One of my friends asked if I would do a blog on writing poetry. So here is Part 1! DISCLAIMER: I don't consider myself an expert on writing poetry. But I do enjoy writing poetry, especially poetry that has a Christian message to it. (I've been writing poetry since I was a teenager I stopped for a while and then started again on Dec. 28, 2009.) It brings me great joy when people are blessed by my poems!
So here are some information regarding writing poetry:
Inspiration
Christian poetry ultimately comes from God! I have found that whenever God wants me to write a poem, He will give me the words. If He doesn't, then he doesn't give me the words. It really is simple as that! So if you are struggling to write a poem, ask God to inspire you and He will in His perfect timing!
God can use any form and any method to inspire you to write a poem. You may receive an idea for a poem while doing dishes, reading a book/magazine/blog/the Bible, while listening to music, while interacting with friends/family/strangers, while showering, and even yes, while using the bathroom! God is not limited on where/how/when He will give you an idea for a poem. So be open minded!
Types of Poems
According to an article by Gary Hess, there are 55 types of poems. For sake of time, I will only go over two types covered in the article. The two, in my opinion, major types of poems are "rhyming" and "free verse".
A rhyming poem "has the repetition of the same or similar sounds of two or more rhyming words, often at the end of the line." These days, you can find this type of poem most prominently featured in songs on albums. I personally enjoy reading and writing this type of poem, because it is very reader friendly. I loves poems that rhyme and have a rhythm to it! Rhyming poems are more song-friendly than free verse.
A free verse poem is a poem written "in either rhyme or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern." I have found that most magazines such as Poetry Magazine features poems in "free verse". The majority of free verse poems have no rhythm nor rhyme to them. In my opinion, this is one of the most boring type of poems to write. I never enjoy "reading" a poem that is free-verse. If you are going to write free-verse type poem, you may as well write it in prose and in the form of an essay or even a journal entry. The mind-set in reading a poem and the mind-set in reading prose or a journal entry are different. There are different expectations the reader has in reading each type of literature.
But if you want to be published in magazines such as "Poetry Magazine" then you may well benefit by writing free-verse. But if you are going to publish your own poems online or in book form, you may find that your readers will enjoy it a lot more if your poems has rhythm and rhyme to it!
Watch for part 2 tonight or Monday! God bless!!!!
Those are great tips! Thank you for those. I've had quite a few people asking me tips on how to get started on their poetry. And I had no idea that there were so many types! I personally enjoy both of them, but I agree, rhyming and flowing requires much more thought. I have read some really good free verse ones too. The choice of metaphors that some people choose to use is incredible!
ReplyDeleteI have written free verses because it's just so much easier! haha. but I've never been proud of anything that I've written lol. Do you keep all of the poems that you've written or have you tossed some?
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