February is the month of love and the perfect time to consider writing a poem to someone you love or have loved. Poems are the voice of the soul and help us make sense of the world. The writing and reading of love poetry can make both poet and reader feel good. For the poet, it’s a way to get in touch with their deepest feelings and sensibilities. For the reader, it’s a way to hear words that reflect the essence of a relationship. Crafting a poem is a way to get down to your real emotional truth.
Often, the first line of a poem sets the mood and tone. First lines are what we remember and also what inspires us to read on.
Here are some first lines from some of my favorite collected love poems:
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” — Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“Love one another, but make not a bond of love” — Khalil Gibran
“Wild nights — Wild nights!” — Emily Dickinson
“I am not yours, not lost in you” — Sara Teasdale
“What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest.” — Rumi
“In silence the heart raves.” — Robert Penn Warren
“Lay your sleeping head, my love” — W. H. Auden
“How many years I must have yearned for someone’s lips against mine.” — Stephen Dunn
“Love has taken away my practices and filled me with poetry.” — Rumi
The most important part of writing a love poem is that you’re genuine and authentic. It’s also important to focus on showing rather than telling, because that helps the recipient better connect with your feelings. It’s a good idea to try out different types of forms, such as free verse, haiku, sestinas, and sonnets. Consider experimenting which forms work best for you.
Some helpful tips on writing a poem for loved one:
- To gain inspiration, study a wide range of others’ love poems.
- Have a photo of the person you are writing to or about.
- Start simply by jotting down some thoughts and feelings about that person.
- Write from your heart and draw on personal experience and emotions.
- Avoid cliches and generic love phrases
- Explain why and how you love the person, not just that you love them.
- Make the words personal and specific to that person, and mention unique aspects that make your relationship special.
- Use images that tap into all of your senses.
- Exaggerate and use metaphors.
- Consider telling a story with your poem.
- Use a thesaurus or other tools to help you find new and interesting words.
- When editing your poem, read it out loud to make sure it is error-free.
- Delete any extra words; poetry is a succinct and tight form of writing.
Love is a complex emotion, and sometimes it’s challenging to articulate how we really feel. Love poetry helps to connect us with others by sharing universal themes and emotions. Writing also helps us share our unique perspective and experiences. Crafting a poem will make you feel good and help you make sense of your feelings. At the same time, it will make the recipient feel cherished and adored. It’s really a win-win situation.
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Previously Published on Medium
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