Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Finding time and inspiration for poems
• Method 2 of 3: Start with your poem
• Method 3 of 3: Finish your poem

By writing poems you convey feelings and thoughts to the reader in an indirect way. When you first do it it can be a big challenge because there are so many different ways to start and end a poems. As a beginner, a notebook is useful for inspiration and to improve your language skills by using metaphors and imagery to write beautiful and moving poetry.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Finding time and inspiration for poems

1. Read famous poems that can serve as examples. People like P.C. Hooft, Joost van den Vondel, Guido Gezelle and J. Slauerhoff have all left their mark on Dutch poetry. Read some of their poems and see what you like and don't like about them.
   • Jan Arends, Hans Plomp, Leo Vroman and De Schoolmeester are poets with their own style.
   • By studying different poets, you will discover a whole range of different styles.
2. Learn to understand your emotions. Many poems are drenched in emotions. If you observe and feel your emotions well, it becomes easier to describe them and thus convey the feeling. During the day, make notes about your feelings and what exactly they triggered in you.
   • It can be very complicated to understand your emotions. Consider your feelings a few times each day, and objectively look at what events are upsetting you.
   • Precisely because emotions are so universal, poems about feelings appeal to so many people.
3. Take time to write every day. The only way to become a better poet is to practice. Write a poem for ten minutes or more every day. Choose something that inspires you at the time.
   • Put a reminder in your phone if you're worried you might forget otherwise.
4. Have a special poetry notebook or notebook handy to write in if you are inspired. You never know when you will come across something you want to write about. In this notebook you write down ideas or scribble a quick poem about something that comes your way.

   Tip: Use a notebook that is small enough to put in your bag, or even better, in your trouser or jacket pocket.

   
   
5. Use writing assignments for inspiration. If you are short of ideas, you can look up some writing assignments that are especially suitable for poetry. Be as creative as possible when you carry out such an assignment and don't be afraid to color outside the lines.
   • For example, choose an assignment to write about your first birthday party or take an assignment like: "Describe an emotion with only colors."
   • You often find writing assignments and exercises on websites that publish poems.

Method 2 of 3: Start with your poem

1. Decide what kind of poem it should be. Your poem does not necessarily have to fit into a particular category. The structure of a poem depends solely on the poet and on the poem itself. For a beginner, it is often a good idea to start with an ending poem.
   • A poem does not have to be grammatically correct. The point is that you know how to convey the message to your reader in your own way.
   • Common poetic forms include: sonnets, limericks, haikus and the free verse.
2. Determine a theme for your poem. A theme includes the subject of the poem, but also your opinion and feelings about it. "A sunflower" is just a topic, but if you want to make it a theme, you have to explain your view on this topic.

   For instance: Do you like sunflowers? What emotions do sunflowers evoke in you? Do you have any memories of sunflowers?

   
   
3. Use visual language to convey emotions. To evoke feelings, you have to describe a thing, an emotion or an event in a certain way. In fact, you can write an entire poem just by describing something. Ask yourself questions when you start describing. Let's take "the sea" as an example. Then ask yourself the following questions:
   • What does the sea look like? Describe the sea in terms of color, movement, depth, temperature and other properties. Perhaps there are crests on the sea, or you see channels or sandbanks. You may see dark areas, which can indicate an unpredictable depth. Describe everything that comes to mind.
   • What are striking aspects in your sea? Is it the dance of the waves, the shooting of a school of fish just below the surface, the sound of a large wave breaking on the beach? Or is it a lone swimmer in the distance and a sea eagle diving down into the waves? All these things - or others - could strike you if you want to incorporate this piece of sea into a poem.

Method 3 of 3: Finish your poem

1. Use rhyming words if you want to give a rhythm to your poem. Some poetic forms use end rhyme with each sentence to create a certain flow. Do not look for the rhyming words in advance, but let them come up when you are closing poetry. For example, end the last syllable of the sentence with a word such as "plain", "crown", "clean" or "pattern".
   • Let these words arise within yourself. This sounds more natural than looking them up in a rhyming dictionary.
   • Also play with the accents if you want to create a rhythm. An expression like "other matters" combines a playful short "a" with a long, heavy second "a" to have a certain effect.
2. Use imagery and metaphors. Use equations to describe something that will help you put emotions, circumstances, and people in context. Comparisons use words like "like" to compare things, while a metaphor does not.

   For instance: you can say, "The sea was a deep dark night, flowing like an ink stain over the water."

   
   
3. Don't limit yourself to a certain length. There are no limits to how long or how short a poem is. Some poems are just a few sentences, while others span many pages. The Eddas, for example, consist entirely of poems, each of which is a myth. Think of each poem to find out what works best for you.
   • Preferably start with a short poem. Later you can make them longer.
4. Correct the first draft of your poem. The first version is often not exactly how you want it. Read your poem after a few hours or a few days with a fresh look. Take out the spelling mistakes, cut out the excess language and add some missing information here and there.
   • Remember that you are the poet and that you are expressing your own feelings in your own poems. Intuition - your intuition - is the most important thing here.
5. Write the final version of your poem. When you are satisfied, you can save the latest version on your computer or overwrite it in a separate notebook.
   • Double check your poem if you submit it to a competition or before publication. Make it look exactly the way you want it to.