Better Writing Through Poetry

Hone this skill to up your writing game, forsooth.

Many people get introduced to poetry during their school years and never think of it again — not realizing how poetry is integral to popular music, advertising, greeting cards, short stories, or particularly poignant television moments.

Poetry sneaks in many places because it’s a mode of communication that reaches people.

I’ve written a fair share of poems over the years. I’ve even sold a few — for actual money. Poets tend not to make a lot of money being poets alone, but poetry as a practice can help you develop as a prose writer.

That’s where the money is… if you do it right.

As significantly, poetry can stretch and strengthen how you express yourself through applying rhythm, thoughtful word choice, flow, and growth.

Here’s how.

Self-expression

Writing poetry forces writers to reassess how to express ideas

Go visit a site like Poetry.com and browse through some random poems to see what I mean by this.

You’ll find many examples of poetry unburdened by rhymes or meter — blank verse, as it is sometimes called. They are poems carefully crafted to express emotions, revelations, experiences, thoughts, and ideas.

These poems employ metaphor, simile, allusion, non-sequitur, and more to present age-old ideas in unique ways and, more often than not, can engage the reader who is open to such communication.

Some of these tricks can be used in prose writing. Metaphors and similes are potent rhetorical devices.

Study how past and present poets compare things like love to a summer day or a tree. Or history to an urn. Or sex to a flea. Yes, John Donne did that last one.

Optimizing Words

In poetry, every word counts.

As a general rule, modern poetry doesn’t waste time with words that don’t contribute to the piece. In a way, much poetry is the ultimate refinery process.

Flip through some random poems — past or current — and take note of verb usage. You won’t find many appearances of “is” or “are” but, instead, more active, evocative verbs.

In your writing, prefer evocative verbs that summon images, sounds, or sensations. Instead of a series of adjectives, seek out that one adjective that can replace two or three.

Be wary of adverbs. If you choose the best verb, an adverb may not be necessary.

That said, if it’s a cool adverb that works… elegantly… then, by all means, indulge.

This level of thoughtful word choice can take a while. Don’t worry about doing this during your first draft, but make it a priority in your following ones.

Rhythm and Flow

Effective writing uses rhythm.

Short sentences can quicken the pace or be used to provide a beat or pause between two long passages.

That said, too many short sentences or paragraphs risk making a piece monotonous and uninspiring.

Look at some work by folks like Maya Angelou and Charles Bukowski. They’re very different poets with wildly different styles, but both shine when it comes to pacing the flow and narrative of their poetry.

While you’re at it, look at the poetry of Dr. Suess and Neil Gaiman. Again, they are two very different types of writers, but also both very skilled in setting a good, readable flow.

Think about how this same pacing could level up the impact of your writing.

A Growth Challenge

Writing poetry challenges you to adopt a particular mindset that can be applied to prose writing. If quality writing beckons, you must stretch what it means to be a writer. Embracing poetry — as a writer, reader, or both — you gift yourself room to grow and develop.

It doesn’t matter much what sort of poetry you explore. Haikus, limericks, sagas, and street doggerel all have something to offer.

Dare to explore and plunder all you find of value.

Poetry Can Be Fun

Some people think poetry insists on strict rules, such as rhyme and meter, which can inhibit creativity.

Look, some poetry does rely a lot on rhyme and meter. But it’s flexible. The “rules” of poetry are more like guidelines. The more you read the vast field of contemporary poetry, you’ll find there is less concern with rules and more of a concern with transmitting ideas, images, and meaning.

e e cummings didn’t use capital letters much. don marquis defied the rules of punctuation. In Chaucer’s day, grammar rules took a back seat to relating a good story. There is a genre of poetry where the words on the page are arranged to form pictures.

You can’t do that if you’re burdened by rules.

So have fun. The idea of poetry is to take some risks with language and present ideas in a more engaging manner.

And there’s no reason this practice needs to be limited to poetry.

You can go ahead and apply this to writing an article about CAD design, estate law, family histories, or how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Forsooth

Take some risks, and have some fun.

Not everything will work. Your results will vary.

But over time, you’ll become a stronger, more thoughtful writer.

And I fervently believe, dear writer, you will have more fun.

About John Teehan

John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2.

Do you like poetry, short fiction, and general oddities? Check out my new book, Life Among Psychopaths: an unexpected potpourri, now available on Amazon.