Poem: Basic Guidelines & Poetry Examples

Poetry intends to express emotions, cover academic purposes, communicate about social movements, and serve as entertainment, among other reasons. In this case, stanzas, rhyme schemes, and poetry meters are main characteristics of defining a poem and its types. Based on these characteristics, there are many types of poems, such as blank verse, haiku, and rhyme poetic pieces, among others. Further on, if people want to learn how to write a poem, an entire choice of words, punctuation, and other stylistic devices help in communicating different themes. Moreover, balance is essential in verses to ensure poets do not include sentimentality in their texts. Finally, a subversion of an ordinary use of language is crucial in making poetry artistic and comfortable for an intended audience to remember a central message.

General Aspects

A poem is a piece of writing intended to express some ideas and various emotions of an author regarding a specific subject. Basically, the 5 basic steps to writing a poem are: choose a theme, brainstorm ideas and images, select a poetic form, write a first draft with vivid language, and revise for clarity and impact. In this case, poets pay attention to different features, such as diction, rhyme, symbolism, and imagery, to communicate their feelings. Further on, such a type of literature is different from official forms of writing, such as letters and books. In most cases, poets are allowed to flaunt standard rules of grammar to create imagery, rhythm, or a specific message to a target audience. Besides, poetry is closely related to music in comparison to other forms of literature. Hence, people write different types of poetic pieces for various reasons with the kinds determined with a particular use of poetry features, such as stanzas, rhyme, and meters. In turn, a central message a poet intends to communicate determines an entire wording and content.

What Is a Poem and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a poem is a form and type of literary expression that uses rhythm, imagery, and often meter or rhyme to convey emotions, ideas, or experiences in a condensed and imaginative way. For example, the main purpose of writing a poem varies depending on a poet’s intent because poetry may serve to evoke emotions, explore universal themes, like love, nature, or mortality, or express personal reflections (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). Unlike prose, poems rely heavily on a musicality of language and writing, creating an emotional response through carefully chosen words and structure. Further on, these texts can be short and simple or complex and layered with meaning and offer readers different interpretations (Kangasharju et al., 2024). At times, poetry challenges conventional thinking, presents new perspectives, or reveals hidden truths. Moreover, writing such a composition distills language to its most potent form, aims to connect readers or listeners to deeper emotional or intellectual understanding, serves as both a creative outlet for a writer and a reflective space for an intended audience, and bridges an entire gap between individual experience and collective human emotion (Alexander et al., 2023). In terms of pages and words, the length of a poem depends on academic levels, people’s desires, and principal expectations, while general writing guidelines are:

Format

Note: Some elements of a poem can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, depending on specific requirements, genres, assignments, and what a poet wants to write about. For example, a standard poem format refers to a specific structure or layout of poetry, including various elements, such as stanza arrangement, rhyme scheme, meter, line length, and an overall organization, which together shape a poetic piece’s flow and impact (Alexander et al., 2023). In literature, a poem is made by combining carefully chosen words with elements, like rhythm, imagery, and structure, to express emotions, ideas, or stories in a condensed and evocative way. Further on, a poem is a form of literary expression that uses rhythmic and often metaphorical language to convey emotions, ideas, or stories, while a haiku is a short example with a 5-7-5 syllable structure that often focuses on nature (Jackson, 2022). Basically, the best definition of poetry is a form of literary art that uses rhythmic, expressive, and often figurative language to evoke emotions, convey ideas, and create vivid imagery in a concentrated, imaginative form. Moreover, a poem is considered a literary work that uses rhythmic and often figurative language to express emotions, ideas, or narratives through verse (Cresswell, 2022). In turn, to start a poem, people choose a specific theme or emotion, begin with an opening line that sets a chosen tone, and capture attention through vivid imagery or a thought-provoking idea.

Topics

• Love and Relationships – Complexities of love, affection, heartbreak, or connection.
• Nature and Seasons – A beauty, power, or transformation of nature across the seasons.
• Identity and Self-Discovery – Exploring personal growth, self-awareness, or an entire search for identity.
• Loss and Grief – An emotional journey through losing someone or something meaningful.
• Dreams and Aspirations – Aspirations, goals, or an actual significance of dreams in life.
• Time and Memory – A passing of time, memories, and a fleeting nature of moments.
• Courage and Resilience – Overcoming challenges, personal strength, or perseverance.
• War and Peace – An impact of conflict, a desire for peace, or a human cost of war.
• Freedom and Oppression – Themes around liberty, confinement, or societal and personal struggles for freedom.
• Life and Death – A cycle of life, an inevitability of death, or philosophical questions surrounding existence.

