How can I write "better" poetry?

Question

I guess this question isn't complete because "better" depends on who you ask. So I guess my real question is how do I make my poetry more sincere? How do I pour my heart and mind out onto a page a little more clearly?

Answer 1

Someone said once:

sincerity  " if you can fake that you have it made."

Use the old well established  literary techniques. metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia , rhythm, cadence etc.   Practice economy. Less is more. and just keep writing. and rewriting.

Answer 2

Writing Better Poetry

For starters you need to concentrate

on what you are writing about.

Write about one thing and focus on it

poems like apologies, love, friendships

eulogies, memoriam

( these come from the heart)

Depending on what you are writing about

it can have happy feelings or sad

I will do a sample one

                    Stress

Stress occurs in our everyday life

and how we cope with it

can vary

Whether its sad like depression

sadness,

Good stress can occur if someone

either got married or had a baby

We go through stress everyday

--------------------------------------...

You say you write from the heart that is good

poems dont have to rhyme

or it can if you want

If you want some help on writing poetry

as well as the different types

http://www.poemofquotes.com/articles/poe...

Answer 3

The best thing to do is make sure every trace of you that you can is excised from the poem. Let me give an example.

A bad poet will write a love poem for his woman about his undying love. How eternal it is, how she makes him feel, on and on in incredibly vague language wisping through stanza after stanza.

A better one will instead look at her. He may describe her and the language of his love is in the description, without a single direct reference at all. Or he may just recount one snapshot of her doing something which might even seem silly, but with which he fell in love with her over.

You have to forget yourself to be sincere. Write silly poems about skylarks bubbling across lawns. Write exaggerated odes to teakettles. If you enjoy writing poems about things, you will find that your feelings will often come through unbidden, and more honestly than mentioning them directly.

Answer 4

1) Eliminate all unnecessary words.

2) Use the sounds of language to convey meaning.

3) Read the great poets and learn from them.

4) Write about what you know.

Answer 5

Better by being understandable and giving a picture to your audience for instance here is a poem I just made while answering this question:

The rivers torrent was relentless

Beyond a distance...the gushing water

I see.

Separated,

Alone,

Upon this barren rock of stone.

I recall moments before... I was there too.

But...by God was I...I saved?

No! No! I am not!

There is still more to come...

It...it is the beginning.

Quakened with fear or

Quakened by cold?

Scared by death or

Scared to die?

What is this monstrocity?

Father....

Father....

.........

You can do better by doing emotion.

Answer 6

All it takes is practice and focus. Rather than faking it, draw into mind times of dramatic feelings-anger, sadness, loneliness, happiness. Try to convey them into words that truly reflect the emotion.

Stay away from cliches.

Remember literary functions; voice, word choice, all the c**p you've been graded for.

Look into some old poets, and their styles; Shakespeare, Coleridge, P.B. Shelley, Frost, (there's so much more).

But most of all keep writing, and revising. If you just analyze your writing it'd be enough to improve substantially.