“The important thing is to write what you need to write, and if that’s going to include rhyme, let it include rhyme, if it doesn’t, that’s okay too.” – dimitrireyespoet.com
When I started seriously studying poetry I realized two things, for 1, there was a lot to learn and even more to read, and 2, I was actually doing some of these important techniques without even knowing. Now when I teach poetry from middle school to college I make it a point demystify poetry for students by telling them that they are already implementing techniques they are unaware of. For the sake of easy use, I’ll go over 5 Easy Poetry Techniques You Can Implement Right Now.
Enjambment
Unless your poetry style is journal writing or a similar narrative form, you’ll have your fair share of run ins with enjambs, which are essentially a fancy word for a line break. Enjambs can elicit different moods and feelings in a poem depending upon how it aesthetically looks on the page while you may also choose to dictate the speed in which a reader reads your poem by how it looks. For example, take a look at two versions of my poem, 3rd Generation that was first published in The Oxford Review of Books. You’ll notice while the first poem keeps a certain amount of tension and may be even a bit harder to read or know when to pause because of its form, the other version feels a bit more airy and guides the reader a bit more.
Did you read the first version the way you read the second version?
I have two great blogs on enjambs that compliment each other quite well. Be sure to either read Line Breaks and 6 Enjambment Poetry Techniques or click on the videos below to learn more.
Rhyme
Ok, ok, now it seems like that in the past, some of my most popular videos puts me in the position of poets who don’t like to rhyme and I predict I’ll be setting the record straight for many months to come but this’ll be the first time I mention it on the blog— I DO have rhyme in my poetry.
But I will say that my gripe with rhyme is when new poets feel like that it is a NECESSITY and that they’re breaking the rules or may perhaps be less authentic if they aren’t writing but that isn’t the case at all! The important thing is to write what you need to write, and if that’s going to include rhyme, let it include rhyme, if it doesn’t, that’s okay too.
But to digress on that public service announcement, yes! The rhyming technique is easy to implement. Rhyming in a poem can add a musical quality to your work that makes lines feel easier to read.
Simile/ Metaphor
This is the poet’s staple. Whether a comparison is made in a line or there is a working metaphor throughout the entire poem, simile and metaphor push a poem into new avenues of interpretation. I think of similies/ metaphors how I think of a poem itself— it can be read one way on the surface but can be interpreted into tons of different ways when we start unveiling what is underneath. The way in which these comparisons lead to deeper meaning in poems can be explained through the iceberg analogy.
On the surface, we see this giant work of art, chiseled by wind and wave. But underneath, this giant piece of ice reveals itself to be several times larger and more detailed, reflecting light in beautiful angles that add texture to an otherwise unadventurous eye. That’s exactly how a poem should be!
Alliteration
I spoke about this in my 3 Tips for Beginner Poets blog and it’s very similar to the idea of rhyming in the way that alliteration adds music to the piece. Naturally, we can find something easy to comprehend if we find it easy to say or understand. By using alliteration, it is a subconsciously fun use of wordplay that goes over well in a poem.
Diction
Diction is basically the way in which we speak. Even within a common language, depending on where people are, they pronounce things differently or even have different ways of naming things. Diction is interesting to pay attention to as it is the key to unlocking another layer of your speaker. Being able to step into the shoes of the character you become in the poem will give your work a fresh perspective and allows the audience to fully invest into the voice.
Nothing explains this definition better than the Academy of American poets. You can read a quick article on diction here. Make sure you pay attention to the Wordsworth quote!
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