Despite all the mysticism that school or books pass out as fact about the poet’s process, the truth remains that most famous poets were and are very systematic about their writing process. The common idea of a poet even in academia is a person whose mind is always in the clouds, waiting for the miracle of inspiration to give them a message. In reality, a poet usually arrives at his or her brilliancy through discipline and focused attention.
Writing Every Day
Ted Kooser, who was a former Poet Laureate of the United States, would regimentally wake up at four in the morning to write for two hours before getting ready for work at six. At night, after his day at the insurance office, he would look over his writing for correction or improvement. Creating a momentum by writing every day produces masterpieces, not mere hope while sitting in a chair. When writing becomes a regular practice, it forms a muscle-like response. The more you use it, the more the movement acts naturally.
One doesn’t have to be worried about what to write: a chair, piece of hair, a star, your friend’s face is all possible. You can form a poem from anything that is around you, or even a memory or sheer imagination. This is one of the beauties of poetry proclaimed by academia, that in poetry anything can become profound and powerful.
Anyone can write a poem, but can you write a poem with understanding? As in any academic study, reading is an essential component to learning. Reading for poetic knowledge, though, is typically methodical. Like history, poetry is studied first at its roots, and then the progression. Start from the Romantic era poets, then on to the Victorian era, and so forth. The more detailed you are with each period, the more you will reap the benefits in your own poetry, encompassing all the styles and methods of writing.
Reading a Poem a Day
To begin, all you need to do is read one poem a day from a specific age of time. Relate that poem with your own compositions and see what you enjoyed and what you would rather not do.
Inspiration through Discipline
Inspiration does not come without work and dedication. It is nurtured by the act of writing often, where insight will come automatically due to a response of your attention. Even the mystic happenings in poetry occur only with regular practice of writing. It is better to work diligently than to wait for a blessing, as all boons are given on the basis of how much you have toiled. In more production, the quality will improve at a faster rate. But only excellence can come through a combination of the study of the great poets’ poetry and writing with discipline.
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