How to Write Poetry
Current, the ‘free verse’ style of poetry is the most popular. In the late 19th century, Walt Whitman is credited with originating the form. Before his time, poetry was restricted to certain rhyming schemes and forms.
Scansion is the analyzing of pattern, rhyme and meter in formal poetry. Commonly, a letter is placed at the end of the last word in each line. Usually starting with A then B and so on….
For example if the first two line rhyme with each other, their letters would be AA. If the second set of lines rhyme with each other the rhyme pattern would be AABB. If the fifth line doesn’t rhyme a C would be introduced and so on.
Meter is the number of beats in each line. The beat most commonly used is “Iambic pentameter’. Individual beats consist of a short and strong pulse. Words with this beat are arrest, domain, forsooth, etc. The second syllable is accented.
Time for the fun stuff! When you tell stories or write letters, how do you start? Is it maybe something you overheard, or read about? Or maybe something you witnessed? Start with something that is comfortable to you.
What type of poem did you have in mind? A Story? A comment? Or could it be a character study? Go through some examples to help get you started off on the right foot. It is common to get what is called “writer’s block”. If this happens, take a break, or come back to it the next day. If your out and something comes to you, jot it down.
It may take many weeks or months to get your poem finished. If your having trouble, take a break. When you come back, carry on from the last line in your poem. You will be delighted at what comes out.