How to Write A Love Peom

So, what exactly is poetry? According to an online dictionary, it's a verbal composition designed to convey experiences, ideas, or emotions in a vivid and imaginative way, characterized by the use of language chosen for its sound and suggestive power, and by the use of literary techniques such as meter, metaphor, and rhyme.

To quote an example:

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Your mama loves me
So, why not you?

That's poetry. But you would not want to be caught dead reciting those lines to a girl (unless she's deaf). Poetry is about pacing of words and making sure they rhyme with a certain beat. It's a bit like song writing, without the melody. In love poetry, the intended message can be anything, and depending on who receives it, it could mean everything to that person or nothing at all.

Alright, let's get some practice.

Here's what one expert recommended about writing a love poem: Always start with a list of the following:

1. Reasons why you love or like that person.
2. Specific physical qualities you love about her. (eg. her porcelain smooth skin, rosy cheeks, dimple, etc.)
3. What she has provided for you (eg. her undying support and encouragement gave you wings to fly).
4. Any special words of affection you may call each other (eg. Honey bun, sugar pie, won ton noodle, cappuccino, etc.).
5. What specific message you are ultimately trying to convey with your poem. (eg. you are everything to me, my life is nothing without you, etc.)
6. Tone of your poem. For example, humorous, sentimental, serious, etc.

Now that you have got the basics, you need other tools as well. Consider using a thesaurus, dictionary and a rhyming dictionary to help make your poem rhyme. You could find these online at:

a. Dictionary.com
b.Thesaurus.com
c. RhymeZone

Let's start with a recent example I wrote for a friend, who wanted to impress a girl he was dating. The poem was actually written in three stanzas, and given with a single stalk of rose. See if you can fill in the last part for practice.

~ Sometimes ~
Sometimes it takes a rose
Sometimes a simple prose
To draw two hearts together
To knit them close
~
Sometimes it takes a pen
Sometimes a gifted hand
To bind loving words and caring thoughts
Between two special friends
~
(Fill in the blanks here)

As you can see, the length of a poem really depends on what you are trying to convey. For a start, try three stanzas. Make sure there is a start and end point, so that your poem reads with a flow.

If you are writing for a girl, use soft, gentle and more feminine words and imagery (eg. her kiss, like velvet, to my skin). Never use cold, rational or hard words. Other poetic tricks include comparisons. For example, before you met her, your days were filled with winter. But when she walked in, summer set in. Also, avoid direct expressions. Don't say she looked nice in a red dress when you only witnessed a vision in a red dress.

The best poems usually come from the heart, and unless she expressedly said so, never send any girl a poem. Wait for the opportune time, and deliver those lines that will make you shine.

~Patrick Kee