Ars Poetica

 

Consider poetry as a work of art

Similar to a painting, sculpture, drawing, or photograph.

A poem should paint a picture in the reader’s mind

Using rich imagery, figurative language, similes and metaphors.

 

A poet should not rely on the words in a poem to tell the story,

But rather the systematic sequence of events painted by the words chosen.

Each word and phrase is chosen for a specific reason

Therefore poets need to take connotation and denotation into consideration.

 

All groups of rhyming words are not poems

And all poems are not groups of rhyming words.

A poem is not determined by a mere sound that two words mimic

Nor by a set meter that the words must fall into.

 

People so often get caught up in the specific structure of a poem

But structure is the least important aspect.

Poetry should never be forced to fit a certain format;

The words should naturally flow onto the page.

 

One of the reasons poetry is sometimes despised is that it is confusing.

A way to avoid confusion is include allusions to events, people, and places.

However, sometimes confusion makes a poem even more interesting

It all depends on what the poet is trying to achieve.

 

And that leads to the absolute most important part of the art of poetry:

Every decision is up to the poet.

All of the power rests in the poet’s hands and all the poet needs is inspiration,

And that is the key to poetry.