We are delighted to welcome back author JoAnne Myers to Omnimystery News.
JoAnne has written in a variety of genres, including mystery and thriller, but today we're going off on a bit of a tangent with a guest post from her titled "Tips on How To Write a Poem". Her own book of poetry is titled Poems about Life, Love, and Everything in Between.
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Photo provided courtesy of
JoAnne Myers
Tips on How To Write a Poem:
1.The first step in any poem is coming up with subject matter. What will make the poem profound and interesting will be the hidden details or qualities you discover, or what the subject reminds you of, your unique perspective. Do not feel that you have to choose profound or "poetic" material. Anything can be the subject for a poem, such as my poem "Why Do People Lie?"
2. The key to writing about a person, place, or thing is to concentrate deeply on the subject and choose specific words to best capture the subject. Do not worry about "style", about writing in a "beautiful" or a "poetic" way. Poems do not have to rhyme, but should be heartfelt. If your attention is focused on "being poetic", that takes your attention away from the subject of your poem.
Even if the poem is about you or your life, you should focus on accurately communicating an aspect of your experience. For example, my poem "Being a Laundress" came from the fact that I work as a laundress in a nursing home.
3. You also need to communicate your insights to the reader. Do not state the obvious. Everyone knows that grass is green, and fire is hot. You should choose words that describe the smell or taste or texture of the grass, or how the grass makes you feel.
4. Choose the right words that express your subject matter. Think of the words "sun and light bulb". Both describe light, but different kinds of light. The best form for your poem will depend on what it is about and the mood and feelings you want to create in the reader.
5. If you are writing about a feeling or an abstract concept such as love or death, which cannot actually be seen or heard, think about it like electricity. It is invisible. However, you can see the effect of electricity on objects that are visible. You see a room light up when you flip the switch. You see and hear a television program when you plug the television cord into an electrical socket.
Abstractions such as love and death do not look, sound, or smell like anything. Nevertheless, they affect everything around them. Describe their effect on those they have touched.
6. Rewrite. Behind most successful writing, whether that is a novel or poem, there is a huge amount of rewriting. Write different versions, then look them over and compare. How do they look on the page? Try reading them aloud. Which versions are most interesting to read? Are there any places where the look or sound becomes distracting, for example, if you have one very long line that sticks out too much?
Every poet has his or her own way of working. There is no right or wrong method. Just have fun with it, and the poem will usually come together. Here are two poems of mine to illustrate what I mean.
"Paradise"
The road seemed endless,
with each step they took.
Weighed down by their gear,
emotions and fear,
they walked on every so fast.
Knowing each step might be their last.
The rain poured and the sun beat down.
As each side's casualty became a mass.
Sounds of guns echoed all around.
As refuge became weeds and tall grass.
Each soldiers level of honor and courage was found.
As they fought bravely alongside the screams and death sounds.
While evils of man lingered amongst fields of rice,
devastation reigned in a land once called paradise.
"Silly Little Rhyme"
Out of nowhere did I find,
that I was concocting a silly little rhyme.
It sat inside my head, for many a day.
I tried ignoring it, but still it stayed.
It wouldn't let me be, this silly little rhyme.
It kept bugging me and bugging me for more of my time.
So one day I gave in.
It was stronger then I.
It had a will of its own.
This silly little rhyme.
I thought that was the end.
But then it got lonesome and wanted a friend.
I tried to fight it, but knew I couldn't win.
Together they pestered me to no end.
Belting out orders as if they were Kings.
So now my book is complete.
I can go on to other things.
But wait! Did you hear that?
There it goes again.
Hogging more of my time.
Another silly little rhyme.
This poem and six others came about during the power failure of 2012 in my hometown of Logan, Ohio.
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JoAnne Myers has been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of her life. She is a mother of three and grandmother of eight. Besides having several novels under her belt, she canvas paints.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at BooksAndPaintingsByJoanne.com and her author page on Goodreads, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Poems about Life, Love, and Everything in Between by JoAnne Myers
A Collection of Poems
Publisher: JoAnne Myers
A collection of personal poems inspired by nature, spiritualism, love, family, and life in general.
— Poems about Life, Love, and Everything in Between by JoAnne Myers
