How to draw from life to write poetry
Last night I had a craving for poetry, so I went to the Poetry Foundation website and randomly began reading poems. As I read poems by Denise Levertov and Greek poets George Seferis and C.P. Cavafy, I thought about my own attempts at writing poetry. I thought about how I came to write my poems and wondered if by looking back on how they came to be, it would help me open the well (or maybe a vein) to create more.
Here’s what I came up with. If you’re interested in writing poetry, maybe these ideas will spark a poem of your own.
Be open to creative insight. Humans have a vast capacity to experience intuitive moments that lead to creative inspiration. Announce to the universe that you want to invite inspiration into your life.
Find the deeper meaning. One reason people write is to understand. And readers read for the same reason. It’s the emotional undertone of life that creates meaning in literature. Look beneath the surface of events to discover the meaning. These universal themes often spark creative ideas for me. Watching my aunt’s emotional ups and downs as my uncle suffers from Alzheimer’s inspired me to write about it. Read more
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