The basics of writing poetry

Writing coach Jessica Page Morrell talks about style, thought and emotion in poetry

'A poem is a composition written for performance by the human voice. What your eye sees on the page is the composer's verbal score, waiting for your voice to bring it alive as you read it aloud or hear it in your mind's ear.'

That quote is from the intro to the The Norton Anthology of Poetry. I wanted to start with it because I want to remind you all that whether we read aloud or not, we all sub-vocalise inside of our heads. That is, we hear ourselves read. I want to talk about writing for the inner ear, subjects for poetry, getting started and voice:

  • The importance of keeping a notebook
  • Joining the writing life
  • Looking to your own life for material
  • Using poetry to express emotion
  • Style tricks
  • Style: line
  • Style: stanza
  • Style: shape and format
  • Style: repetition

    Keep a notebook
    Poets need to work at capturing their ideas more than other writers, because often inspiration starts with something tiny, something fleeting. So carry a notebook, a tape recorder, a sketchpad, a loose-leaf binder. And like all other forms of writing, please practice awareness. Poets are keen observers. We've also mentioned keeping an idea file - I swear by them. They are good for collecting quotes, images, letters, etc. Good poets read lots of poetry, and they understand how the world works. They're not afraid to research, search out ideas, read writers' biographies and published journals.

    Join the writing life
    We all need to keep ourselves immersed in the writing life. If you're going to write about a frog or a creek or a mountain, know more about it than what it looks like. Find out how if affects you. Good writers take the time to explore subjects, and they study all the time. Some of these explorations can be a starting place for your writing. Poets have this wonderful permission to REALLY write what they know. We all hear this all the time, but with poetry, it works so well.

    Look at your own life
    Write a list of all the main events of your life - the high and low points, going back as far as you remember. Now along with that list, write about all the epiphanies that arrived during these events or at moments of trauma, peace, etc. They are all fodder for your poems, especially the epiphanies; as writers we often don't think and write about them enough.

    Write about objects - the things next to your bed, your favourite belongings, shoes, jewellery, your grandmother's closet. Write about your worries, your memories that haunt you. Write about the terrible things that wake you in the night, the issues that keep cropping up in your disputes with friends and spouse. Try writing about ordinary activities - doing the dishes, walking the dog, strolling a beach, grocery shopping. But add your keen observation, your writer's/poet's eye. Write about a skill you're good at - making soup, giving a massage, scrubbing the floor, writing, playing piano, scuba diving. Write about what makes you happy, miserable, depressed. Write about loss, death, grief, illness. Write about your grandparents and people from your past. Write about the first time you did something, and write about sex, the good, the bad and the ugly. Write about your shadow - the part you never talk about or expose.

    Poetry is about evoking emotion, just like music. It's also about the craft of writing. In fact, it's like a condensed version of the power of language, which is why I think all writers should read poetry.

    Use poetry to express emotion
    Poetry is one of the best ways to express emotion because we can use figurative and literal images to express emotions in fresh ways. Love is a great motivator, as is heartbreak and anger. But no matter what we write, we can learn from poets. We can learn about the power of conciseness and carefully chosen images.

    Style tricks
    I love poetry because it often involves two of my favourite style tricks, metaphor and simile. I keep teaching my classes two main ideas: writing is precise and writing is associative. We always have to search, comb, gather the perfect word for each line in our poem. And the line, of course, is the basic unit of construction in poetry. When I say it's associative, I'm also searching for metaphors and images because they do so much for a piece. Good metaphors are like little bombs. They must explode in our minds and resonate there, creating tension, connections. They expand meaning, deepen, energise. I'm really into the SOUND of writing. That's why I think we should: a) Read poetry; b) Edit like crazy; and c) Read our work out loud. Poetry, because of its shape, form and size, forces us to slow down and pay attention to each word. And that has to be good for us as writers.

    Economy of words is good for us. Teaches us precision, forces us to make careful choices and really respect each word and lovingly insert it in just the right place. When you write poetry, save all your drafts. Don't throw them out or erase them from your computer. Often the final draft is a synthesis of several drafts. I also think some of us were turned off by poetry when we were younger because we were stuck on all the terms. I've read that there are more than 1,000 terms to discuss poetry. Too many for our purposes, so let's talk more about basics.

    The line
    The building block that you have to master is the line. The line is where it all starts, and everything from its length and punctuation communicates something to the reader. For instance, if you put a full stop at the end of line, your reader will actually pause twice. So you have to give everything careful consideration. There are no real rules for lines breaks, but keep in mind the power of the white space around the line. Short lines stand out more. Some experts say short lines are fast, some claim they actually slow a poem down. No matter what you think, it's clear that a short line has lots of emphasis. A short line anywhere in our writing has a clout. It should really stand for something, make a statement. Usually the word at the end of the line break is the one you want to emphasise, it has more weight.

    I'm emphasising the line because it's your building block, it's what you work with in poetry. It's where we use our words as tools to create tension and relaxation. We speed it up, slow it down. The shape of a line communicates a lot. Sometimes it's a complete thought, but often it is not. However, the ending, and to a lesser degree the first words, are where we often put our emphasis. The ending, with or without punctuation, is like a line break, a pause in music.

    The stanza
    Our other building block is the stanza. However, in free verse there is often only one stanza. Stanzas are a structure like chapters in a book. They connect ideas, create a pattern, create shapes that the eye likes, notices. Again the white space around them communicates their importance, their connections. Use stanzas when you want to shift focus, point of view, scene, mood, time. It's a device for organising your information. Poetry is where we must work hardest at our voice; it has to be unmistakable. We strive for a unique presence on the page. We try to understand our strengths and weaknesses and work on the craft.

    Shape and format
    Shape and format - line length, white space, rhyme, etc - all communicate. They all make patterns, sounds inside our heads. As in most writing, the first line is the most important. Start out with your most powerful image if you can; don't warm up or wander into your poems. The last line is also important, a clincher. It often resounds or repeats the first image. The best poetry lines should be able to stand alone. They don't need other lines to prop them up. They're complete, powerful on their own. They contain an image, idea, concept and are powered with specific nouns and vivid, kick-butt verbs.

    Tip: avoid the passive voice as much as possible. Verbs and verb tense are crucial to good poetry. So remember, the last line is as powerful as the first, and you can use line length to control impact. Some writers think that longer lines have more emotion. I?m not sure I agree.

    Repetition
    Repetition is basic to most poetry. Repeat key words, sounds and phrases for emphasis. Repetition makes us pay attention, echoes important themes and images. Blues are a good example of how to use repetition. Repetition is comforting and familiar, but don't rely on it to carry your message. Intersperse with change and innovation. But it is powerful; think of prayers and chants as another example.

    Repetition can be overdone but used well it's a great technique. I like internal repetition too: assonance and consonance - repeating sounds within the line. Also don't think of grammar as a dirty word; understand it, unlock it. For example, try an appositive - adding one thing beside the other: My grandfather, Ben, a large man with a laugh like a Christmas elf, stands in his workroom, etc. Use a noun, then clump a phrase to the right of it to bring it to life.