How to Write a Poem

First, cultivate daydreaming:  lie on the couch, stare at the stains in the ceiling, browse a bookstore, wander the woods, climb a tree, hide under a lilac bush, lunch at the zoo with zebras and monkeys, soar over the city.

When an image taps you on the shoulder, take it by the hand and hurry home. Make a cup of tea, sit down and chat, just the two of you. You can even flirt a little—smile, flash your dimples, give a sly wink, chuckle low and sexy.

Next, once you’ve charmed your guest, throw a party to celebrate. Issue invitations to your favorite words. You know so many, but be picky. Invite only the sturdy nouns and vigorous verbs. Insecure nouns and verbs dress dowdy, hang their heads, and act like wallflowers. They don’t make the best party guests. Most important, include only a few adjectives—they’re always fun, but such a rowdy, flamboyant bunch. They tend to talk too much and take over the conversation.

Now gather the necessities—the dictionary, the thesaurus, the rhyming book, pens and paper, snacks, cold drinks. Don’t forget those orphan lines and images you loved, but had to cut from other poems. They’ve been living in the basement, stuffed in the files. Dust them off. Place them around the room.

Make sure to introduce the guests to each other. Work the room, mix with everyone, poke a little here, provoke a little there, tell a joke, sing a song, turn a cartwheel. Don’t forget the music. Play a polka, a country-western stomp, a ballad, or a jazz trio. How about a symphony or piano solo? Play them all.  Let the guests cavort, romp, tumble, tangle, debate, discuss, chatter, and cavil.  Don’t turn out the lights until the moon goes to sleep.

Finally: do not clean up when the party is over.  Put your feet up. While nibbling on left-over bonbons and tasty bon mots, describe how the black knight boogied with the ballerina, the fireman squashed a lost flame, and you caught the frog and the princess kissing in the hall.  Don’t forget to note the spinster drank too much and left wearing the chip dip bowl on her head.  Close by expressing what a good time you had.

Susan Matthewson