Helpful Hints about Writing Poetry

Poetry does NOT have to rhyme!
Use strong, emotional words when writing poetry
Poetry is very forgiving.
There are certain forms that adhere to "rules," but some poetry (freeverse) is whatever you want it to be.
Just try and have fun!

Visual Poetry Challenges

Pandemic Poems

These are poems my daughter and I have written about the pandemic. It just so happened that National Poetry Month (April) and the pandemic overlapped. We found that writing poems about the pandemic were a helpful way to thinking about the gravity of what was/is happening at the time and also to thoughtfully consider the many blessings we still have. This writing down of poems also anchors us to the present and leaves an artifact for the future. Some of the poems are funny, some are serious, and the tone and mood various with each. Much like our days, our poems are sometimes up and sometimes down.

This particular verse form is called a tricube. It is made up of three syllables, three lines, and three stanzas. It's one of my favorite types of counted poetic form.

I've found myself very distracted during this pandemic. I'm usually a list person anyway and I find comfort in crossing off the tasks. This hasn't been easy during the pandemic. It's troublesome not knowing what will happen next and simultaneously having a sense of dread and urgency. I've tried to avoid watching the news because the media panic isn't good for creating a relaxing, anxiety-free quarantine experience. Ultimately, I know I have nothing to fear, but I find myself needing more frequent reminders of that.

This type of poetry is another type of counted poetry. It has a +1 syllable for each line, so line one is one syllable, line two is two syllables, etc. until you reach the tenth line, which is, of course, ten syllables. This was a new type of counted poetry for me, but very fun to write. The number ten is important since you end the poem with 10 strong syllables. That is also how the title of this poem came about. Instead of Pan DEM ic, I thought it might be fun to highlight the TEN and call it Pan TEN ic instead.

Although some scary and stressful times have come out of this situation, there have also been some beautiful times. The videos of the quarantined Italians singing from their balconies and rooftops is just one beautiful image I can think of during this time. It is wonderful how groups are coming together (but apart) and sharing hope in the ways they can. I love this image of a unified humanity. It gives us hope!