How to Write Poetry

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By Mrs. Christina
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Poetry is an art form that far surpasses the simple rhyme scheme. As with any skill, it is best to study the mechanical components in order to then structure, in this case write, a quality finished product.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Understanding Meter. Meter is a repetitive pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. The stressed syllable is the long syllable and the unstressed syllable is the short syllable.

Example: I long to see a tree of green
The pattern shown is: I (short) long (long) to (short) see (long) a (short) tree (long) of (short) green (long)
Step 2

Understanding a Foot. A foot in poetry is one section, or unit of the repeated pattern. The number of feet in a line denotes the foot.

Example: I (short) long (long) to (short) see (long) a (short) tree (long) of (short) green (long)
The pattern is short-long, short-long, short-long, short-long

A short-long pattern is called an iambic foot.

Other patterns are as follows:

trochaic: long-short
anapestic: short-short-long
dactylic: long-short-short
spondaic: long-long
pyrrhic: short-short
Step 3

Understanding Lines. The number of repetitions in a single line denote the name of the line.

Example: short-long, short-long, short-long, short-long
The number of feet (repetitions per line) is 4. A 4 foot line is a tetrameter.

Here is the line names and their descriptions:
monometer: one foot line
dimeter: two foot line
trimeter: three foot line
tetrameter: four foot line
pentameter: five foot line
hexameter: six foot line
heptameter: seven foot line
octmeter: eight foot line
Step 4

Understanding Rhyme. There is and always will be a place for rhyme in poetry. Poetry that rhymes at the end of its lines is referred to as rhymed verse.

Example: The grass by the light A
of the full autumn moon B
gives new beauty to the flight A
of the birds who glimmer C
reflecting moonbeams, feathers shimmer. C

Notice how each line is denoted by the same letter of lines that rhyme. i.e. A: light/flight; B: moon; C: glimmer/shimmer

The pattern here is: A-B-A-C-C
Step 5

There is also free verse and blank verse that have no rhyme scheme. Blank verse is however written in iambic pentameter. Free verse does not have a regular meter.
Step 6

Practice writing in various poetry forms and you will experience the mathematical science behind the art.

Your works are sure to bring you joy in expressing yourself and joy to those who read them.