POETRY TIPS - GOALS AND MORE

Know Your Goal.

by
Kara Ziehl(UWEC Junior-2000)

If you don't know where you're going, how can you get there?

You need to know what you are trying to accomplish before you begin any project. Writing a poem is no exception.

Before you begin, ask yourself what you want your poem to "do." Do you want your poem to describe an event in your life, protest a social injustice, or describe the beauty of nature? Once your know the goal of your poem, you can conform your writing to that goal. Take each main element in your poem and make it serve the main purpose of the poem.

Yes, Ms. Ziehl, poems do come from life. The one I'm sharing today is the piece I wrote on the first anniversary of my father's death.

DAD
The day you died, we wondered if
the world would stop turning? We
knew we’d see it different somehow.
As this year passed without you, the
time hasn’t erased our deep sorrow.
You are missed more than you can
imagine. Our hearts overflow with
many happy memories spent with
you. We love you, Dad!
The Fudge family

Love ya,
nettie

PS: Come back tomorrow for the final day of Poetry Month.