How to Write a Poem About Yourself

Much like a self-portrait, writing a poem about yourself can give insight into who you are. Whether you're writing a poem strictly for yourself or to be shared with others, a well-written poem tells a powerful story about what you want to express. There is no one way to write a poem, but here are some basic guidelines that may help you through the writing process.

Instructions

1. Determine the subject matter of your poem. You may be writing about yourself, but what aspect of yourself do you want to express? Don't be afraid to explore your strengths as well as your weaknesses, as these add power and relevance to your poem. You may choose to write about something as general as how you feel about the world, or as specific as how you feel about a certain subject. For example, you may choose to explore your fears, your secrets, your love life, your likes, your dislikes--anything that says something about who you are as a person. Don't be afraid to be honest and introspective. This will help you to write a more meaningful poem.

2. Decide the audience of your poem. That is, whether you want to show this poem to anyone or keep it to yourself. Remembering the audience of your poem, as with all types of literature, will help guide you through the writing process. However, don't feel censored by your audience,especially if you're writing strictly for yourself. Poems are an opportunity to express yourself openly in creative ways---you can be as implicit or explicit as you want with how you express your subject.

3. Determine the type of poem you want to write. While poetry offers a lot of room for creative license, there are some poem structures that may help you format your poem. For example, haikus are Japanese-style poems made up of three lines and 17 syllables, with the syllable count as 5/7/5. Sonnets are 14-line rhymed poems. There are also couplets and villanelles. If you don't want to follow a specific poem structure, you may choose to follow a specific rhyme scheme, such as A/B/A/B, A/B/B/A or any number of patterns.

4. Decide whether you want your poem to rhyme. Many think of poetry as rhyming, but it doesn't always have to. This poem is about yourself, so draw upon your own taste to decide on a rhyme scheme, if you have one at all. Poetry can be a free-for-all of emotion, following no particular pattern or rhyme scheme. However, rhyming your poem is effective in giving to the lyrical nature of the art form. Poetry is meant to be read aloud, so whether you choose to make your poem rhyme or not, keep this in mind to add a lyrical quality to your poem.

5. Use colorful language to create powerful imagery. As the subject of your poem, you have absolute free reign to formulate your poem. Visualize what you are trying to express in your head before transferring that visual into words. Poetry allows you to express yourself in a way that is unlike traditional prose. Don't be afraid to use metaphors, similes, allusions, alliterations and any other number of literary devices to get your message across. Any time you can substitute an outright declaration, such as, "I feel passionate about this," for something more visual, such as, "My heart is a barrel of emotion fit to burst," you'll be adding power and meaning to your poem.

6. Don't be afraid to revise. There is no rule that poems have to be written in a stream of consciousness. Rather, analyze every word to be sure that you're comfortable with every aspect of your poem. Again, be honest with yourself to make any necessary changes. Do you feel you have fully expressed what you are trying to say? If a line doesn't adequately express what you want to say, cut it or edit it to be as powerful as possible. Poems are traditionally shorter than prose, so unlike in prose, every word counts.