So basically...Poetry

Poetry comes in so many different shapes and sizes you’d think it'd be easy for anyone to find poetry they like. That means time wake up squares! Absorb some culture, kiss the lips of a new literary scene, put yourself out there and you’ll see poetry is everything you could have imagined. And take my advice, throw out any knowledge you ever thought you had about poetry. this entire post is about to slam your brain. (reminder: don’t actually kiss a electronic device; kissing actual books is cool but still weird -_- T_T)

Just a disclaimer as well: this will most definitely not solve academic issues or have everything about poetry, it is just your average rundown. (another note all pictures are poem books you can find at any library)

Types of poetry:

Poetry varies by genre, form, style, tone, topic, ect. The only issue with that is that poetry can be open ended and because of that what you think poetry is, is actually up to interpretation; same is the difference between good and bad poetry.

1. Form: poems are sorted in between a selection of over 50 poems, which is determined by lines, words, meter/rhythm, syllables, what it’s about and whether it rhymes or not  some forms are: ballads, limerick, haiku, sonnets, epic poems, cinquains, free verse, name, poems, and odes.
2. Tone: poems can be serious or happy or even confused these all change the way the poem is viewed by readers. Poems are usually on one of the two sides of the spectrum: positive or negative.While they can be neutral, poems are are very strong literature based upon emotion and entertainment, so it's very unlikely.
3. Topic: from the far outreaches of our universal pocket neighborhood right to what just about makes us human, poems can have the most reasonable or the most outrageous topics.

Writing poetry:

Now poetry writing is not for everyone but poems don’t actually have to have rhyme or reason. Check out the sections below to find which one

1. My words sound better from my mouth:Try spoken word or slam poetry. They are like epic rap battles in literary form where your opponent is the world around you and every issue you’ve ever had; maybe you slam yourself. This works quite well if you have a lot to say and really wanna get down and dirty. This is possibly one of the most raw types of poetry and is for people who sound better in person than on paper, as well as enough pain to go around. Slam/ spoken word is all about eventful, impact, gut punching emotions.

3 listening tips:

i. ‘mmm’ if you agree

ii. Say “spit hot fire, poet” for days they are speaking the words of your soul

iii. Snap don’t clap

2. I adore Short and sweet: try a haiku. But be warned, they really hard if you bad at calculating the right words to match each lines syllable count. If you prefer shorter length poems cause you just have so much to say but not enough words for each thing try free verse or free writing as a brainstorm. If you wanna extend the length or make it have even more impact/ be more meaningful try writing out more, over do it. Remember to keep in mind more words doesn’t necessarily mean more meaning or emotion.
3. I love Long and wordy: try sonnets. Normally not for people who aren’t very creative with their words but these can be for people who sound better on paper than in person. Also, if sonnets just aren’t working for you try free verse and work your way from there; you can even just write your lines in a normal story form then transfer it into poem format.
4. shake away cliche: nothing you write is cliche unless you really want it to be. Don’t try so hard, open up and express yourself. Poetry is all about expression in a new form. Keep trying if you don’t get it at first (or give up if you really want I can’t tell you how to live your life). Improvement comes through repetition and finding your style comes through exploring your options. Always remember that literature is subjective and open ended. ANYTHING goes.

Reading poetry:

The coolest part about poetry is that it can be shared with the world. Especially now that we have

Cool poets: take a pick and research it waste your time on something cool and interesting. Find a poet that fits your taste! (here’s six searches to get you started)

Old timey poets-

1. Edgar Allen Poe: angsty writer in the , writes horror and things about death.
2. Phillis Wheatley: slave who was taught how to read and write. 1st African-American poet and 2nd lady to get a poem book published.
3. Emily Dickinson: basic hermit: lived most of her life in reclusive isolation

Today’s suggestions-

1. Rupi kaur: very popular; aesthetic; speaks to your soul
2. Any Instagram/twitter poem accounts: interesting start
3. Check out tumblr: tumblr is full of new ideas and writers go check them out!

Poem books worth a read: (here’s a list of 10 in no particular order:)

1. The sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur
2. eighteen years by Madisen Kuhn

3. 7,300 days by Isabella Mente
4. Paint Me Like I Am by Nikki Giovanni

5. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
6. the princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace
7. Where the Sidewalk Ends
8. Sea of Strangers by Lang Leav
9. the witch doesn’t burn in this one by Amanda Lovelace

10. I hope this reaches her in time by R. H. Sin

Again dear readers, I hope this may be of some help to you whether you have learned something new or have spent your free time reading this, I can only hope there is some takeaway. As well, if you think I missed anything you can express your concerns in the comments and we can talk about that topic! :) Best wishes for your poetry adventure, Anonymous.