Introduction to Poetry

Poetry is a form of literature that uses language in a way that evokes emotion and deep thought. Poetry can be written in any language, but it is most often associated with languages such as English or Spanish.\

There are many different types of poetry, including:

* Narrative poems - tell stories through words and images

* Dramatic monologues - use one character to tell their story

* Lyric poems - focus on feelings rather than actions or events

## Getting Started

If you're new to poetry, it can be helpful to start with a prompt. A prompt is something that inspires your writing--it might be a photo or a quote, or even just an idea for what kind of poem you want to write. For example: "Write about something that makes you happy." Or "Write about how technology has changed our lives."\

Once you've found your inspiration and decided on what topic(s) interest you most, brainstorm some ideas for poems. Write down any words or phrases that come into your head as well as any images or scenes from real life that might inspire some lines later on down the line when writing out the draft itself.\*\

Next comes drafting!\* This step can take anywhere between 10 minutes and several hours depending on how much time has passed since finding inspiration and brainstorming ideas.\* It's important not only because this stage helps solidify what direction(s) we want our poems heading towards but also because there are many different ways one might go about doing this part--and therefore every writer needs their own method which may differ slightly from others'.

## Developing the Poem

* Choose a form. Poems come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have some sort of structure that helps them to make sense. For example, you might write a sonnet or a villanelle--a popular form used by famous poets like William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson.

* Craft the poem's structure. When you develop your poem's structure, think about how many stanzas (or sections) it should have; how long each stanza should be; whether there will be rhymes or other patterns within each stanza; and so on. You can also decide whether or not to use enjambment (when words run together across lines).

* Incorporate imagery and metaphors into your writing as much as possible! This will help readers visualize what you're trying to say more clearly than if they just read plain old sentences without any images at all."

## Editing and Refining

Once you've written your poem, it's time to edit and refine. Editing is the process of checking for grammar and spelling errors, improving the flow of your poem (making sure it reads well), and adding or removing words.\

Editing can be done on paper or digitally; either way works fine as long as you're comfortable with whatever method you choose. If you prefer editing on paper, then print out a copy of your work before making any changes so that when it comes time to make edits in Word or Pages (or whatever program), all those changes will be reflected in both versions!\

If this sounds like too much work for now--and trust me, it really isn't--then try using Google Docs instead: they have built-in spell checkers that let me know when I've made an error without having to worry about whether my computer has caught them yet (which is often not until after I've already sent something off).

## Publishing Your Poem

Publishing your poem is a great way to share it with the world. You can submit it to literary magazines and journals, or self-publish on Amazon.com or other online booksellers. If you're feeling ambitious, why not print out copies of your manuscript and distribute them at poetry readings?\

If none of these options are appealing, consider sharing your work with friends and family members instead--they'll appreciate hearing about what inspires you!

## Tips for Successful Poetry Writing

If you're new to poetry, it can be a little intimidating. But don't worry--it's not as hard as it looks! Here are some tips for writing successful poems:

* Keep a journal. Writing in your own words about what's going on in your life is a great way to get started with poetry and find inspiration for new ideas. You never know where your next poem will come from!

* Read other poets' work and analyze their techniques by comparing them with yours (and vice versa). This will help improve both of your styles over time by making each one more unique and recognizable than before--and also give insight into how others think about writing so that when they read yours next time around they'll see something new there too!

* Get feedback from other writers whose opinions matter most: family members who aren't afraid of hurting anyone's feelings; close friends who know exactly what kind of feedback works best given each situation; teachers/professors who have taught many classes before including "How To Write Poems 101" (or whatever course number applies here).

## Conclusion

Poetry is an art form that can be both powerful and healing. It can help you express your feelings, whether they're happy or sad. It can also help you connect with other people who share your experiences.\

Poetry has been around for thousands of years, so there are many different types of poems: sonnets, haikus and limericks are just a few examples! If you want to write your own poem but don't know where to start then try one of these methods:

* Write down any emotions that come into your mind when thinking about something specific (e.g., 'I miss my friend'). You could also write down things that make you happy/sad etc., but keep them short because this will limit how much detail goes into each word choice later on in the process when writing out full sentences instead of single words only (which isn't always possible due to space limitations).

* Think about something important happening right now - maybe someone has died recently? Or maybe an important event is happening soon e.g., graduation day at school; wedding day etc.. Then take five minutes before going back over what happened during those five minutes by asking yourself questions such as "What did I do?", "How did I feel?", "Who else was there?". These answers should help provide inspiration for topics related specifically towards those moments which may otherwise seem unrelated at first glance."