How to Write Poetry
Aug 04, 2022 ● By Sean Flattery
Poetry is a special kind of literature that allows you to express your feelings and ideas through different styles and rhythms. There are many ways to create poetry, and with just a few tips and tricks, YOU can do it too!
Rhyming
The first type of poetry you will learn to write is a rhyming poem. These poems do exactly as they say: rhyme. You can write your rhyming poems in a few different ways:
1. Couplets: two-line poems where the last word rhymes.
I met a black spider,
who drank apple cider.
2. Triplets: the same as couplets, but with three lines.
You can rhyme the last word in every line for a pattern called AAA, or you can rhyme only the first and third lines for the pattern ABA.
A- I love to go on a hayrack ride,
A- With all of my friends on either side —
A- Through the fields we happily glide.
A- It’s time for pumpkin treats,
B- Cupcakes and muffins and pies.
A- I always eat too many sweets.
You can also create rhyming poems in lines of four once you feel more comfortable with couplets and triplets. These are called quatrain poems!
Haiku
A haiku is an unrhymed three-lined poem that follows a pattern. A haiku can be about anything you want as long as you follow these three simple rules.
Line One: 5 syllables
Line Two: 7 syllables
Line Three: 5 syllables
Another way you can think about this is to visualize the syllables:
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 2 3 4 5
For example, say you want to write your haiku about fall. Think of some words and ideas that relate to fall, and then write them out until you have the correct amount of syllables.
The summer is through.
Leaves fall — scarlet, gold, and brown.
Smell the cold-brushed air.
Although there are many different types of poems, these are two simple poem types that will help kickstart your poetry writing journey. Just remember, the more you write, the better you will become. Writing poetry takes time to perfect, but there’s no better time to start than now. Keep practicing and you’ll be a poet
before you know it!