What is poetry? Besides the obvious answers like "poetry is a literary work in metrical form", poetry is the art of communicating with a rhythmical composition, usually causing all sorts of emotions and exciting the imagination.
If you want to learn how to write poetry, there's a lot of books teaching you the elements of poetry like rhythm, symbolism, theme, etc. There are also a lot of websites that explain all the technical details on how to craft a poem.
So basically if you follow this procedure, do this, and do that, ta-da! You have a beautiful poem.
Incorrect. Don't fall into this trap!
Writing Poetry is a Personal Experience
Technical stuff is pretty simple. And there's a zillion resources out there that can help you do just that. Certainly, you should at the very least learn about rhyme schemes. Writing poetry without knowing about rhyme schemes is like a writer trying to create a novel without knowing the basics of language. It just won't work no matter how hard you try. Fortunately, the structures are very easy, so you'll be writing poetry in no time.
The real secret to writing good poetry is to understand that poetry only has meaning to one single person - YOU. A single poem simply cannot be truly understood with mere words... by the reader. Words are actually a pretty poor way to convey emotions, and poems have a lot of limitations compared to writing a scene in a novel.
Say you are expressing joy in your life. At that moment, you are thinking something along the lines of: "Wow! This orange tastes really, REALLY good!" And in that moment, your body language changes completely. You may close your eyes while you enjoy the pleasure of eating that delicious orange, or you may lick your lips while enjoying the yummy orange. The unique smell of the orange invades your senses. The great taste of the orange floods your body. A million sensations inundate your mind and body. And this is just an orange. Can all of this be conveyed in a poem to a listener or a reader? Can it really be done through the compact method that is poetry, which is basically emotion and imagination put in a few words?
No, it cannot. This is why poetry is so personal. A line that can be very poetic and beautiful to you may be outright silly to another person. The readers or listeners will attach their own meaning to your words. In a way, what you are writing or saying almost doesn't matter, but at the same time it does.
Once it is understood that writing poetry is a personal experience that is written not for other people, but for you, and you alone, then you are on the right path when it comes to writing poetry. First, you don't care what other people think. If it doesn't matter what people may think of your poems, you can write from your soul without a care in the world. Ironically, if you write not out of a desire to please some figure, but only to express your emotions, then you are truly writing poetry.
A poet who writes in order to cause emotion on someone else is not a real poet. Only by stirring your own soul can you hope to truly move someone else by writing poetry.
It's like humor, in a way. The funniest things that make others laugh are often things we don't even think about. By just being our best selves without really thinking much about what we're doing, people are attracted. It's the same with poetry.
Understand that when you can touch yourself with your own words, you will be able to touch others with those same words. Don't start writing poetry for money. Don't do it to please someone.
The first rule of writing poetry is: Write for yourself, not others.
References
Mason, L. A. (2010, February 14). Writing Poetry - Why Poems Don't Need to Rhyme. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Writing-Poetry---Why-Poems-Dont-Need-to-Rhyme&id=3758447
Fontenot, K. (2010, May 10). Excelling in Poetry - An Advanced Guide. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Excelling-in-Poetry---An-Advanced-Guide&id=4261077
Krueger, J. (2010, May 18). Why Writers Should Take Acting Classes. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Writers-Should-Take-Acting-Classes&id=4316095
McGuire, J. V. (2010, March 10). Poetry and Writing - Creativity of Thought Expressed in Word Formation. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Poetry-and-Writing---Creativity-of-Thought-Expressed-in-Word-Formation&id=3903809
Daniels, J. C. (2010, April 19). Great Ways to Make Money by Writing Poetry. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Great-Ways-to-Make-Money-by-Writing-Poetry&id=4140592
Kalwar, S. (2009, December 15). Do Not Judge Poetry Or Poem. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-Not-Judge-Poetry-Or-Poem&id=3428725
Tiago Miguel - Read my articles with a blood orange at your side. It will feel good ;).
