How to Make a Poem: A Beginner’s Guide

Discover how to make a poem with this beginner's guide! Learn about the importance of starting with a theme, choosing a poetic form, playing with language, using sensory experience, reading other poetry, and editing effectively to create impactful and engaging poems that resonate with yourself and others.

Introduction

If you’ve ever felt the tug of poetry, you’re not alone. Poetry can be a deeply personal and cathartic art form that allows you to express yourself in ways you never thought possible. In this article, we’ll explore how to make a poem by examining the different steps involved. But first, let’s define what a poem is. A poem is a form of creative writing that uses language and literary devices to evoke emotions and create meaning through different forms and rhythms. Learning how to write poetry can be a rewarding and transformative experience, unlocking new ways of thinking about the world.

Start with a Theme

One of the first steps in poetry writing is to choose a theme for your poem. This can be anything that inspires you, such as a memory, a feeling or an observation. Starting with a theme can help you focus your writing and give your poem a clear direction. Some examples of possible themes include:

Childhood memories
Nature
Love and relationships
Social justice
Mental health

Choose a theme that resonates with you and inspires you to write.

Choose a Poetic Form

Once you have a theme, choosing a poetic form can help shape your poem. There are many different poetic forms to choose from, each with its own rules and conventions. Some examples include:

Sonnet: a 14-line poem with a strict rhyme scheme and meter
Haiku: a three-line poem with a syllable count of 5-7-5
Free verse: an open form of poetry with no set rhyme or meter

Experimenting with different forms can help you discover what works best for your writing style and your theme.

Play with Language

The language you use in your poem is incredibly important. Word choice, sound, and rhythm all contribute to the tone and meaning of a poem. Experimenting with language can help you create unique and impactful poems. Some examples of how to play with language in your poems include:

Using unusual or unexpected words
Playing with alliteration or assonance
Creating a specific rhythm or meter
Using repetition for effect

Don’t be afraid to take risks with your language use and let your creativity flow.

Use your Senses

Sensory experience can be a powerful tool for creating vivid and memorable images in your poetry. Using your senses to evoke feelings and moods can help your readers feel more connected to your poem. Some examples of sensory language in poems include:

Describing a place through sight, sound, smell, and touch
Eliciting a sense of taste or smell through words and imagery
Using tactile language to describe emotions or experiences

By using sensory language, you can create a more immersive experience for your reader.

Read Other Poetry

Reading and analyzing other poetry can be incredibly helpful for learning how to write it yourself. By reading other poets, you can learn about different poetic forms, language use, and styles. Some poets to read include:

Emily Dickinson
Langston Hughes
Maya Angelou
Walt Whitman
Sylvia Plath

Take notes on what you like about their writing and analyze how they use language and form in their poems.

Edit, Edit, Edit

Once you’ve written a poem, the editing process is just as important as the writing process. Editing can help you refine and perfect your poem, getting it to a place where you’re truly happy with it. Some tips for effective editing include:

Revision: re-reading and re-writing parts of your poem to improve clarity and impact
Refining: removing unnecessary words or lines to make your poem more focused

Don’t be afraid to cut out parts of your poem or completely re-write it until you’re satisfied with the final product.

Conclusion

Making a poem can be a deeply personal and rewarding experience. By starting with a theme, experimenting with different poetic forms, language use, and sensory experience, reading other poetry, and editing effectively, you can create impactful and engaging poems that resonate with yourself and others. So, go ahead and start writing! With practice, you’ll find your own unique voice and style in poetry writing.