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~ Tips &Techniques for Writing Poems ~

A Preface

"A drink I  took of the magic mead,
taken from Odhroerir.
Then I began to know and be wise,
To grow and to weave poems." - Havamal

Writing poetry, like all arts and indeed many things in life, can be said to consist of 10 % inspiration
and 90 % perspiration. That means you can learn it, and it gets better with practice and experience !

Nobody is born a skydiver, and noone is born a poet. While there may be people that "have a knack" for it
and intuitively grasp the "language tools" that great poems employ, most of us can learn to use these tools by 
1) reading the theory 2) looking at other poems and 3) doing it, and practicing.

Real poetry is a process of transformation and communication with other human beings.
It starts with your very own feelings, visions and images - these are emotional, primarily nonverbal things
in your brain. Next, you form thoughts *in words* about these visions. Then you transfer your words into
written (and spoken) language, that will hopefully evoke the same feelings and images in those who read it. 

Sound technical? You do need fire and passion, ideas and inspiration. But you´ve also got to know
how to best put them into form - it is like casting. The finer the mold, the better the piece.

Take your time. The music piece that moves you to tears wasn´t born in a minute - it´s core tune may have
popped up under the shower, but the rest was careful composing, and long rehearsing by the performers.
We are used to live fast and want quick results. With the arts, this is counterproductive.
Anything you deem worth saying at all, is worth saying well; and the more so if it is to honour the Gods.
 

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