Poetry and Quotations

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Poetry: Back to the Basics

Poetry is seen by many as a series of meters constructing stories using rhyme. This is one of the most common misconceptions about poetry. The truth is, poetry comes in many varieties while describing many different objects and having different elements from within - rhyme is just one choice of what poetry may consist of.

Basic rules to live by:

• Use the 5 senses. For an effective poem, utilize all senses of the human body: hearing, seeing, smelling, touching and tasting. No, don't actually have the reader eat the paper you write on, but describe the scenery, make your words so they know exactly what is happening. Is the floor creaking? Does the situation leave a bad taste in your mouth?
• Don't force rhyme. Rhyming is the most overused yet least accurately utilized tool of a poem. If you are ever going to rhyme, do it with meaning. Just because five rhymes with hives doesn't mean you have to use it. If a word doesn't fit, don't use it. If a line doesn't work out the way you want, change it. Never force anything in a poem, especially rhymes. Many poets went their whole career without a single poem that rhymes.
• Use rhythm. This is something all poems must have, if it doesn't have this, it isn't a poem. Some poem types have this built in, ie: haiku, limerick. But for freehand, etc. it is important to follow this rule.
• Have meaning. There's nothing worse than a poem without an expressed idea. If you must, create a layout which includes the four elements of a writing: rising, climax, decline, conclusion. Once the writing is finished, have a friend or family member look over the work. Be sure not to tell them what it is about!

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