Poetry is one of the oldest forms of self-expression.
Writing a poem can be a daunting task if you've never done it, but poetry needn't be written by experienced poets to be genuinely self-expressive. As with any type of writing, practicing the craft improves it. Poetry writing exercises, such as found poems, list poems, dream writing and imitating other poets' styles can all be helpful in finding your voice. The letter poem is one way to practice directing self-expression to a specific audience.
Instructions
1. Write out a list of famous people, dead or alive, who interest you. Take your time and try to come up with people who have inspired you or taken your attention at one point or another in your life. Write out a second list of inanimate objects and/or forces, such as wind, or sugar, for example. The second list can be as mundane or as interesting as you'd like. Write out a third list of people you know, limiting the list to 10 names. Simply write down the names of the people who come immediately to mind.
2. Choose one person or item from all of your lists. Draft a letter to that person or thing. Don't think of the letter as poetry, rather, tell the person or thing what's on your mind. Ask questions. Communicate something to this person or thing. The tone of your letter is up to you.
3. Draft a second piece of correspondence from the point of view of a famous person, thing or someone you know. You needn't choose the same person or thing you wrote your first letter to. Who or what would you like to read a letter from? Is the letter addressed to you or to someone or something else? If the letter is from a famous person, at what point in time is the letter being written? Try to write this letter as if it is one in the midst of a series of letters, somewhat like the middle of a conversation.
4. Write a third letter to something or someone you care about or connect with on a personal level. Write it to someone or something you have a special relationship with. This could be a river near your house, or a teacher who really impacted your life. Write the letter with feeling, keeping every sentence honest. What are your feelings as you write the third letter? Gratitude? Fear? Curiosity? Pride? Keep the letter as short and to the point as possible.
5. Choose the letter you like the most, and work on it. Read it aloud. Cut out any unnecessary words, sentences or paragraphs. Reread it aloud. Find ways simplify your language, substituting two or three words with one. Continually read your letter aloud as you sculpt it. Once you have language that pleases you, expand some of your basic sentences, bringing the element of metaphor to unexpected places. Reread the poem aloud and consider the order of its ideas, shifting entire sections if you so desire. The final reworking of the poem is deciding where line endings make the most sense to you. This is where reading it aloud is the most important, so you can hear the rhythm of the words.
