How To Write A Poem: A Step By Step Guide With Examples
Learn how to write a poem with our easy guide. Explore types, formats, and tips to craft meaningful verses. Start writing your poem today!
Poetry has been a powerful form of expression for thousands of years. From ancient epics to modern free verse, poems have captured emotions and told stories.
Many famous poets like Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost have left lasting impressions on literature.
The National Council of Teachers of English found 89% of teachers use these poets' works, showing their lasting impact.
Composing poems can be both challenging and rewarding. It allows you to explore your thoughts and feelings in unique ways.
This guide will help you to find an easy way to write a poem.
Whether you're a beginner or looking to improve your skills, this information will help writing poems meaningfully and engagingly.
When approaching the task of writing a poem, it's important to engage your whole mind in the process:
"How to write a poem"
"Engage all brain sectors for maximum creativity!"
Poem definition
A poem is a piece of writing that uses words in a special way to express feelings, ideas, or stories.
It's different from regular writing because it often has a rhythm or beat, like music.
Poems can rhyme, but they don't have to. They often use imaginative language to create pictures in the reader's mind. Poets choose their words carefully to make their message strong and beautiful.
They can be short or long, and they don't always follow the rules of normal sentences.
They're meant to make you think, feel, or see things in a new way. People write poems to share their experiences, emotions, or views about the world.
A Poetry Foundation study found that 56% of readers find new poems via social media, showing how poetry reaches people today.
Elements of poetry
Poems are made up of several important parts that work together to create a special kind of writing.
These parts help to write a poem in an interesting and meaningful way.
Let's explore these key elements in detail:
1. Rhythm
This is the beat or flow of a poem. It's like the way music has a pattern that makes you want to tap your foot or nod your head.
In poems, rhythm comes from the way words are arranged and how they sound when read aloud. Poets create rhythm by using stressed and unstressed syllables in a pattern.
For example, in the nursery rhyme "Hickory, dickory, dock," you can hear a clear rhythm: HIC-ko-ry, DIC-ko-ry, DOCK. The mouse ran UP the CLOCK.
This bouncy rhythm makes the poem fun to say and easy to remember.
2. Rhyme
When words have the same ending sound, we call it rhyme. It's often found at the end of lines in a poem, but it can also be inside lines.
For example, end rhymes are like in "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are."
Here, "star" and "are" rhyme.
Internal rhymes happen within a line, like "The cat in the hat came back." Rhymes can create a musical poem and help emphasize important words or ideas.
3. Imagery
Poets use words to paint pictures in our minds, this is imagery. It helps us see, hear, or feel what the poem is describing. Good imagery makes poems come alive.
For example, instead of just saying "It was cold," a poet might write, "Icy fingers of wind pinched my cheeks and made my teeth chatter."
This helps us really feel the coldness.
Or in the line "The golden sun melted into the crimson ocean," we can clearly picture a beautiful sunset.
4. Figurative language
This is when poets use words in clever ways to create a poem and mean more than their normal definitions.
It works together to make poems powerful and memorable. They help poets express their ideas in unique ways that touch our hearts and minds. It includes:
- Similes - Comparing things using "like" or "as." Example: "Her smile was as bright as the morning sun."
- Metaphors - Saying something is something else. Example: "The classroom was a zoo," meaning it was noisy and chaotic.
- Personification - Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: "The flowers danced in the breeze," giving the flowers the human ability to dance.
- Hyperbole - An exaggeration for effect. Example: "I've told you a million times to clean your room!"
- Onomatopoeia - Words that sound like what they mean. Example: "The bees buzzed around the hive."
Format of poem
The format is how the poem is built and organized on the page. Understanding the format helps us read and enjoy poems better.
So, how to structure a poem? Let's look at the important parts of a poem's format:
1. Line
A line in a poem is a row of words that can be short or long. The poet decides where to end each line, sometimes to create a rhythm or emphasize certain words.
For example:
"The autumn leaves drift by my window,
The autumn leaves of red and gold."
