Poetry

Poetry as an art form may predate literacy. Epic poetry, from the Indian Vedas (1700-1200 BC) and Zoroaster's Gathas (1200-900 BC) to the Odyssey (800-675 BC), appears to have been composed in poetic form to aid memorization and oral transmission, in prehistoric and ancient societies. Other forms of poetry developed directly from the recording of folk songs. The earliest entries in the Han Dynasty Shijing (1000 BC) were initially lyrics, preceding later entries intended to be read. Poetry appears among the earliest records of most literate cultures, with poetic fragments found on early monoliths, runestones, and stelae.

The oldest surviving epic poem is the Epic of Gilgamesh, from the 3rd millennium BC in Sumer (in Mesopotamia, now Iraq), which was written in cuneiform script on clay tablets and, later, papyrus. Other ancient epic poetry includes the Greek epics Iliad and Odyssey, the Old Iranian books the Gathic Avesta and Yasna, the Roman national epic, Virgil's Aeneid, and the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The efforts of ancient thinkers to determine what makes poetry distinctive as a form , and what distinguishes good poetry from bad, resulted in "poetics" -the study of the aesthetics of poetry. Some ancient societies, such as the Chinese through the Shi Jing, one of the Five Classics of Confucianism, developed canons of poetic works that had ritual as well as aesthetic importance. More recently, thinkers have struggled to find a definition that could encompass formal differences as great as those between Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Matsuo Bashp's Oku no Hosomichi, as well as differences in context spanning Tanakh religious poetry, love poetry, and rap.

Context can be critical to poetics and to the development of poetic genres and forms. Poetry that records historic events in epics, such as Gilgamesh or Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, will necessarily be lengthy and narrative, while poetry used for liturgical purposes (hymns, psalms, suras, and hadiths) is likely to have an inspirational tone, whereas elegy and tragedy are meant to evoke deep emotional responses. Other contexts include Gregorian chants, formal or diplomatic speech, political rhetoric and invective, light-hearted nursery and nonsense rhymes, and even medical texts.

The Polish historian of aesthetics, Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz, in a paper on "The Concept of Poetry" traces the evolution of what is in fact two concepts of poetry. Tatarkiewicz points out that the term is applied to two distinct things that, as the poet Paul Valery observed, "at a certain point find union. Poetry is an art based on language. But poetry also has a more general meaning that is difficult to define because it is less determinate: poetry expresses a certain state of mind."

Some people seem born for poetry. They are the pioneers that help foster the emotional and intellectual development of society. Though not generally wielding political power, they can lead the civilization of a nation. Most of us, however, are not born great poets.

To be a great poet, you must nurture both creativity and the discipline to express your creativity. You would ideally have passion to feel and express those feelings. Every poet achieves greatness through their own unique formula but these five insights can help anyone write better poetry.

Tip 1: Know the world around you

There are unlimited resources in each and every part of the world. Oftentimes these are not in the way of material or physical resources; rather, we're talking here about the opportunities to observe both nature and human nature in action.

Concentrate on small creatures to big creatures, plants, animals, human beings, and whatever may be in front of you. Try to increase your awareness of what is happening around you and quietly observe how these sensations trigger emotions in your mind.

Tip 2: Target your ultimate goal

While some poetry expresses extreme fluidity and variability, most great poetry is directed towards some sort of goal. The goal might be a desired impact in the mind of a reader or it might be a larger message that gets communicated through the poetic form.

Regardless, you will want to first ascertain the desired effect of your poetry before you can choose the means to create that effect. This insight applies whether you follow iambic pentameter, sonnet or any other form.

So, you'll likely want to fix your target before you begin the process of writing. Popular topics for many poets include human nature, the beauty of nature, social injustice and political conflicts. Once you have decided on your destination you are an important step of the way there.

Tip 3: Read and Write

There is a great maxim "The more you read the more you learn." That lesson as well learned in the case of poets. Every great poet will also likely be a great reader.

To better understand the external world, your first and obvious target should be reading. Reading both traditional narrative form and poetic form will provide valuable exposure to the great poets have come before.

Tip 4: Be Disciplined

Poetry is a hobby for most. But that doesn't mean it needs to be approached in a lackadaisical fashion. If you read the life history of virtually any renowned poet then you will understand how much they were absorbed in their writing.

Be disciplined in your writing. Set a schedule, seek feedback from family and friends, and attempt to make progress even if it is painfully small.

Whether you are a newbie or not, you will want brutally honest feedback from both lay readers and experienced poets. Having a "writing-buddy" is a great way to increase your discipline.

Tip 5: Attend Poetry Conferences

Sustained exposure to the creative processes of other poets is a great way to increase your creative reservoir. Conferences are an ideal way to get this exposure in a quick and concentrated fashion.

For those who are not lucky enough to have this opportunity, consider creating your own virtual conference. Secure the commitment of several other friends and interests of poets and invite all of them to participate on a conference call.

During the poetry conference call, set an agenda and a structured format for individuals to share their poetry and receive feedback while on the conference. Cost should not be an issue because there are a variety of free conference calling services that are available.

Regardless of which free conference system you use, all of them will provide the ability for a virtual poetry conference for your participants. Even better, use a conferencing service that provides audio. Distribute that audio to members of your poetry group so that the feedback can be listened to after the conferencing is done.

Writing great poetry is not an easy task. Very few are born for poetic greatness. But the suggestions outlined above, if applied studiously, will help improve your prospects for creating better poetry.

These five little peas are for you to digest and make them a part of your very life. They are...

