To Write Poetry

You can do it...if you dare

Poetry is not a magical thing only fairies can approach. You just need a heart, a soul, and the means to put it on a screen or paper.

That's it!

If anything, you also need courage. First, to allow yourself to see what's really going on at the core of you. And, later, to go touch other people's spirits.

In the end, when you let us see the magic in you, you are telling us carrying this fire in us is not only okay, but it is necessary.

Okay, all of this sounds wonderful but, how do you actually do it?

Stop Thinking

Seriously...stop it.

Here's the thing: thinking is seriously overrated and does nothing but get in the way of actual writing. When you are too busy thinking, you have no energy left to let your heart come to the page.

The solution is to tell the voice in your head to shut up and then write without judging what your pen (or your keyboard) is spouting onto the page.

Don't worry... you'll do the thinking later.

A technique I like to use a lot is called "stream of consciousness." In it, you let your mind flow freely. I would say you not only stop thinking about whether or not you'll make a fool out of yourself. Quite the opposite: you embrace your weirdness and let her be queen for the day.

Here's an example I wrote a few months ago:

When Numbness Moves In

There's numbness
that kills;
it seeps
through the cracks
in your heart
it takes hold
it builds a house
it grows a family
it hosts BBQs
it starts a book club
it invites her friends —
sadness and despair—
and they give each other
mani-pedis and
massage their backs
and they decide to live together,
forever and ever in your soul,
and if you try to evict them
they tell you to go fuck yourself.

And that's just the beginning. Things got crazier as I kept going, and yet, I loved it, and so did my readers. I dare say it is one of my popular poems.

So, please, take some risks and, in any case, you don't have to publish everything you write, you can keep to yourself, although I can tell you it is very liberating to let go.

Be Surgical

Poetry is about saying a lot with very few words.

Imagine your loved one is teasing you with their fingertips. They touch lightly, just to provoke you.

Something similar is happening here. You are not to try to tell people what to think and feel. Instead, you will use the power of your words to trigger their minds into developing certain feelings and emotions.

The best way to achieve this is to use fewer amount of words. So, before publishing your poem, go over it and try to see which words you can trim away.

Use Strong and Precise Vocabulary

Always try to go for words that will evoke powerful images in the reader's mind. The thesaurus could become your best friend in finding terms that allow your audience to see more than they expected.

Now, allow me to use another one of my poems to demonstrate.

Do You Remember How You Died?

No, my beloved,
this silly fantasy was all about us
waltzing at the heart of a dandelion
while a naughty child gets ready
to blow.

Many readers have told me that they loved the whole of the poem, but, above all, this particular stanza hit them the hardest. Somehow, the image of a fragile dandelion as a metaphor for life got them thinking more than they expected.

Of course, don't go crazy with this. If you overdo it, you could end up distracting your readers, but do try to surprise them from time to time with a punch in the gut.

Do not be afraid to be harsh.

In Conclusion

Poetry is about being willing to take risks without letting our minds get in the way. So maybe give it a try?

I hope these tips work for you. Please, let me know if you have any questions or comments.