2. Stanza
A stanza is a group of lines in a poem, separated from other stanzas by a blank space. Stanzas can have different numbers of lines.
Here's a two-stanza poem:
"The moon shines bright in the night sky,
Casting shadows on the ground below.
Stars twinkle like distant diamonds,
A celestial show that few can know."
3. Rhyme scheme
This is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line. We use letters to show the pattern.
In this poem:
"The wind howls through the trees, (A)
Leaves rustle and fall. (B)
The forest whispers mysteries, (A)
Nature's autumn call." (B)
The rhyme scheme is ABAB.
4. Meter
Meter is the rhythm pattern in a poem. It's made up of stressed (strong) and unstressed (weak) syllables. A common meter is called "iambic," where every other syllable is stressed.
Here's an example using a simple sentence:
"The DOG went OUT to PLAY to-DAY"
You can hear the rhythm: da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
The capitalized words are the stressed syllables. When you read this line aloud, you naturally put more emphasis on these syllables, creating a rhythmic pattern.
Types of poem
Following are the types of poem:
1. Haiku
Haiku are short Japanese poems that capture a single moment or image, often from nature. They have three lines with 5, 7, and 5 syllables.
This poem aims to create a clear picture and raise a feeling in just a few words. They often give a sense of peace or wonder about the world around us.
2. Acrostic
Acrostic poems spell out a word or phrase using the first letter of each line. They can be about any topic and don't have to rhyme.
These poems are often used to describe a person, object, or concept. They're fun to write and can be a creative way to explore a subject or express feelings about something or someone.
3. Limerick
Limericks are five-line poems with a rhyme scheme of AABBA. They're usually funny or silly and often tell a short, humorous story.
The first, second, and fifth lines are longer and rhyme, while the third and fourth are shorter and rhyme with each other.
Limericks are meant to make people laugh and are often playful or nonsensical.
4. Free verse
Free verse poems don't follow specific rules for rhythm, rhyme, or structure. Poets can arrange words and lines however they want.
This freedom allows poets to express their thoughts and feelings in a natural, conversational way.
Free verse can cover any topic and can be emotional, descriptive, or interesting
5. Sonnet
Sonnets are 14-line poems with a specific rhyme scheme. They often explore themes of love, beauty, or deep emotions.
There are two main types: Shakespearean (with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) and Petrarchan (ABBAABBA CDECDE). Sonnets usually have a "turn" or change in thought around the 9th line.
6. Narrative
Narrative poems tell a story. They can be short or very long and often have characters, a plot, and sometimes dialogue.
These poems can cover any topic, from personal experiences to historical events. They aim to engage readers with a compelling story while using poetic devices like rhythm and imagery.
7. Couplet
A couplet is two lines of poetry that rhyme and usually have the same meter. They can stand alone or be part of a longer poem.
Couplets often express a complete thought or observation. They're commonly used to sum up ideas or create a strong ending to a poem.
8. Blank verse
Blank verse poems have a regular meter (usually iambic pentameter) but don't rhyme. This style sounds natural, like speaking, while still having a rhythmic quality.
It's often used in long poems or plays. Blank verse can cover serious topics and is good for storytelling or exploring complex ideas.
9. Concrete
Concrete poems, also called shape poems, are written in a shape that matches their subject. The visual arrangement of words is as important as their meaning.
These poems combine art and poetry to create a unique visual and verbal experience. They can be about any topic and often aim to surprise or delight readers.
Example: A concrete poem about a tree might be shaped like a tree, with words forming the trunk, branches, and leaves.
10. Villanelle
A villanelle is a 19-line poem with a complex rhyme scheme and two repeating lines. It has five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain (four-line stanza).
Villanelles often explore intense emotions or obsessive thoughts. The repetition can create a haunting or meditative effect.
11. Elegy
An elegy is a poem that expresses sadness, usually about someone who has died. It often praises the person and reflects on life and death.
