What to Avoid When Writing Poetry

I've been writing poetry for a little over a year now, and I've listed some things you want to avoid. If you have an idea for a poem just build off of that idea. Poems don't have to rhyme, but I prefer to write ones that do rhyme. Most people when they write poetry is to make it personal. I've read poems that are so personal they go as far as to mention the persons name.

This is something you want to stay away from because people can't relate to that poem. You should keep the reader in mind when you write a poem. The premise when you write should have a purpose. I hate to read poems that when you read the entire thing, and at the end there isn't a kicker. What I mean by a kicker is that your last line, should have some emphasis to bring the poem together.Think of the ending of the poem first, and try to work around that as a start. Many people start from the beginning, and then they get stuck towards the end.


As far as rhyming goes that's up to you, but I tend to write free verse poems, so I'm not confined to sounding cheesy. I think if the reader discovers a pattern in your poems, there's not going to be an interest in reading them. Don't be afraid to mix it up try not rhyming for 2 or 3 lines just to throw your reader off. Poems are ways of expression, and there are really no bad poems, but there are some that are better than others.


The last thing you want to avoid is complicating the poem too much. It's okay to have double meanings in the poem, and symbolism, but don't get too carried away. Most people will be confused by this, and it will possibly turn the readers off. Writing poems can be fun, so take these tips and write your own poem in the comments section.