How Do I Improve My Poetic Thinking?

[satyesu]

whether it be seeing things and connotations differently or bettering my metaphors and similes, etc

[MikeRobinson]

Write.

All the time.

Try to rhyme

When you want to,

And when you don't,

don't.

But write, nonetheless,

With a very bold pencil

And a very light hand

On the eraser.

(Who needs an eraser,

after all?)

Write it.

It's yours.

You own it.

It's You.

Share it.

We'll listen.

Don't stop.

Never stop.

writing.

[McnaughtonPark]

There have been a ton of things written about this but Mike brings up a good point, write. Although I disagree with the eraser part, you have to write often.

I find that by using all of the senses, it colors images and gives them texture. I assume you want to gain depth in your expression. A lot of times that comes from being able to express your emotions. Don't be afraid of someone seeing you, in fact, try as hard as you can to let them see you. Lyrics are about expression, I think you'll find that others relate better to honest expression. What does a cut feel like? What does a cut feel like after putting salt on it?

Avoid cliché. Cliché images lay down like a hound dog on the front porch in the afternoon sun. They tend to say exactly what you want, but nobody hears them because they've heard them all before. Avoid cliché rhymes too. Kiss and this. Yuck!!

Spark is they key. It's like hitting a puddle of nitro-methane with a hammer when you get it right.

Oh, reading about writing helps too. Read all the lyrics that reach out and grab you when you hear them. You don't have to duplicate what they've written, but it will help you to focus on seeing things differently. Go to the library and check out one book on lyric writing, take it back on time to avoid the fine of course, and check out another. (and take that one back on time too)

Writing doesn't always come at me in a flash. Sometimes, seems like most times anymore for me, lyrics are constructed. Some of it is inspiration, some of it is just working trough a lyric sheet of ideas and rhymes. All of it gets edited, hence my dependence on the eraser.

Build yourself a list of verbs, nouns, adverbs and adjectives. Big fat lists. Big fat sensual lists dripping with sweet and sour nectar and paint the sky with them. Make marmalade and honey drip from the moon and savor your bittersweet dreams.

Most importantly, love expression.

Peace

MP

Edited May 29, 2010 by McnaughtonPark

[undersnow]

I would say that the thing that helped me improve my lyrics is reading. Read poetry, and if you aren't big on just reading poetry there are so many poetic novels that use amazing literary devices, I would recommend The God of Small Things or any novel by Margaret Atwood. You can also try to observe things more closely than normal, listen to the lyrics in your favourite songs and try and figure out exactly why you love those phrases. Hope that helped!

[Dolce]

That's a hard question to answer. I wrote a song recently which didn't really work, because I mixed poetic language with more direct language - so consistency is important.

I think also you can't really teach this - you either have it or you don't.