5 Uncommon POETRY TIPS to Instantly Write BETTER POEMS

Summary

In this video, Nikita shares five uncommon poetry writing tips aimed at helping writers craft more focused, engaging poetry. The tips include honing in on one central image or emotion, developing tension through various forms, leaving room for the reader’s interpretation, taking calculated risks in experimentation, and learning from other poets by stealing their techniques to grow. With clear examples from renowned poets like Basho and T.S. Eliot, the video emphasizes the importance of brevity, tension, and creative risk-taking in elevating poetry to its highest potential.

Takeaways

• 🖼️ Focus on one central image or emotion in your poem to create a powerful and concentrated effect.
• ✏️ Keep your poems short, especially when starting out, to develop skill and maintain clarity.
• 🎨 Start writing either from an emotion to find images, or from an image to explore emotions—it helps structure your poem.
• 📜 Study forms like haiku to practice focusing on a single image or emotion.
• ⚡ Develop tension in your poetry through conflict, thematic opposition, or formal techniques to give it energy and depth.
• 🔍 Thematic/subtextual tension arises from opposing ideas or emotions, such as life vs. death or stillness vs. movement.
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• 🔧 Formal tension involves technical choices like line breaks, punctuation, and hyphens that affect rhythm and emphasis.
• 🌿 Leave room for the reader by cutting unnecessary words and avoiding overly explicit interpretations—less is more.
• 🎲 Take calculated risks in your writing by experimenting with forms, punctuation, and unexpected elements to grow creatively.
• 📚 Learn from other poets by copying, adapting, and transforming their work—imitation evolves into original expression.
• 💡 Poetry is as much about what is unsaid as what is said; opening space allows readers to engage personally with your writing.
• 🔥 Balancing focus, tension, risk, and influence from others helps you develop evocative and innovative poetry.

Q & A

Who is the presenter of the video, and what is the main focus of the channel?

The presenter is Nikita, and the channel focuses on creative writing and literature, offering tips, insights, and humor related to poetry and writing.

What is the first tip given for writing better poetry?

The first tip is to focus on one central image or emotion. Concentrating on a single element makes the poem more powerful and prevents it from feeling scattered.

Why does Nikita suggest keeping poetry short when starting out?

Short poems help writers concentrate on a single image or emotion, making flaws less visible and allowing faster learning from mistakes. It’s easier to develop skill and focus in a smaller format.

What are the two approaches to starting a poem mentioned in the video?

You can start with an emotion and see which images evoke it, or start with an image and explore the emotions it generates. Both approaches help create focused and evocative poetry.

What is thematic or subtextual tension in poetry?

Thematic tension occurs when opposing ideas, emotions, or images are implied within the poem, such as life vs. death or happiness vs. sadness. It adds subtle energy and depth to the writing.

Can you give examples of tension from famous poems mentioned in the video?

Yes. Basho’s haiku 'The old pond / a frog jumps in / sound of water' shows tension between stillness and movement. In T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,' the line 'The women come and go talking of Michelangelo' uses the tension between coming and going.

Why does Nikita emphasize leaving room for the reader in poetry?

Poetry is as much about what is unsaid as what is said. Allowing space for the reader’s interpretation creates more engagement and makes the poem stronger and more open-ended.

What is meant by 'taking risks' in poetry, according to the video?

Taking risks involves experimenting with form, punctuation, unexpected words, or techniques to surprise the reader and expand your poetic skills. Controlled risk-taking helps writers grow without being overwhelmed.

How does 'stealing' from other poets help in writing better poetry?

Copying and adapting the work of other poets allows new writers to understand structure, language, and emotion. Over time, imitation becomes adaptation and eventually transformation, leading to original and innovative poetry.

What is the significance of formal tension in poetry?

Formal tension involves the technical choices a poet makes, such as line breaks, punctuation, and structure. It creates rhythm, momentum, and energy within the poem, enhancing its overall impact.

Why are haikus recommended as exercises for beginner poets?

Haikus are short and restrictive, forcing writers to focus on a single dominant image or emotion. This helps develop the skill of concentrated and precise poetic expression.

What is the overall mentality or approach suggested for writing poetry in this video?

The overall approach is 'less is more.' Focus on one image or emotion, develop tension, leave space for the reader, take calculated risks, and learn from other poets. Over-explaining should be avoided to let the poem resonate naturally.