1.Purpose 2.Passion 3.Provoke 4.presentation 5.Pleasure

On the inside of you, dwells the power to write dynamic lines of poetry. When you have finished reading this article, you will not want to go immediately to the next poetry site. You will want to print this and read it again...and again, until you've captured the revelation of it. I have visited many poetry sites especially online poetry magazines. Unfortunately, there is a lot of terrible poetry out there being pushed as good just because the person has a degree or achievement of some kind. I know you yourself have seen some of these "prize winning" works and wondered why? How? You've said to yourself...my work is better than this. If you know what I am saying, then you are the right person to be reading what I am about to say. However, if you are of the mindset that every poem is a good poem then you are about to learn that that is not true. It is true that every person who write a poem can not bare to be told that it is not good. Yet, if you are this type of person, but long to be a better poet anyway, then you've come to the write place...smile at the pun...it was intended. Now let's digest the first pea.

PRESENTATION

The first question you should ask yourself is...who am I writing this poem to. This is a very important question and I will tell you why. If you are writing this poem to yourself, you will tend to write it in such a way that though you will grasp the meaning...another person reading it will not. Then it is a certainty that you are presenting the poem to yourself, which is fine if you don' intend to share it with anyone else for "their" reading enjoyment. However, if your intention is to write a poem for the purpose of sharing with another person, then it would pay you to take the time to note how it is presented. Why? Because if the reader's soul is not captured in the first 2 to 3 lines of what you have written, the only place it is fit to be in is some poetry magazine that the masses have never heard of. Ask the average person if they like poetry. Ask them if they ever read poetry. Most of them will tell you no. Ask them why and they will tell you that they don't understand most of it and that it is boring. This my friend, is where presentation comes in at. Decide in your mind that you will write with power AND with clarity. Vague does not stand for good in poetry. Vague is nothing but an obstruction to the clear reception of your poetry. So leave vague out...at least to some extent if not totally. Don't appear to be having a conversation with yourself or you will lose many readers. Furthermore, other poets will lie to you about how good of a poet you are.

PASSION

In order to write with passion, you must be a passionate person about life. This is why so many poems that I have come across rarely if ever touch my soul as I read them. Your poem is a two way street whereby the reader feels your passion which result in their own passion being stirred. Thus when they express to you how they felt as they read, you in turn have the joy of having felt their passion also...a kindred spirit of sorts. This is a rare and very joyful moment in the life of a poet, when he or she hears more than just..."that was good." Admit it...we rarely read poems that stir our soul and give us that ahhh feeling or cause us to say things like, "Now this is good...real good." or "Wow, he's good." or "Oh my goodness this is good." or "Now this is deep right here!" I could go on and on. The reason we say things like this when we have come across "that" poem is the because somehow, some way, we have felt that poet's passion and allowed it to mix with our own. So strive to have passion for life and it will flow from your pen. Be depressed and woeful about life and this also will flow from your pen...it's really up to you and what you want your poetry to accomplish.

PROVOKE

A well written poem will provoke a change from within. What is the use of writing a poem for the enjoyment of other readers if you have no intention of empowering them...inspiring them. Poetry is food for the soul and it show be written to enrich life...to enlighten one's mind. If one is not provoke to change in some manner or way for the better then that poem only went to the reader's mind and will eventually fade into a mist. Ask yourself, how deep or how lasting do I want this poem to be upon a reader's soul...their emotions. Ask yourself this BEFORE you write your next poem,,,what do you want this poem to accomplish in the mind AND soul of the reader. This brings us to the next pea that I want you to digest...

PURPOSE When you sit (or lay) down to write...write with purpose. It is time out for poems that are nothing more than rabbit trails. Poems without reason and that make no sense to the reader will quickly bore them out. This is the main reason poetry books do not sell well. People do not take joy in reading lines that make no sense to them. You don't either. I don't care if you are a poet. Let me ask you this...how many books by other poets do you have in your house that you have purchased yourself? I rest my case. Write with purpose. Ask yourself what do I want to accomplish with this poem and then accomplish it. Do not let anyone read it until you have finished it. When you have finished it you will be able to clearly see from point A to B and that's the way it should be. Stop the gibberish. Be concise and guide the reader down a straight path from your soul to their's using your pen. When you have digested these 4 peas, you will always be a...

PLEASURE...to read.

Poetry should be a pleasure to read and not a drudgery. There are different levels of pleasure for different people and various types of pleasure. When I say pleasure, I do not mean something that makes a reader feel good, but something that makes the reader feel...period. They literally experience your poem. It could be that you've written a poem about a good person who died in a horrible car accident. If that poem is well written, the reader will derive a certain kind of pleasure in having received a piece of your life along with the person you've written a poem about though they never knew them nor know you. This is all because you PRESENTED the poem to them with PURPOSE and PASSION which PROVOKED a change or an experience in them. We should never have people saying..."Oh Lord have mercy, this is boring." This is often said of poems that have no metaphors. Many poems that I've read are not poems at all. There's not one metaphor. Poetry should have some metaphors...something that is said without saying it...a picture painted with words. It doesn't matter whether the poem rhymes or not. I love rhyme and freestyle and haiku too. The metaphor gives a poet that extra P...that extra PUNCH. Metaphors are the seasonings in your poem which makes the soul of it's reader say ahhh or ohhh this is so beautiful. Metaphors give PLEASURE to the mind of it's reader and receive down past the soul into the spirit. A good poem touches the mind and soul but an awesome poem enthralls both the mind, soul and the spirit of it's reader. This is where most of us will describe a poem of this manner as being "deep". When someone has read one of your poems, you know you have grasped the revelation of the 5 peas with that extra metaphoric "Punch" if they ask you if you have any more they can read. That is the highest compliment that one can pay a poet. Many will tell you that your poetry is good, but it is those few who want to read more of your work that are truly worthy of you taking the time to share more with.