Poetry is subjective but there are obvious ways to distinguish between good and bad poetry. What enhances a poem and what bogs it down can make the difference between a great poem and one that sounds dull, cliched or amateurish.
Instructions
1. Steer clear of obvious references in your poems. People read poetry to stir their imaginations, not to have things spelled out for them. For example, rather than say, "The rain came down" - (which other way can it go?), simply say the rain came.
2. Go outside the box. Be willing to stretch the limits of what you're comfortable with. When you do this, you open your imagination to new thoughts, scenes, points of view and imagery. This will take your poetry out of the realm of "ordinary."
3. Avoid "cutesy" (think: roses are red, violets are blue) or cliched words and phrases (think: she was as cold as ice.) Reliable, overused terms dull a poem.
4. Use a pleasing rhythm. Reading poetry is as much about how it flows and sings on the tongue as it is about a story or image. Read your poem out loud to see how it sounds. Is it clunky, choppy or sounding smooth?
5. Don't use obscurities in language or image for the sake of impressing the reader. Your agenda will come across in the poem and will have the opposite effect.
6. Employ detail and avoid generalities. For example, say "the crimson alpaca cardigan" rather than "the red sweater."
