Poetry can seem like a mystical, unknowable quantity that only writing doctorates and angst-ridden teens can understand.
It is, in reality, the language of the spirit, and something everyone could benefit from experiencing.
Learning to write poetry of your own can open doors to wells of emotion and creativity you might not have known you possessed.
You don't have to get a post-graduate education to write it, either.
Here's how to start: 1.
Read a lot of it The best way to get your brain to start thinking in meter and rhyme is to read a lot of poetry.
First, go on an explorative journey.
Ask your favorite librarian or book store owner to recommend an anthology or a few authors you might enjoy.
Find a quiet place with few distractions and start reading.
You might want to savor each poem individually or you might find you consume entire volumes in single sittings.
When you've reached a kind of threshold of poetry consumed, you might find your brain starts to spit out bits and phrases of its own in the style of your favorite poets.
That leads to the second step.
2.
Copy your favorites Students in any creative field often begin their learning by modeling the work of others.
Try writing a poem of your own in the style of one of your favorite poets.
Choose a theme that matters to you or pick one along the lines of what they might choose.
Try the same poem in another poet's style.
How does that change the poem? Does it sound different? Does it change the meaning? Which do you like better? Continue this exploration until you feel comfortable with your writing.
You may even begin to develop your own writing style.
3.
Set a goal or find a spark Every creative work begins with an idea.
Some of these ideas are sort of like homework assignments or deadlines.
We've got a concrete goal to accomplish, and it's up to us to decide how to fill that requirement.
Some ideas come in flashes of inspiration.
These are often preceded by the phrase, "what if...
?" before your brain chases the thought down a rabbit hole.
4.
Take these ideas and build on them.
If you find it helpful, write out the goal of the poem.
You could either describe it in a sentence or paragraph, or write a short list of words with one word for each line or stanza of the poem.
Another way to attack the poem is to write whatever words come to mind.
Write them even if they are terrible and don't rhyme or fit the parameters of the poem.
The first draft of a poem is messy, and it's supposed to be.
The messiness of the creative process is part of what brings so much emotion and depth into a poem.
Once you've got the words down, set the poem aside for a day or more.
Come back to the poem with fresh eyes, and begin to edit it into its correct form, meter, and imagery.
5.
Read it aloud Poetry has its origins in song and it was originally meant to be read aloud.
Reading your poetry is a good way to find the places where it isn't quite right.
When it sounds good to your ear, you probably have a poem you can be proud of.