JUST WRITE POETRY

A free collection of contemporary poetry & resources.

REFERENCE

"Poetry is inherently disruptive. Poems slow us down, resist easy paraphrase. They ask us to embrace ambiguity, to accept uncertainty.That's a feature, not a bug; it's inherent in the art form."—Amorak Huey & W. Todd Kaneko

GETTING STARTED

"The trouble began when I decided to be dangerously ambitious. Which is to say, I decided to write a poem."—Ocean Vuong

ARS POETICA: Poems About Poetry

“left hand, right hand
like an open eye, an eye closed:one hand flat against the trapdoor,
the other hand knocking, knocking.”—Aracelis Girmay

AUBADES

"Will there ever be a morning? Is there such a thing as day..."—Emily Dickinson

THE POETIC LINE

"Every line of a poem must be a poem."—Ralph Waldo Emerson

IMAGERY

"Use no superfluous word, no adjective, which does not reveal something."—Ezra Pound

REPETITION

NARRATIVE

TRIPTYCH

Triptychs (a Greek work meaning "three fold") are composed of three individual, usually distinct panels, or segments. Each can stand alone as its own piece of artwork. But it's the three units together that tell the whole story. Usually, the middle panel is the central focus of the artist's statement, supported by its flanking panels.In triptych poetry, we also have three segments that can serve as stand-alone pieces, but work best together to create a more complete thought or story.

NABATI

Originating in ancient Arab states, Nabati poetry essentially forms an integral part of Arab literature. This unique art of lyrical storytelling has over the years, been used to establish peace, resolve disputes and even declare war.One of the hallmarks of this form is the simple language it uses to narrate complex phenomena.

CONCESSIONAL

"The act of conceding can be risky, but done well the gesture gains far more than it sacrifices. Concessions can gain an audience's attention and trust."—Mary Szybist

ELEGY

"Although the elegy is concerned primarily with loss, it is embedded with love...The elegy originates in an age-old desire: to bring the beloved back from obscurity, whether in a real or imagined way."—D.A. Powell

RETROSPECTIVE-PROSPECTIVE

"A two-part structure that begins with a retrospective consideration of the past and then concludes with a prospective look at the present, or even with a prediction or hope for the future."—Mark Yakich

FORM & EXPERIMENT

"Like language, poetry is fluid and alive. It evolves, breaks the rules and turns into something new."—Ann Yu Huang

POLITICAL POETRY

VISUAL POETRY

VIDEO POEMS

REVISION

THE MANUSCRIPT