Elements that Make an Impactful Poem
Poetry is simple yet complex. The simplicity of the poems can be found in their overall appearance, with only a bunch of words that doesn’t take up the whole page. However, the complicatedness of poems lies behind its technical aspect and the effort of putting so much emotions, burdens, and thoughts in a limited number of lines.
There have been millions, if not then thousands, of poems in the world of literature from the Anglo-Saxon to the contemporary period. Some great examples are The Road Not Taken, Leaves of Grass, Annabel Lee, Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, and more. These wonderfully created poems and poetry books have been inspiring readers since then. However, have you thought about why these poems lasted this long and has impacted a lot of lives? If you did, then here are the elements that make an impactful and meaningful poem that you should know!
Captivating life experiences
Experiences are not just great teachers but also impressive story tellers. Regardless of the type of literature, every piece mixed with a dash of experience becomes remarkable. Hence, to create a great poem — make sure to handpick a particular experience that you want to let out and make your readers know, understand, and learn from. Raw and general experiences always make the best works. Take for example Trinidad Rodriguez, she wrote a poetry book titled Trini: My Life of Poems containing her experiences as a single mother, highs and lows in life, and a whole lot more. Thus, it made Trinidad a woman of character with her poems transcending generations.
Solid imagery and symbolism
Poems that don’t have solid imagery and symbolism don’t make sense at all. The former refers to the literary element used by poets to help readers picture-out the meaning conveyed that will allure the 5 senses. The latter pertains to the literary device that helps the poet hides a meaning in a particular object that is to be analyzed and discovered by the readers. These devices greatly help you engage your readers better and give them a good reading experience. Your patrons will definitely have a good time in cracking the messages and figuring out the meaning behind the text, places, and objects that you have embedded in your poems.
Realistic themes
In the broadest sense, theme refers to the central message of the work. This element helps deepen the meaning of the poem and create a better emotional impact on the readers. There are many writers that convey realistic themes to their writings. A great example is Maya Angelou, wherein she tackles racism — a sensitive and unsolved societal issue, in her poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Basically, there are many realistic themes that you can use to educate, inspire, and persuade readers. Among these impactful themes are mental health illnesses, loss of a loved one, faith to God, greatest heartbreak, motherhood, cultural heritage, and more.
Good usage of the figurative language
You probably are familiar with figurative language, where some you have already memorized by heart while others are still vague to you. The mere purpose of this language is to increase the depth, ambiguity, and color of your poem. The wonderful twist that it brings to your work make the reader views your work in another angle and analyzes the poems deeply. The commonly used figurative language is metaphor, personification, simile, hyperbole, metonymy, and more. Hence, this language helps poets to say something that weights and means so much in the fewest number of words.
Exceptional style of writing
Every poet must have their own writing style. This is the element that helps increase their recognition and gather patrons. It is not only about making good poems but also about originality. If you have a poet that you look up to, make sure to draw a line between idolizing and copying. Find you own voice and style of writing instead of copying how your idol writes. In that way, your readers will recognize your writings just by reading the poem even without reading the title and the name of the poet. Moreover, your writing style will surely affect the effectiveness of your work because this is one of the things that will create a mark on the minds of the readers. Hence, ensure to own your style, choose the appropriate language, use the suitable tone, and more.
