Writing Poetry in 4 Steps:
Choose a topic: Decide what your poem is going to be about. .
Decide the type of poem: Different types of poetry have different rules. You can also always write a free verse poem.
Write the first draft: Don’t worry about anything, just get your ideas on the page.
Revise and edit: Delete, delete, delete. Get rid of what doesn’t make sense. Add a new stanza or get rid of a line. Rewording can also help with the poetry.
Example:
1. Choose a topic: I found an article about a school shooting and decided to write from the perspective of a school shooter. (This is a sensitive topic so you might not want to read ahead).
2.Decide the type of poem: It was supposed to be a slam poem for a school assignment, so I chose that.
3. Write the first draft: My first draft was this:
They say there are 2 sides to every story. 1 voice unheard, stolen, for every one told. 1 voice as ignored as a rock. That voice is mine. The victims are valued, important, The light in a dark cave. But I’m considered wrong, For trying to retrieve what was gone. I’m mental, Crazy, Insane. For using my last resort when no one would help. A bird survives only if it flies. A rabbit that doesn’t run cries. A mouse needs to hide. But when I fought back, my rights all died? I’m the cheetah ,Strong, but not strong enough. Seen as a predator, But actually, the lions prey. Don’t pretend. Don’t lie. You haven’t seen my side. You’ve stolen my soul, you wouldn’t care, And neither do I. I may be the killer. The murderer, The shooter, But at least I’m not a robber. Looking back on it, it was horrible. Grade 7 me was horrible at this. That's why you revise.
4. Revise and edit: I revised this poem a bunch and there are at least 5 versions of it, but heres the final draft. Gun raised, arms up. BANG, BANG, A body falls, Now one’s gone. I couldn’t ask for help. You said that you were depressed. You said that my problems weren’t serious. And like a fool, I believed that. I’m mental, insane And I know it. I’m sad, frustrated, But I can’t help it. I tried to prevent it, Tried to jump off when I couldn’t fly. I fell hard but not enough, tried again, The runt of the litter barely holding on to life. And no, I didn’t see myself here. In front of everyone, trying to plead my innocence. Because I'm not innocent, and I know it. But I still don’t believe it. Go ahead, call me evil, desperate, crazy. But you’re the one who turned me into a criminal, I’m sorry though, Sorry, just like you. As you can see, its way better than the first draft. Obviously, its not that great, but its the only poem with a first draft I could find.
