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@eden-anderson OF COURSE YOU CAN!

*happy dance* 😀 😀 😀

All of you can. 🙂 @the-fledgling-artist @lin

And for the record Eden, I’d take your hedge-hugs over money any day. 😉

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Oh dear… let’s see. Where to start…

There are two main types of poetry: Free-style poetry, (See: Handprint Heart on the blog for a beautiful example. :)) and the kind with a pattern of some sort, whether it be rhyming or meter or both. (And I Hear a Train is an example of one with a rhyming pattern. :))

For both kinds of poetry, the key is to experiment and practice and try them out. Discover which way you like to work better: computer or paper and sit down and try it out.  First maybe try to write a simple poem about the weather free-style way. (Quick example: “The snow is falling / so white – pearly white / like a new canvas / for me to paint.”) And then try to explain the same weather with rhyming. (Quick example: “Today I see the snow / out my window / sparkling white / that came in the night.”) Rhyming is pretty self explanatory. ;P If you get stuck though, I find sites like rhymes.net nice tools. Eventually as you work more with rhyming, you’ll remember more words that work together and start building a collection of them in your mind. 🙂

Meter however is not as self explanatory, so I’ll introduce that more.

The English language and words have built-in beats, so to speak. Certain syllables are stressed more than others. For example: “Doghouse” has two syllables, the first one stressed, the second one unstressed. (“DOG-house.”) Meter is when you set a beat for your poem and helps it flow.

There are four basic types and each have a unique feel:

(Also notice the names fit with the patterns. :))

1. Iamb

Adjective form: “iambic”

Pattern: Unstress, stress

Feel: Soft, moves forward, smooth, and interesting.

Much of Shakespeare’s verse is written in iambic pentameter, which means that a line consists of five iambic feet, or ten syllables in all.

2. Trochee

Adjective form: “Trochaic”

Pattern: Stress, unstress, (long, short) though the final syllable is often left off.

Feel: Forceful and stressful, choppy and violent

(Some good words to use that follow the trochaic pattern are verbs ending in “ing.” Examples: “running” “chopping” “jumping.”)

3. Anapest

Adjective form: “Anapestic”

Pattern: Unstress, unstress, stress

Feel: A waltz; carries one away

 

4. Dactyl

Adjective form: “Dactylic”

Pattern: Stress, unstress, unstress (Though the final syllable for the line is often left off.)

Feel: a parade; majestic and big.

 

Also, there’s a way to symbolize stressed and unstressed syllables when editing poetry, so once I get a picture, I’ll post it. 🙂

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There are even more complicated meter patterns and some types of poems that combine difficult combinations of rhyming, syllable count, and meter. At that point, it becomes like a puzzle. You have to try to piece your words together in a very strict form. It’s hard and sometimes frustrating, but can be fun. I’d suggest not trying to tackle those yet until you feel comfortable with the four basic types.

(Fun fact: some fiction authors use meter in their prose and descriptions to help it flow. :))

Other things you might include in poems are metaphors, and similes, and alliteration. I especially like the latter. 😉

Anyways, if I was to put overall advice in bullet-point form it would go something like this:

1. Read lots of poetry and read it aloud.
2. Write at least one poem every week… ideally more. Maybe two: one freestyle and one with a pattern. Don’t wait for inspiration to hit for the latter. Force yourself to start communicating in rhymes and meter. At first it’s really hard, but as you get more practice it comes more naturally.
3. Work your way through the different types of meter.
4. Try different exercises and poetry games. (For example, write one line and pass it to a friend/sibling, them write a line and pass it back. Or rewrite your favorite fairy tale in poetry form.)
5. Think outside the box every once and awhile. Personally I think (here comes my poetic description 😉 ) a poet is someone who takes the mundane and opens everyone’s eyes to see the beauty in it. Or take the pain and points them to the joy, or looks at something and compares it something new. For example, don’t tell my the snow is like the world’s blanket or that fire dances. 😉
6. And finally, get involved in a poet community. Hint, hint. 😉

Well, I probably missed something, but I hope that was helpful. 😛

And I’m really excited for you guys! I love poetry and can’t wait to read yours!! 😀