Caleb S.
Caleb S.

Learn How to Write a Poem with a Step by Step Guide

6 min read

Published on: Jan 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 5, 2023

How to Write a Poem

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There is no one way to write poetry. In fact, the beauty of poetry is that it can be interpreted and expressed in many different ways.

Poetry is a genre that can be hard to define, but it's what makes this form enjoyable for so many people. From bawdy limericks and unforgettable song lyrics all the way down to sentimental couplets inside greeting cards, poetry has no rules, which means anyone can write their own piece of beautiful verse!

However, if you are new to poetry or just looking for some guidance on how to get started, here are a few tips to help you start the writing process.

What is a Poem?

The best way to express your deepest thoughts and feelings is with a poem. Poetry captures people's attention because it uses vivid imagery, meter, metaphor and other literary devices. These are all common techniques in poetry that make it memorable for years!

The purpose of poetry is to convey the message through beautiful language. It aims to engage the readers with powerful words. Poetry narrates a strong and deep message to the reader through the usage of multiple ideas. However, the subject remains the same.

Poems are written in complete sentences, verses or incomplete sentences, with and without rhythms.

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Genres of Poetry

Poems give a new perspective of life to think about. Although poetry is written in many styles but according to Aristotle, there are three genres of poetry:

  1. Comedy: It is humorous poetry that aims to entertain people and make them laugh.
  2. Tragedy: It is the portrayal of sorrowful and terrible events. It tells about human sufferings.
  3. Epic: It is a long narrative poem that tells about heroic deeds. Epic poetry explains the adventures of people from the past.

Elements of a Poem

The following are the basic elements of a poem:

TermDefinition
VerseOne line of poetry
RhymeSyllables that sound similar
MeterThe pattern of stressed syllables
RhythmBeats or stressed syllables
StanzaGroup of verses


Types of Poems

Poetry is a unique form of writing and is written in the form of verses. The following are the different kinds of poems:

  • Haiku: It is an ancient Japanese style of poetry; it’s a short poem. The special thing about haiku poetry is that they contain only three verses.
  • Free verse: As the name suggests, in this poetry type, the number of verses are not fixed.
  • Sonnet: Sonnets are little songs and were introduced by the great poet: William Shakespeare.
  • Villanelle: This kind of poetry came originally from France. It contains 19 lines with a rhyming scheme: ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA.
  • Limerick: These are funny poems and were introduced in the 19th century by Edward Lear.
  • Ode: Odes are written to praise an event, thing or a person. It is the oldest form of poetry.
  • Elegy: Elegies are considered to be sad poetry and are written specifically on the theme of ‘death’.
  • Ballad: It is a form of traditional poetry and narrates an emotional/dramatic story. It has a rhyming scheme of ABABor ABCB.

How to Write a Poem?

Are you looking for ways to write a poem in English and don’t know how to get started? Follow these steps to begin writing poetry:

1. Choose a Subject

Carefully choose a subject or topic for poetry. The following are the most common subjects for poetry:

  • Feeling, like acceptance or rejection
  • Emotion, such as love or fear
  • Time
  • Person, real or fictional
  • Animal
  • Place, real or fictional
  • Object

2. Understand Your Purpose

Understand why you are writing poetry; what is your purpose? The purpose behind writing poetry will tell about its form, length and the type of language. These aspects will vary if you are writing for yourself, for class or to dedicate to someone else.

3. Brainstorm

The idea of an ordered list doesn't have to apply when you're writing a poem. You can start anywhere and go in any direction that fascinates you.

Brainstorm and collect ideas related to the topic or subject. Go for topics, people or things that have much to describe so that you can write your poem creatively.

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4. Free Writing Prose

The first step is to think about what your poetry will be about. You can write anything; pick a theme to get creative! Sketch out some bullet points on paper and see where they take the idea.

By generating multiple ideas on the theme, you'll have a lot of material with which to write your poem.

5. Choose Form of Poem

You might have a jumbled mess of ideas when you're done writing, but that's okay. Somewhere inside all those words is an amazing poem!

Now choose the form for your poem; here, you decide the structure of your poem.

6. Read other Poems for Inspiration

Poems are a unique form of literature that require different skills than other types. In order to become an expert poet, one must first read many books on the topic they're writing about and then practice their poem-writing technique.

For instance, if you are going to write about platonic love, then you’ll have to read books on Plato's concept of love and other books on love.

7. Start Writing for Yourself

Creative writing can be a daunting task to take on. To ease the anxiety, we suggest that you write for yourself and not other people because they will never understand your vision.

Make use of concrete words that will add worth to your poem. Add imageries and other literary devices in the text. Also, check where the line breaks in order to make your poem sound good.

8. Give Your Poem a Read

Once you’ve written the poem, read the first draft of your poem. Add more relevant ideas to the text and try to make it a complete short story. So that the reader can easily understand your ideas.

9. Revise Your Poem Again

Check the rhyming scheme, edit your poem. Add literary devices to it. Also, break the longer sentences into verses. Add stressed and unstressed syllables in your poem.

Also, check the rhyme and meter in your poem.

This is the way you can learn how to write a poem that rhymes. Write a creative poem with the help of the above-given steps.

How to Write a Poem Examples

In high school, your professor may assign you to write a poem as a creative task. Here we have assembled a few examples that will help your write interesting poems:

Poetry is all about having fun! It can be anything you want it to, and there are no rules when writing your own poem. The most important thing in creating a piece of poetry is to have an engaging tone.

We have provided you with examples for poetry so you can write fantastic poems!

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Contact us, place your order and get excellent written poetry on interesting topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do poems need punctuation?

Yes, poems contain punctuation marks so that it looks more natural. Poets use exclamation marks, periods and colons to portray their ideas in a more realistic manner.

Do you capitalize every line in a poem?

Generally, the first letter of each line is capitalized. However, this method was common in classical poetry. Many modern poets choose not to capitalize the initial letter of each line

Caleb S.

WRITTEN BY

Caleb S. (Marketing, Literature)

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

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