I've taught many poetry workshops, sharing with students lessons I've learned
from teachers, mentors and critique groups. Here are a few of my favorite tidbits
for the writer as well as the reader of poetry:
What Is a Poem Anyway?
The Elements of Contemporary Poetry include some, if not all, of the following:
Language (diction, syntax, sound, rhythm, images, figurations)
Story (poem may be a complete narrative or simply a moment in time)
Feeling (for the writer and the reader) -- includes tension
Line (a poem's unique structure on the page)
Rhythm and Music -- rhyme and meter are optional
Poetry may be narrative or lyrical -- or both
Poetry is a form of writing that is pared down to its essence
-- think of the "still-point" in ballet
Poetry touches the reader emotionally
Poetry uses images that are concrete (dirt, table), not abstract (love, joy)
-- a poem should "show", not "tell"
Poetry has movement and tension
Poetry has restraint & gets to the reader's body fast
Fun quotes by Famous Poets:
Write to be awake, to pay attention: Anne Lamott
If it takes the top of your head off, you know it's poetry: Emily Dickinson
A poem is the best words in the best order: Samuel Taylor Coleridge
There are no ideas except in things: William Carlos WIlliams
God is in the pots and pans: Jane Hirshfield
End a poem with an image and don't explain: Stanley Kunitz
Start a poem with an "abiding image": Cathy Smith Bowers
A poem has two subjects, a triggering subject and a real subject: Richard Hugo