Poetry can stir emotions, paint vivid pictures and connect people across time and culture. Writing poems that truly resonate is not only about rhyme or rhythm; it is about choosing words that leave a lasting impression. Whether you are a new poet or looking to refine your craft, the ten practical approaches below will help you shape verses that speak from the heart and capture your readers’ imagination.
10. Read widely and attentively
This is the age of information, so immerse yourself in poems. Read across eras, forms and voices. Notice how imagery is built, how line breaks guide breath and how sound devices carry meaning. Keep a notebook of striking lines and techniques you would like to try. A steady diet of excellent poems is the surest way to expand your range.
9. Use prompts to unlock fresh ideas
Waiting for inspiration can leave you stuck. Carry a small notebook or use your phone to capture phrases, overheard snippets and vivid details. When you feel empty, turn to prompts. Try writing from a photograph, a newspaper headline, a colour, a single sensory detail or a question you cannot shake. Prompts are not shortcuts; they are springboards that push you past the blank page.
8. Do not force rhyme
Rhyme should support meaning. If a rhyming word bends your sense out of shape, change the line, switch to slant rhyme or abandon the scheme. Consider blank verse or free verse when rhyme distracts from clarity. Your first duty is to communicate the feeling and thought with precision.
7. Leave it to settle, then edit
Put the draft aside for a few days, even a fortnight. Returning with fresh eyes helps you read what is actually on the page, not what you meant to write. On the second pass, test every line for necessity, music and momentum. Tighten weak verbs, cut filler, sharpen images and check the poem’s architecture from title to final line.
6. Read your work aloud
Poems live in the ear. Reading aloud reveals awkward clusters, unintended repetitions and flat rhythms that silent reading can miss. Mark where you naturally pause; these points often suggest better line breaks. If a mouthful trips you up, simplify it. Your reader will stumble there too.
5. Draft fast, without stopping
Protect the first draft from the inner critic. Write quickly for a set time and resist the urge to edit mid-flow. Let images arrive in their own order. You can shape, cut and rearrange later. Momentum often carries unexpected truths to the surface.
4. Be sparing with figurative language
Similes, metaphors and other figures of speech give depth, but too many become clutter. Favour one exact image over a pile of mixed comparisons. Test every figure: does it illuminate the subject, or only decorate it? If it does not earn its place, remove it.
3. Leave space for the reader
Do not explain every symbol or feeling. Suggest, imply and trust your audience to meet you halfway. White space, line breaks and carefully chosen images can invite interpretation far better than commentary.
2. Use your natural voice
Your language is an instrument. Let it sound like you. Avoid archaisms and mannerisms you would never use in conversation unless the poem’s logic demands them. For instance:
I had a dreadful day
when my mobile gave up,
and my trousers tore in the rain.
Plain words, placed well, often carry more power than ornate diction.
1. Write often and with intention
Skill grows through practice. Set small, steady targets such as ten minutes of drafting each morning, or one finished poem each week. Keep a log, share your work with trusted readers, and submit it occasionally to learn from the process. As the saying goes, a writer is one who writes, today.
Helpful resources for poets
- Poetry Foundation — a vast archive of poems, essays and poet biographies.
- The British Library — manuscripts, recordings and articles that illuminate poetic traditions.
Keep developing your craft
For more practice and inspiration on our site, try these guides:
Poetry is as much about expression as it is about connection. With steady reading, regular drafting and careful revision, you can move beyond wordplay and make work that lingers in the mind. Your voice is unique; the craft helps it sing clearly.
Which tip will you try first? Share your favourite technique in the comments, and if this helped, pass it on to a fellow poet. You can also bookmark this page and come back after your next drafting session to tick off what you tried.