2NB & 2 NI National Poetry Day

http://www.forwardartsfoundation.org/national-poetry-day/what-is-national-poetry-day/

Top poetry writing tips: 

Tip 1: Poetry is a balance between truth and lies

Poetry is about telling the truth as you see it. A poem has to convince the reader of its honesty.  You need to feel strongly about what you are writing. A poem needs to be       believed even if it has some lies in it.

Tip 2: Poetry involves work, rest and play

Writing a good poem rarely comes easily. It involves hard work.It often helps to leave a first draft to rest for an hour, a day or even a week, so you can re visit it with fresh eyes and ears.

But writing poetry should be a playful activity, too. You need to be enjoying yourself. Have fun playing around with the language, the ideas and the music inside the poem.

Tip 3: Poetry requires both words and silence

Poetry has been defined as "the best words in their best order". The language you use does not have to be complex , but  choose your words carefully for their sounds and meaning.

 But poetry is also about silence. Just as the white space on the page is needed to shape the pattern of words, so the thoughts that are left unsaid, the pauses  will add to something extra to your poem.

Tip 4: Poetry needs an emotion - and the control of that emotion

Writing poetry is a very personal activity. Reading poetry can also give comfort or a sense that you are not alone in how you are feeling.

Try to show emotions  by using descriptions that involve the senses and by choosing interesting images that reflect your mood.

Tip 5: Writing poetry can be difficult to start and hard to let go

It is often difficult to know how to start a poem, but the trick is to recognise the beginnings of them, in everyday life.  Poems can start from remembering a funny conversation; yesterday's nightmare; a secret you've been told; or an interesting postcard that you notice in a shop.