Jean de la Fontaine
- "The Mirabeau Bridge", by Guillaume Apollinaire
- "The word bramble, do you say", by Yves Bonnefoy
Method 2 of 3: Write the poem
Step 1. Use concrete images
Avoid abstract concepts and instead make concrete descriptions of people, places, and other things in your poem. Always try to compose descriptions from the five senses: smell, hearing, touch, sight and taste. The concrete images will immerse the reader in the world of the poem and make it more alive.
Instead of using conceptual words to describe a feeling or an image, use concrete words. For example, instead of writing "I felt happy", create a picture made up of concrete elements, such as "my smile lit up the room like a beacon in the night"
Step 2. Use figures of speech
Figures of speech such as metaphors and allegories add depth and originality to a text. They can make your poem stand out in the eyes of the reader and can conjure up very detailed images. Try to use different figures of speech throughout your poem. Don't limit yourself to metaphors and comparisons.
- A metaphor allows you to compare two items without a comparative word, which gives a surprising effect. For example, you can write: “I was a bird on a branch. "
- A comparison allows you to establish a clear analogy between two items by using a comparison such as "like" or "like". For example: "She was alone like a crow in a field" or "" My heart is like an empty stage. "
- You can also use personifications, that is, assigning human characteristics to an object or concept. For example: "The engine of the car roared happily" or "My love grips my heart in a merciless embrace. "
Step 3. Focus on the sound
Poetry is meant to be spoken aloud. So write your poem taking into account the sound effect it produces. This will allow you to work on the structure of the text and the choice of words. Pay attention to the way the lines of the poem follow each other and to the rhythm or sound produced by the succession of particular words.
For example, compare the sound of the words "glow" and "light". The sound “had” in “glow” is quite soft, which evokes something soft and intimate. The sound “è” opened in “lumière” is harder, which evokes something more lively, even aggressive. The two distinct syllables separated by the consonant of the word "light" also create a more marked rhythm
Step 4. Avoid common places
Your poem will be much more powerful if you avoid commonplaces, that is, expressions that have become so familiar to the point of losing their meaning. Introduce original descriptions and images into your poem to surprise and intrigue the reader. If you think a certain phrase or image will be too common for the reader, replace it with something more original.
For example, if you notice that you used the phrase “she was heartbroken” to refer to a character, you might write something like, “Her pain was ravaging her like the onslaught of a swarm of wasps. "
Method 3 of 3: Refine the poem
Step 1. Read the poem aloud
Once you have completed your first draft, read your composition aloud and listen to how it sounds. Pay attention to the way the worms follow each other. Keep a pen handy so you can jot down verses and phrases that sound wrong.
You can also read the poem to other people such as friends, family or spouse. Ask them what their first impressions of the poem are and observe them to see if there are any parts that they seem not to understand
Step 2. Ask for critical opinions
You can share your poem with other poets to get their feedback so you can improve your composition. You can join a poetry writing club to participate in workshops and work on your poems in collaboration with other people. You can also take poetry lessons to work on your writing with a teacher and other aspiring poets. You can then use the opinions of your companions to improve your poem.
Step 3. Revise your poem
Once you've received more reviews, make edits to your poem until you can't improve it anymore. Use the opinions of other people to eliminate worms that are not clear. You need to be prepared to cut out parts that appeal to you rather than keeping pretty phrases or pictures just so you can say you've incorporated them into your poem. Make sure each word contributes to the purpose, theme, or idea of the poem.