It’s no secret that New York City has a thriving arts culture. The Poetry Society of New York actively promotes poetry within American culture. A thriving poetic culture contributes to a myriad of events, such as the Annual NYC Poetry Festival.
Whether you’re preparing poetry for a poetry night at Rossi’s Lounge or fine-tuning your spoken word for Open Mic Night at Crisis Bar, the tips below can help you write great poetry. Use these five tips to better express a full range of emotions through your written words.
1. Enjoy poetry written by others.
To write great poetry, you need to read great poetry. Take time to read poetry and listen to poetry shared at live events like open mic night. When you take note of how others present their poetry, you’re better equipped to write your own poetry.
As you read and listen to others’ poems, reflect on which things you like and which things you don’t. After reading poetry, you’ll build your own poetry style based on things you’ve read.
2. Start with short poems.
When learning any skill, it’s important to start small. Poetry is no different. When you’re learning, it’s important to start with short poems while you fine-tune your skills and perfect the art. Start with poems of seven to ten lines. Get comfortable expressing your emotion in these short poems before moving on to longer poetry styles.
While poetry doesn’t have to rhyme, you may choose to start with rhyming poems. Although these poems are sometimes associated with school assignments for children, rhyming poetry allows you to dip your toes into the sea of poetry options. When you master rhyming poems, you can use that mastery as a building block for your poetry aspirations.
3. Focus on one idea or emotion.
Poetry can center around any emotion. While some poems focus on happy things like love or excitement, others plunge into the depths of sorrow and grief. Focus on one emotion at a time and allow yourself to express yourself poetically.
Many poems focus on love, for good reason. Love encompasses a variety of emotions, giving you a lot to draw on when writing. If you want to learn more about writing great love poems, Dijon Bowden provides some great tips on how to write two voice poems.
4. Learn about different poetry styles and formats.
Not all poems are the same. There are hundreds of different styles and formats for poetry. Explore different poem styles to find out about your own poetic preferences. You may discover that you enjoy writing limericks or haikus instead of free-form poetry.
On the flip side, you may feel free by the possibilities when you set aside rhyming poetry in favor of free verse poems. There are plenty of books and websites to help you learn about different types of poems. You may even decide to take a poetry class to learn more about writing poetry.
5. Spend time with other poets.
Your poetry will improve when you spend time talking about poetry with other people. Even if you’re just meeting with friends and sharing poetry over a cup of coffee, these conversations will push you to develop your skills.
Reflecting on their poetry and receiving feedback on yours will help you expand your skills. If you plan on sharing your poetry with a large group, feedback from trusted friends may help you fine-tune your poetry.
Conclusion
Poetry is loved for its ability to express a full range of human emotions. Whether you’re happy or heartbroken, poetry provides an outlet for your life experience. If you want to improve your poetry writing skills, the five tips above will help you take the next step in your writing journey.
