How to Write a Love Poem

When it comes to gift giving, there’s nothing better than something unique and memorable. A love poem is the perfect way to express your feelings to the person you most care about in the world. Think you can’t write poetry? With the following steps, you’ll soon craft those touching words sure to be remembered for years to come.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pen
• Paper
• Imagination
• Creativity
• A Moment to Remember

1. Think of something specific: an event or moment you both shared that touched you in some way. Aim for the smaller, more quiet moments. Not birthday parties or holidays, or even vacations as a whole but a moment from one of those events. For example, say you drove your partner to a surprise birthday party, and just before you got out of the car, you touched your partner’s hand and smiled. That’s the moment you should write about, not the entire party.

2. Now, think of the moment as it relates to the senses. What did you hear, smell, and see? Where there birds chirping in the background? Did your partner’s perfume lightly fill your nose? Did the sun highlight your partner’s eyes? What did the temperature feel like? How did your partner’s hand feel when you touched it? (Cold, clammy, sweaty, warm?) What was the look on their face? (Unknowing, pleasant, unhappy anxious?)

3. Jot down your thoughts in bullet point type items. Don’t worry about complete sentences or sounding especially “poetic.” Just get your thoughts down on paper so you don’t forget them. Close your eyes to block out all other distractions and focus on everything about that particular moment. In the above example of the surprise birthday party, your thoughts might look like this:
   
   · It was August (and hot outside)
   · The air conditioning was humming in the background
   · Your perfume was a little too sweet
   · I felt excited to be able to surprise you
   · I thought you knew!
   · Your legs stuck to the car seat
   · Your foot was tapping impatiently
   · Your hand was warm (for once!)
   · You weren’t sure why we’d stopped the car and looked at me as if you were a little angry
   · You didn’t know where we were and also looked somewhat scared
   · You were humming “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles. Badly and off key

4. Take the thoughts you jotted down and put them together into a pleasing order that will describe the moment. Don’t worry if anyone else will get it; focus on the person you’re writing for. Don’t worry about rhyme or meter. (If you’re new to writing poetry it will sound better if you capture the thoughts pure and untouched without forcing them into rhyme.)

5. Think about any similarities in the words you’ve written. Are there several that stand out, and could therefore be repeated as a refrain? Take a look at the length of the sentences. Are there some that are short and to the point, some that consist of just a word or two? Or are there some that go on and on without end? By objectively viewing the words you have written, you’ll begin to see patterns, repeats, or potential for cutting up a sentence into two. Play with your sentences by moving them around to see which might fit better at the end, and which at the beginning. Keep the main subject of the poem in mind as you shift your notes around.

6. When you’ve jotted a few thoughts down, and moved them around into an order, next do some editing. Pick out a phrase you like best, and work the rest of the words around it. In the above example, the middle sentence (I thought you knew!) stands out as being short and to the point – and unlike any of the other sentences. This would be a good one to highlight in your poem.

7. Take your notes and craft a good first draft of the poem. Remember you are writing to express your affections, so be complimentary rather than teasing. Keep the poem short to stay on point, adding only the most unique parts of your notes.
   
   The poem from our earlier example might read:
   
   
   I Thought You Knew
   
   Excited,
   at last,
   to finally surprise you that August day.
   Impatient,
   your foot,
   tapped wildly as you searched my face.
   I thought you knew!
   
   Nervous,
   I placed
   my hand on yours, warm for once – it took my breath away.
   Unguarded happiness,
   as, off-key you hummed a song that said my feelings,
   How did you know?
   
   Content,
   I leaned
   to open the door for you, and smelled your sweet perfume.
   Happy,
   I wanted
   you with me always, and forever.
   I wonder if you know.

8. Finally, write out your poem in longhand on good quality paper. It will be a gift your partner will cherish for years to come.

[bizewriter]

on 1/28/2008 Wonderful poem!

[bmi57]

on 1/3/2008 Very nice. That poem is beautiful, but I won't use your words, but I now have an idea of how to write my own. Thank you.