Writing a Love Poem: a Detailed Guide
If you are not a storyteller and any writing assignment becomes a real challenge for you, then creating a beautiful love poem may seem a disaster at first sight. But don’t be too desperate at once, Tutoriage has provided some simple tips on how to write a love poem from A to Z easily.
A love poem can be created for your life partner or spouse, or just for a person who doesn’t know you yet but whose heart you want to conquer. We offer these easiest steps for you to impress your only one.
How to Start
You know, starting something is always the most complicated task. Once you start, everything will go in its flow. So here are some great ideas on how to start your love poem and impress everyone who is going to read it.
What do you feel?
A great beginning of any love poem is your feeling about someone. Once you think of the person you want to write your poem for, think what you feel about her or him. Try to express your feelings with words and phrases and once you have a certain idea, write it down to the paper.
Don’t try to write the whole sentence at once, write separate words, all the nouns, adjectives, and verbs that come to your mind when you think of that person. It can be something like “the most beautiful smile”, “the deepest eyes”, “the most positive person in the world”, the source of inspiration”, etc.
What is the best moment or experience?
Focusing on one of the best moments related to that person is also a great way to start your love poem. For example, the moment when you first saw that person, fell in love, when you had your baby, etc.
Recall every happy moment of your experience with that person and describe it with words and phrases.
How did that person affect your life?
A love poem is not only praising the person but also telling about his or her role in your life. It is not always positive but can also tell about your negative experience or a broken heart. You should think of the changes in your life after you met that person, for example.
Is your life before meeting that person and after the same or different? Don’t forget to tell why this person is important to you.
Learn from the greatest poets
Before you start, you can read the example of love poems in literature. A love poem is not an easy genre, so choose the best sonnets and poems by the most famous poets, for example:
- “I loved you first: but afterward your love” by Christina Rossetti;
- “They flee from me” by Sir Thomas Wyatt;
- Sonnets by William Shakespeare;
- “Take, Oh, take those lips away” by John Fletcher.
How to Write
Now as all the thoughts and ideas are on the paper, you may start writing your poem. Here are the detailed steps on how to do it.
The place is important
The first thing that matters for writing a great poem is a place you choose to do it. You will hardly be able to focus on your writing if you sit in McDonald’s or a big city mall. So choosing a quiet and peaceful place is a must when it comes to writing a love poem.
Remember that all the greatest poets wrote their poems somewhere the parks, forests, or their cottage rooms far from civilization. It doesn’t mean you should go to the forest but if you have a chance to do it in a peaceful place, near the river, it would be great. If not, just sit in a comfortable place in your room.
A form of your poem
So once you have found a good place, you can choose the form of the poem. There are so many of them for love poetry. Free-verse and sonnets are one of the most popular. But there are also such “exotic” forms as acrostic or haiku love poems.
Just think of your skills and subject and choose the best for you. If you are not sure about what every form of them is, check out the most popular representatives of these forms online. Everything depends on your fantasy and personal skills.
The structure of your poem can be rigid or rhymed. Of course, a rhymed form is more appealing but if you are not sure about your skills, you can create a great rigid poem. The most important is to let it flow from your heart.
The senses description
When writing a poem, you should focus on the senses, such as smell, sound, touch, and taste. The senses are a good way to describe the feelings for your beloved or the one who broke your heart. You should describe all the sensory details.
It can be anything, even the sound of her chewing the cake during your first romantic dinner or the smell of her hair when you first kissed. You can even write about the sounds of nature during your first romantic walk. The more details you add the better.
Use literary devices
Do not forget to use such literary devices as similes or metaphors. It will help you be creative and unique in your writing. When talking about love and feelings, it is impossible not to use such devices, so highlight all the details by comparing one thing to another.
For example, a simile is “you are as bright as the sun in the mountains” and a metaphor is “she is my breath of fresh air”, etc.
Say “NO” to clichés
If you write your love poem it is so easy to use clichés, especially when you take your ideas from famous poems. Some phrases already lost their meaning and are familiar to everyone, so it is the biggest no-no to use such clichés.
Once you see your poem contains a phrase familiar to everyone, erase it and think of something more unique and personalized. Using famous quotes for your own poem is even worse. Your partner will not feel it is personalized and goes from your heart.
So if you want to remain unique and show the person the extent of your love, don’t use any clichés. The love poem is the most beautiful when it comes from your heart.
Be witty
A love poem is not necessarily something too serious and suffering. Do not be too sentimental. People adore reading and hearing something that makes them laugh. Don’t think that humor can’t be used in a love poem.
Vice versa, it is a great way of writing your poem to use some humor and show how witty you are. We bet your life with that person is full of funny moments, so you can recall them and reflect in your poem, too. For example, tell how funny you looked when asked her for your first date.
How to Make It Perfect
Now when you finished writing your love poem, you should make a review. First of all, you should read it out loud. You will immediately hear how it sounds. Don’t be in a hurry, read it slowly and a couple of times.
Now you may find phrases that sound awkward or weird. If there are such phrases or clichés, you should adjust them and write again. Of course, it doesn’t have to contain any grammar mistakes. After you’ve done your own revision, do the following:
- Ask someone else to read it. If you don’t feel shy or embarrassed to show your love poem, ask people you trust to read it. Ask their honest opinion about it. Don’t be offended if you hear some critics. Simple use it to improve your poem;
- Present it in a special way. The way you present your love poem is not less important than its content. So think of some handmade card and write it in a beautiful and pleasant way. If you wrote it for your anniversary, attach it to your gift.
Things to Avoid When Writing Your Love Poem
When creating a beautiful love poem, avoid writing and telling only about one person, no matter whether it is you or the person you write it for. Do not focus on the person, better focus on your feelings and emotions related to that person.
Also, as it was mentioned already, avoid using clichés. Try to be unique and outstanding. Your love poem is your message to your special person, so make it special, too!