Steps on How to Write a Poem

To write a poem, people start by selecting a unique theme or emotion, use vivid imagery and figurative language, decide on a specific structure, and refine their language through revision to convey meaning and evoke emotion effectively. For example, a very short poem is a concise form of poetry, often consisting of a few lines, such as a haiku or couplet, that conveys a complete idea or emotion in a brief, impactful way (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). Basically, students can write a poem about emotions, nature, love, personal experiences, identity, time, loss, dreams, relationships, or social issues — whatever inspires a person or evokes strong feelings. Moreover, all poems do not have to rhyme because some poetic pieces, especially free verse, focus on rhythm, imagery, and emotion without following a rhyming structure (Jackson, 2022). In turn, some general steps to follow are:

• Choose an Interesting Theme or Subject: Decide on a central idea or emotion you want to explore in your poem.
• Brainstorm Ideas and Images: Jot down words, phrases, and images that come to mind related to your theme.
• Select a Poetic Form: Choose a specific structure, like a sonnet, haiku, or free verse, that fits an overall mood and style of your writing.
• Write a Strong Opening Line: Begin with a line that captures attention and sets a tone for your poetry.
• Focus on Imagery and Sensory Details: Use descriptive and clear language to create vivid mental images for your readers.
• Incorporate Figurative Language: Employ metaphors, similes, or personification to add depth and layers of meaning.
• Pay Attention to Rhythm and Sound: Consider a musicality of poetry by focusing on rhyme, meter, or repetition.
• Revise for Clarity and Impact: Edit your poem to remove unnecessary words and sharpen its emotional or intellectual punch.
• Consider Line Breaks and Punctuation: Use line breaks and punctuation thoughtfully to guide a reader’s pace and interpretation.
• Conclude with a Strong Closing: End with a line that resonates and leaves a lasting impression on readers or listeners.

Why People Need to Write Poems

Different factors make poets write different poetic pieces. For example, one of the reasons for how to write poetry is a fact that people want to express themselves on various issues (Alexander et al., 2023). By using a poem, they can express their emotions, such as pain, fear, love, hate, melancholy, and many other feelings. Further on, authors write poetry to express their ideas on subjects, such as a specific environment, a lover, a leader, or a practice (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). In this case, a lack of strict regulation of language for lyrics makes poets prefer to use such a genre in expressing themselves. Basically, William Shakespeare used poetic pieces in his plays to express some feelings of his characters toward various issues (Jackson, 2022). As a result, dramas are lively and exciting to follow for an audience. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a poem are:

• In the quiet of the morning, …
• Beneath the endless sky, …
• I found your voice in the wind, …
• The stars whispered secrets of, …
• Like a river flowing through time, …
• Among the shadows of forgotten dreams, …
• With every heartbeat, …
• The sun dipped below the horizon, …
• In the echoes of yesterday, …
• Underneath the weight of silence, …

Academic Poetry

Academic poetry is another reason why people write poems. For example, academic poets mainly write to inform people about a specific subject (Parsons & Pinkerton, 2022). Essentially, poems were written for educational purposes to employ stylistic devices, such as rhyme and rhythm, to pass elaborate messages. Therefore, poets who identify their works as an academic poetry center their works on scholarly disciplines (Alexander et al., 2023). In turn, a poet who is a technologist is likely to write about technical issues such as futuristic compositions on a particular use of technology in various spheres.

Communication

Another reason why people write poems is to communicate about social movements. For example, there are many poetic pieces on an issue of racial attacks on Black people by police dubbed as a Black Lives Matter (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). Basically, people interested in social movement poetry mainly write about social issues, such as homosexuality, racism, and animal rights, among others. Furthermore, environmentalist movements have produced a large number of poetic pieces on topics, such as pollution, deforestation, and global warming (Jackson, 2022). Therefore, social movements are another reason why authors write poetry. In turn, they use the lyrics to communicate their perspective on social issues of their interest.

Commercial Purposes

Poets write to entertain and earn a salary from poems. For example, a characteristic feature of poetry intended for commercial purposes is their entertaining nature to a general population (Alexander et al., 2023). Basically, a collection of poetic pieces by Amanda Lovelace titled The Princess Saves Herself in This One has sold millions of copies. As such, an entertaining nature of literature in a book makes people buy and write many poetic compositions. However, making money is not a primary reason for an author to write a poetry piece (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). In turn, informing and entertaining are primary reasons for authors to write good poetry. Therefore, some poets rely on their compositions to earn income from their works.

Theoretical Background on Types

The main elements defining poems are stanzas, rhyme schemes, and meters. For example, a poetry verse is a primary tool used in building any poetic piece (Jackson, 2022). In principle, a stanza is equal to a paragraph that expresses ideas and defines them. Besides, a rhyme scheme is a flow of words and sounds in a poem to create consistency. Then, there are different types of rhyme schemes poets write when reinforcing a central message in their lyrics (Alexander et al., 2023). In this case, a meter in poetry is used to define a specific length of lines, stanzas, and a written piece itself. Hence, a particular use of a meter helps in identifying key ideas and how they flow in a poetic piece. As a result, different types of poetry can be defined by various elements of a poem discussed above.

