The Craft Of Poetry

The art of writing good poetry is
To write a lot of bad poetry first,
So that, through constant practice, one may learn
To craft words into lines both elegant
And poignant, so they reach the heart within
The reader, and thus move his soul to feel
The same emotions that moved you to write
Your verses in the first place. But this takes
The discipline of labor at your craft,
Experimenting to find out what works,
And what will not. The empty page awaits
Your effort, caring not whether it’s good
Or bad. It just wants to be filled.
In doing so, you cultivate the skill,
Born of mental muscles exercised
Until the writer’s way becomes in you
Like second nature, ready when you call.
When discipline is joined with the desire,
Then kindled in your heart’s the bardic fire.