Writing Poetry is about Choice:
Poetry is shorter than prose, so the writer must pick the most powerful and precise language possible to pack the punch. Into my toolbox, I pack an idea, a feeling, a poetic structure, and a thesaurus.
The Idea:
An idea is a topic you would like to write about. Subjects can range from motorcycle riding to love. Any item, object, or feeling can become the theme of an excellent poem. In the past, I have written about people, seasons, nature, and candy (just to name a few). Even, “the sky is no limit”. (smiles)
The Feeling or Purpose:
Before I begin brainstorming or pre-writing, I select the impression or intention of the poem. Do I want the reader to feel joy? Nostalgia? Excitement? Whatever feeling you want to portray is important when it comes to word choice. Not only should the author pick words that have the literal meaning intended (denotation), they should also select words with the intended connotation which includes the idea or feeling of the word’s meaning.
Poetic Structure:
Poetic structures include: Nursery rhymes, Sonnets, Limericks, Diamontes, Free Verse, Couplets, and the list goes on and on.
Once I decide on a poetic structure, I mimic the parts of speech and the rhyme scheme to create something of my own. For example the old nursery rhyme:
Hickory, Dickory, Dock (a)
The mouse ran up the clock (a)
The clock struck one (b)
The mouse ran down (b)
Hickory, Dickory, Dock (a)
Becomes:
Dancing, laughing, ocean waves
Splash into the smooth sea cave
Swell, rush, ripple, and then
Surrender to the sea again,
Dancing, laughing, ocean waves – By MusisingwithMelie 2.21.22
The Perfect Words
In my opinion, the most challenging part of writing poetry comes from choosing the perfect words. Before I begin, I use typical pre-write strategies and list all of the words I am considering. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, all get jotted down on a piece of paper or a Google Doc. Then I search out synonyms for the words in a thesaurus. I like the google add-on “OneLook Thesaurus” because it is so convenient. You can also use the online version here.
After I have a long list of words, I carefully select the ones that fit my idea, tone, and purpose. That’s when I write my poem, changing out words as I decide.
Now it’s your turn. Try your hand at a poem and share your favorites with me in the comment section below.
