Poetry is one of my favorite subjects. I greatly enjoy writing and reading poetry, and I use it in most of my writings, to varying levels. But it can be difficult to write. Poetry is not simply writing down your ideas and formatting them in a ‘poetic’ style, poetry is its own art. Poetry is like painting a scene, but instead of a brush and canvas, you are using words. Poetry can be difficult to find inspiration for. Anyone can describe a scene, not everyone immediately has the skill to make it poetry. Resources are a great help, to provide inspiration to write a poem.

Poets

Shakespeare

Shakespeare is, understandably, one of the most famous poets of all time. I have found that reading his poems, as well as his plays, has helped me write my own. His poems do follow a specific pattern, sonnets in iambic pentameter, and if you are looking for inspiration in a different pattern, you might try some other poems to help you on that score, but for sheer inspiration in writing poetry itself, I’ve found that for me, his writings are one of the best.

J.R.R Tolkien

He is famous for the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, but he also wrote poetry. Growing up with the books, his poems and songs were normal for me, but as I got older and came to appreciate the skill of writing, they became a great inspiration and resource.

A.A Milne

A different style of poetry from Tolkien or Shakespeare, A.A Milne’s poetry tends to be more fun and funny, and these poems are written in a more child-like style, though in my opinion, they are just as masterful, only in a different way. If you want inspiration for a light-hearted poem, his poetry might be something you want to read.

Poetry

Here are some poems that I have found influential in my writing journey. I will not talk about all of them, for sometimes it’s just a feeling that gives me the inspiration, but this is a list.

The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe

Sweet and Low, by Alfred Tennyson

A Psalm of Life, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If-, by Rudyard Kipling

The Banks o’ Doon, by Robert Burns

The Road not Taken, by Robert Frost

Reading poetry is, for me, one of the best ways to find inspiration to write poems, and there are other poems that have influenced and inspired my writing. Feel free to share what your favorite poems are! Until next week, keep writing, keep learning, keep growing.