Content

In writing a poem, wording and placement of content are essential for any poet to communicate an intended message. For example, punctuation in poetry is one of the features poets employ to send a specific message to a target audience (Alexander et al., 2023). In this case, punctuation can help in creating sounds or changing an entire meaning of words and sentences. Furthermore, a poet can decide not to use full stops to indicate a continuity of a story narrated in a poetic piece (Heller & Wooldridge, 2021). Apart from punctuation, there are other stylistic devices used when writing various poetic pieces to communicate with a target audience.

Poem Example

The Fear of Unseen

The unseen enemy is moving amidst the dearly,
The new scourge devastating the weary.
It takes the best of best,
And leaves the worst people for last.
A disease in the air,
Tormenting even the fair.
No longer walk in pair,
But the wise should not live in fear.

Poetry Analysis

An author writes about a COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting persons across the world. Basically, a first line talks about a possibility of a virus being contracted by persons that one loves and cherishes. Therefore, it suggests wise people should be fearful of moving around. In this case, an illness has impacted social life, such as walking in pairs as people seek to keep a social distance that is one of the WHO recommended ways of stopping an entire spread of this virus.

What to Include

Common Mistakes

• Overusing Clichés: Relying on tired phrases or ideas that weaken originality and impact.
• Forcing Rhyme: Choosing words solely for rhyme, which can make an entire poem sound unnatural or awkward.
• Lack of Clear Theme: Failing to focus on a central idea, causing poetry to feel scattered or unfocused.
• Ignoring Imagery: Neglecting to use vivid, sensory language to create strong mental pictures for readers or listeners.
• Overcomplicating Language: Using overly complex or obscure words that confuse readers instead of enhancing poetry.
• Neglecting Line Breaks: Placing line breaks randomly without considering their impact on pacing or meaning.
• Being Too Abstract: Writing in vague terms that prevent readers from connecting emotionally with an entire context.
• Excessive Sentimentality: Overloading a whole poetic piece with emotions, making it feel exaggerated or insincere.
• Ignoring Rhythm: Failing to pay attention to a specific flow and musicality of the words, making poetry awkward to read.
• Not Revising: Skipping an editing process, which can leave a presented poetic peice cluttered, unclear, or less impactful than it could be.

Summing Up

Poetry serves different purposes leading to specific types of poems. Basically, the 7 main steps to writing a poem are: choose a theme, brainstorm ideas, select a form or structure, create vivid imagery, use figurative language, refine a rhythm and sound, and revise for clarity and emotional impact. In this case, poets use lyrics to write, communicate, express themselves, for academic purposes, for commercial gains, and to advance social justice goals. Basically, factors that determine a specific type of poetic piece include a rhyme scheme and a meter. Therefore, key characteristics of poetry determine their classification and forms, which depend on a specific message, arrangement of content, and other elements. When writing poetry, a particular use of language, pronunciation, and stylistic devices helps poets to communicate effectively. Moreover, a correct choice of words, clarity of a mian message, and balance of an entire content are essential in writing a good poem. In turn, major points on poetry writing to remember are:

Reasons for Writing a Poem:

• To express their emotions.
• For academic reasons.
• Communication of social movement issues.
• To write for entertainment.

Defining Elements of Poetry:

• A number of lines.
• Stanzas.
• Rhyme scheme.
• Poetry meters.

Types of Poems:

• Blank verse.
• Rhymed poetry.
• Haiku.
• Free verse poems.
• Pastoral poetry.
• Epics.
• Elegy poetry.
• Lyric poems.
• Ballads.
• Soliloquy poems.
• Sonnets.

Qualities of Poems:

• Good punctuation.
• Use of storytelling.
• Use of imagery created through descriptive words, sounds, oxymoron, similes, etc.
• Balance in messaging.
• Subversion of an ordinary style.
• Clearly communicate themes.
• Choice of words.
• Proofread to ensure a right use of all the elements of written pieces.

References

Alexander, K., Nikaido, D., & Sweet, M. (2023). How to write a poem. Quill Tree Books.

Cresswell, T. (2022). Writing (new) worlds: Poetry and place in a time of emergency. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 104(4), 374–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2022.2113551

Heller, M., & Wooldridge, S. (2021). Write a poem, save your life: A guide for teens, teachers, and writers of all ages. New World Library.

Jackson, S. (2022). Write about poetry: Getting to the heart of a poem. Routledge.

Kangasharju, Arja. I., Ilomäki, L., & Toom, A. (2024). Online poetry writing at school – Comparing lower secondary students’ experiences between individual and collaborative poetry writing. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1380790

Parsons, L. T., & Pinkerton, L. (2022). Poetry and prose as methodology: A synergy of knowing. Methodological Innovations, 15(2), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/20597991221087150