Elegies can be comforting, helping people process grief. They may also celebrate the person's life or explore broader themes about mortality.
12. Ballad
A ballad is a poem that tells a story, often set to music. It usually has four-line stanzas and a regular rhythm.
Ballads often tell dramatic or romantic stories and were traditionally passed down orally. They can be about historical events, legends, or personal experiences.
13. Ode
An ode is a lyric poem that praises or describes something important. It's often addressed directly to its subject. Odes can be about objects, people, or abstract ideas.
They express deep feelings of admiration or reflection. Odes can be serious or lighthearted, celebrating the beauty or significance of their subject.
14. Epic
An epic is a very long narrative poem about a hero's journey or great events. It often includes mythology or history.
Epics typically have a grand scale, covering great distances, long time periods, and heroic deeds. They often explore themes of honor, duty, and human nature.
15. Tanka
A tanka is a japanese poem similar to haiku but with five lines instead of three. It has 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. Tanka often expresses emotions or describes nature.
They can be more personal and reflective than haiku, allowing for a bit more exploration of feelings or ideas.
How to write a poem?
Following are the steps to writing a poem that can help you create your own poem effectively:
1. Choose your topic or inspiration
Pick something to write about. It could be anything - an object, a feeling, a memory, or an idea. Look around you for inspiration.
Think about what interests you or what you've experienced recently. The topic doesn't have to be big or important; even simple things can make great poems.
2. Brainstorm words and ideas related to your topic
Write down everything that comes to mind about your topic. Include words, phrases, and images. Think about how it looks, sounds, smells, feels, and tastes.
What does it remind you of? How does it make you feel? Don't worry about making sentences - just list your ideas. This will give you material to use in your poem.
3. Select a poem type or structure
Decide what kind of poem you want to write. There are many types, like haiku (3 lines), acrostic (first letters spell a word), limerick (5 funny lines), or free verse (no rules).
Each type has its own pattern or style. Choose one that fits your topic and feels comfortable to write about. You can always try a different type next time.
4. Write your first draft
Start writing your poem using ideas from your brainstorming. Don't worry about perfection - this is just the first try.
Follow the rules of your chosen poem type, or write freely if you picked a free verse. Play with words and try new things. Keep writing until you've expressed your ideas about the topic.
5. Use descriptive language and imagery
Make your poem clear by using words that appeal to the senses. Instead of general words, use specific, colorful ones.
Try comparisons like similes ("as red as a rose") or metaphors ("her eyes were diamonds"). This helps readers picture what you're describing and makes your poem more interesting and powerful.
6. Revise and edit your poem
Read your poem aloud. How does it sound? Look for ways to make it better. Replace weak words with stronger ones. Make sure it flows well.
Remove unnecessary words - poems often use fewer words than regular writing. Ask yourself if the poem expresses what you want. Make changes to improve it. Don't be afraid to rewrite parts if needed.
Sometimes, when you are writing a poem, you can’t find any ideas or words to write a poem. Will you leave your poem unwritten? No? So, you can also create a poem using an AI poem maker to generate a poem on any topic within seconds.
While following these steps can help, sometimes inspiration strikes at unexpected moments:
"When inspiration hits at 3 AM"
"But you can't read your own handwriting in the morning"
Examples
Here are the examples of the poems:
1. Haiku: "The Old Pond"
Poet: Matsuo Basho
Written in: 1686
Old pond...
a frog jumps in
water's sound
2. Acrostic: "Elizabeth"
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Written in: 1829
Elizabeth, it surely is most fit
[Logic and common usage so commanding]
In thy own book that first thy name be writ,
Zeno and other sages notwithstanding;
And I have other reasons for so doing
Besides my innate love of contradiction;
Each poet - if a poet - in pursuing
The muses thro' their bowers of Truth or Fiction,
Has studied very little of his part,
Read nothing, written less - in short's a fool
Endued with neither soul, nor sense, nor art,
Being ignorant of one important rule,
Employed in even the theses of the school-
Called - I forget the heathenish Greek name
[Called anything, its meaning is the same]
"Always write first things uppermost in the heart."
