How to Write a Poem

We’re going to start National Poetry Month by telling you a secret: poetry doesn’t have to rhyme! It can rhyme, and using a rhyming structure can make it a bit easier, but there are so many ways to write a poem. A poem is a piece of writing that uses beats and rhythm, a lot like music does, and is usually very expressive. It gives you an image in your mind, a sound in your head, or a feeling in your heart, that the poet is trying to give you. We can also write poems for ourselves, as a way of expressing our thoughts and feelings. 

Pick a Topic

What do you want to write about? It can be about anything. It can be something that makes you happy, or something that makes you sad. It can even be something you’re confused about. For this activity, let’s focus on something we’re experiencing right now. Take a moment to close your eyes and listen. Even if you don’t notice any sounds right away, you’ll hear them eventually. Maybe it’s the sound of the air conditioner or heater in your house. Maybe someone is talking softly in another room. Maybe a dog is barking in your neighborhood. Write down all the sounds you hear.

Think About Your Topic

Once you’ve picked a topic, in this case a sound, think about it for a little bit. What does it remind you of? Are there other sounds it makes you think about? Or other sensations like tastes or touch? Write down any thoughts you have about that topic, about that sound. Where else have you heard that sound? What other associations do you have with it?

Start Writing

The first line can be a bit scary, every writer has stared at a blank page and felt like their mind was as blank. But you have already written down some thoughts about your topic! Start with that. You can always go back and change it later if you want. And once you get started, you might find that it’s easy to keep going.

Example

Here’s an example based on the sound of rain:

I hear the raindrops 

Little ones and big ‘plops’

All along the rooftops 

I hear the raindrops

Now let’s try without rhyming:

I hear the raindrops

Little ones and big ones

Scattered on my roof

Raindrops are all I can hear

Play with forms and types of poems

There are a lot of different types of poems with different structures to them. You can rhyme every line, or alternate lines, you can choose not to rhyme or only rhyme on some lines. You can write a poem based on how the words look when you write them out, or write a poem thats only meant to be read out loud and include directions for movements and facial expressions.

Most of all, write what you want! Form and structure is useful for guiding us and helping us, but don’t let it stop your ability to express yourself freely.

Prompt

Like we said in the beginning, music and poetry are a lot alike. So if you want to keep writing but find yourself needing inspiration, try listening to ICAN and find a song or two that inspires you. To help with that, you can also read our piece on How to Talk About Music.