The Power of Poetry

Why Your Poem Is Not Read or Viewed

the way of writing to acquire more readers [update July 2023]

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Human beings are drawn to poetry for many reasons: the lines and cadences and words’ intensity. But it’s not just about aesthetic appeal, which is why we love it. We’ve found that poetry is powerful because, in a way, words can tell so much emotion without needing to be spoken out loud. They’re able to touch people in a way that no other medium has been able to match. And that’s your chance — you have the power and privilege of making someone feel something through your words. But, of course, your poetry will be read by millions, and that means that you’re going to have to work hard to make it stand out. Here’s how you can improve at writing.

1. Smart Editing Even with all the things speakers do, there’s still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to editing your own work. If you’re reading your poetry out loud and it still sounds clunky, then it’s time to take a step back from your work and start cutting until it feels right. Poetry is a very visceral art, so people have so many favorite poems. Reading your work out loud will help you pick up on phrases that don’t quite flow or moments where the rhythm seems off. Fixing these areas will make a massive difference in how your workflows.

2. Don’t Get Caught Up in Syllable Counts Poems are meant to be read aloud, and sometimes three or four syllables will work better over one that’s only got two to offer. You may have the best rhythm going on, but if you’re forcing words into places where they just don’t feel right, then it’ll throw your whole rhythm off. Using a poem aloud is a way to test how well the words flow together. If you’re missing a syllable or two, then you’ll naturally feel how the words fit together better when you take the time to include rather than exclude.

3. Write From Your Heart If you’re writing poetry for fun, then there’s no need to stress yourself out over line breaks or syllables. Poetry is personal, which means that it’s yours and yours alone. But, on the other hand, if you’re writing out of a sense of obligation to try and impress the editors, then you’ll never be able to fully express your innermost self in your work. Writing poetry is a gift — don’t let anyone try and take that away from you, and always remember that you reported it for yourself.

4. Avoid Writing in Generalization By “generalization,” I mean writing a story that includes everything in the world without telling them any specific details about their lives or circumstances. If a story is all about people, then it’s going to tell us things we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives and how they affect us. So, for example, if the poem is about two people in love, we can always relate to that regardless of our relationship status.

If your poem is a generalization, then you’re probably missing out on an opportunity to be more specific and relatable. Of course, we all want to write that universal story where we follow a hero on their journey, but no one wants to read the exact same story as everyone else.

Even if it seems like you’re limiting your audience by being so specific, you’re actually opening yourself up to more people who have experienced these things and can relate. Everyone is looking for something beyond the ordinary and mundane at times, and that’s what poetry can be for everyone.

5. Don’t Forget About the Poetic Devices Poems use different techniques to bring out their meaning, and these devices can help you take your writing to the next level. Just like characters and settings can make a story feel more natural, poetic devices make it easier for your words to flow together. Rhyme, repetition, and enjambment are all tools that will help you write a poem on another level from the rest.

6. Write What Moves You Don’t force yourself to write something you don’t feel passionate about because then your poetry will come off as contrived and forced. If you’re reading a poem that doesn’t seem like it was written by someone who really means it, then you’ll immediately know it. That’s what people are looking for when they read poetry — something that touches them in a way they can’t describe. Get inspired by other works of art and take a look at the natural world around you. What are some things that have moved you? What have your favorite authors and actors done that resonated with you?

7. Read Poetry That Attracts You It’s not enough to read poetry by your favorite authors because they’ve already proven to you that they can write. Instead, try reading poetry by other authors. Learn who they are and where the inspiration came from for their work. When it feels like certain poems really fit into who the author is as a person, then those poems will stick with you more than others.

8. Make Them Feel Vivid A great piece of poetry can make a reader feel their emotions, and even better, it can make that reader remember what it’s like to feel certain emotions. If you indeed want to take your writing to the next level, then you’re going to have to be able to evoke these effects in your work.

9. Don’t Forget About a tag The Power of Poetry

The life of a poet is not an easy one. They face many challenges and obstacles in attaining their dream of becoming a full-time poet. Many poets give up when they face difficulty or feel like they’re not achieving success, but some never give up and continue striving to become the best they can be. Writing is the one thing that we all have in common — we write to express ourselves and share what we know with others.

Poetry is everywhere 💚 But the question is, how much do you love it?

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