“I dare you to jump off the top,” we would say (more…)

“I dare you to jump off the top,” we would say (more…)
Once Upon a Summer
So, you want to write a poem, but don’t know where to begin. Should it rhyme? Does it even have to rhyme? What about the different rules and poetry forms? Shrouded in more mystery than a school cafeteria lunch, it’s no wonder that writers can be somewhat hesitant to explore poetry.
As a writer, poet, and English student I have had many positive conversations that the popularity of poetry is on the rise. I find this to be true with discovering poets on best seller lists, such as Lang Leav with her moving love series, Ted Kooser (a poet laureate) whose nature poetry captures mid-western life, and Tyler Knott Gregson who provides daily poems for readers. (more…)
Poetry is the ultimate baring of the poet’s inner thoughts. Not to say all poetry will be deep and serious (just as our inner thoughts can be lighthearted and fun, so can poetry), but rather regardless of the tone the poem, you can always be sure it’s a reflection of the poet’s inner state when they wrote it. As such, the poet must carefully construct each poem with full consideration of tone, word choice, and structure. (more…)
If you expect everyone to see colors the way you envision them while you’re writing, then you may be disappointed. I may refer to blood as crimson while you think of it more as a ruby red. You may think the sky a soft Carolina blue, while I would paint the sky with a tint of periwinkle. While this may not seem a huge issue, it can complicate how your reader perceives your work. (more…)