3. Limerick: "There was an Old Man with a Beard"
Poet: Edward Lear
Written in: 1846
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, "It is just as I feared!—
Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard.
4. Free verse: "The Red Wheelbarrow"
Poet: William Carlos Williams
Written in: 1923
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
5. Sonnet: "Sonnet 18" Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Poet: William Shakespeare
Written in: 1609
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
6. Narrative: "The Road Not Taken"
Poet: Robert Frost
Written in: 1916
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
7. Couplet: "Heroic Couplet from 'The Rape of the Lock'"
Poet: Alexander Pope
Written in: 1712
"But when to mischief mortals bend their will,
How soon they find fit instruments of ill!"
8. Blank verse: "Paradise Lost"
Poet: John Milton
Written in: 1667
OF Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rose out of Chaos: or if Sion Hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.
And chiefly Thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first
Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss
And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark
Illumin, what is low raise and support;
That to the highth of this great Argument
I may assert Eternal Providence,
And justifie the wayes of God to men. (continue)
9. Concrete: "The Mouse's Tale"
Poet: Lewis Carroll
Written in: 1865
Fury said to
a mouse, That
he met
in the
house,
'Let us
both go
to law:
I will
prosecute
you.—
Come, I'll
take no
denial;
We must
have a
trial:
For
really
this
morning
I've
nothing
to do.'
Said the
mouse to
the cur,
'Such a
trial,
dear sir,
With no
jury or
judge,
would be
wasting
our breath.'
'I'll be
judge,
I'll be
jury,'
Said
cunning
old Fury;
'I'll try
the whole
cause,
and
condemn
you
to
death.'
10. Villanelle: "Do not go gentle into that good night"
Poet: Dylan Thomas
Written in: 1951
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
11. Elegy: “O captain! My captain!”
Poet: Walt Whitman
Written in: 1865
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen, cold and dead.
12. Ballad: "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Poet: Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Written in: 1798
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?
The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May'st hear the merry din.'
He holds him with his skinny hand,
'There was a ship,' quoth he.
'Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!'
Eftsoons his hand dropt he. (continue)
13. Ode: "Ode on a Grecian Urn"
Poet: John Keats
Written in: 1819
Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? (continue)
14. Epic: "The Odyssey"
Poet: Homer
Written in: 8th century BCE
“Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, O daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them.”
15. Tanka: "The spring has passed"
Poet: Empress Jito
Written in: 7th century CE
The spring has passed
And the summer come again;
For the silk-white robes,
So they say, are spread to dry
On the “Mount of Heaven’s Perfume.”
Conclusion
Writing poetry is a wonderful way to express yourself and share your thoughts with others. Start by choosing a topic you care about, then use descriptive words to bring your ideas to life.
Try different types of poems to see what you like best. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to write a poem. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and let your imagination run free.
With practice, you'll get better at putting your feelings into words. Ready to begin? Grab a pen and paper now, choose a subject that moves you, and write your first poem.
FAQs
1. What are the basic elements of a poem?
Key elements of a poem include rhythm, rhyme, imagery, and figurative language. These parts work together to make the poem interesting and meaningful.
2. What is the difference between rhyme and rhythm?
Rhyme is when words have the same ending sound, often found at the end of lines. Rhythm is the beat or flow of the poem, created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.
3. How can I find inspiration for writing a poem?
Inspiration can come from anything: objects, feelings, memories, or ideas. Look around you, think about your experiences, or consider what interests you.
4. How do I start writing a poem?
Begin a poem by choosing a topic or inspiration. Brainstorm words and ideas related to your topic, then select a poem type or structure. Write your first draft and don’t worry about making a poem perfect.
5. Do all poems need to rhyme?
No, not all poems need to rhyme. Free verse poems, for example, do not follow specific rules for rhythm or rhyme.
