Creating Poetry

Haikus are a traditional Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines that have a pattern through how many syllables each line has. Haikus traditionally have a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5. Something so short might seem easy, but it can be a real challenge to fit such a short structure! To write a haiku, start by choosing a subject that inspires you. Then, focus on the syllable count: the first line should have five syllables, the second line’s seven syllables, and the third line’s five syllables. Be mindful of the rhythm and the natural flow of language as you create each line. Traditional haikus try to evoke a sense of contemplation or a vivid image in the reader’s mind, so aim to use precise and vivid language, capturing a specific ‘image’ or feeling!

Limericks are all about having fun with rhythm and rhyme! A limerick is a five-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and a bouncy, upbeat rhythm. A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in a poem. It’s like a code that tells you which lines rhyme with each other. For example, in a simple “AABB” rhyme scheme, the first two lines should rhyme with each other, and the last two lines should rhyme with each other. You can use different rhyme schemes to give your poem a certain flow or mood, like “ABAB” for alternating rhymes or “ABCB” for a more subtle pattern. Understanding rhyme schemes helps make your poems sound more musical and can add extra meaning or emphasis to your writing. A limerick typically has an “AABBA” rhyme scheme. So the first two lines rhyme with the last! To write your own, start by thinking of a funny idea— as limericks are meant to be silly. Then, following the rhyme scheme, write the first two lines with the same end sound, followed by the third and fourth lines with a different matching sound, and finish with a fifth line that rhymes with the first two. It’s all about being playful with your language and creating a poem that sounds catchy and makes people smile!

Sonnets can be a fun challenge! A sonnet is a 14-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme, usually “ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.” The lines are typically written in iambic pentameter, which means each line has 10 syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed beats. If you were to tap that out on your chest, it would feel like a heartbeat! (bah DUM bah DUM bah DUM). This is the “meter” or rhythm of the poem. The meter helps create a flow when you read it aloud. Each “foot” in a poem is a small unit of this rhythm, made up of a combination of stressed (strong) and unstressed (weak) syllables. Different types of meter, like iambic pentameter or trochaic tetrameter, follow specific patterns of these stressed and unstressed beats. Understanding meter helps poets control how their poem sounds and adds musicality, so it can make the poem feel smoother, more dramatic, or even faster-paced, depending on the rhythm they choose.To write a sonnet, start by picking a theme, like love, nature, or a personal experience you have strong emotional ties to. Then, break the poem into three groups of four lines (called quatrains), with a final two-line stanza (called a couplet) at the end. Remember– each line should only contain 10 syllables! It’s not as short as a haiku, but it can be a challenge to make the words you want to use fit into the sonnet’s structure. As long as it comes across clearly in the end, have fun moving your words around like puzzle pieces to see what fits! The sonnet’s final couplet is often where the main idea or twist comes together. Go back and read your poem to yourself out loud, tapping your hand in that heartbeat pattern along with each line’s syllable. It might feel silly at first, but it can help you refine your sonnet and help you feel and shape the rhythm of your poem much easier!

Blackout Poetry is a form of found poetry that takes an existing work and transforms it into something new by redacting or removing certain parts of the text and creating poetry with what is left over! To make your own blackout poetry, you’ll need two things: a piece of text, and a black marker or pen. First, find a piece of text to use! It can be anything; an article in the newspaper, a page of an old book, something you print off the internet, just make sure it’s something that you’re willing to scribble on! Next, take your pen and read through the text, picking out words you want to leave and marking them with your pen. Once you’re finished, use your pen to cover up any of the words you don’t wish to keep until all that’s left on the page is your poem!

Book Spine Poetry is another form of found poetry that makes poems out of stacks of books! You can create your own by gathering a collection of books with interesting titles or phrases visible on their spines. Choose words, titles, or author names that catch your attention and seem to hold some potential for meaning. Then, experiment with arranging these words in different orders, trying various combinations to uncover new associations or ideas. Once you have a collection of words, edit and refine them to create a cohesive flow, adding punctuation or adjusting spacing as needed. The goal is to form a poem that offers fresh interpretations or evokes emotions, often through surprising connections made from the words you’ve found.

Poetry 101: from Shakespeare and Rupi Kaur to iambic pentameter and blank verse, everything you need to know about poetry

What is poetry? : the essential guide to reading & writing poems

The Poetry Foundation has compiled a list of sources that you can check out.

Poets.org is a great place to find famous poems and profiles of the poets who wrote them. They even have a poem-a-day feature, so come back for a new poem each day!

The Poetry Lab has compiled a list of useful free resources for poets and writers. There’s even a list of poetry podcasts to check out!

Need to find a rhyme to finish a stanza, and you just can’t think of one? Rhyming dictionaries like Rhyme Zone can help unlock poetry writer’s block!