How can you become better at poetry?

-i want to be really good at poetry because i want to be a really good writer when it comes to rap and i hear that poetry really helps and also makes you more sophisticated. how can i become a better poet?Practice, essentially. Read lots of poetry. Write lots of poetry. Some of the poetry you write will be dreadful - try to work out why, then bin it. Keep the good stuff. Keep playing with ideas. Strive for concision of expression. If you can, join a writing group that will criticise your work - it will keep you humble, and help you to figure out what works and what doesn't. If your looking for books that might help you, you could do a lot worse than to try "The Ode Less Travelled", by Stephen Fry.Write. Rewrite. Post and get critiques. Write every day. Go to poetry groups, there are usually some that meet in most areas in bookstores or coffee shops.



Read poetry. Read the critiques and see if you agree. Learn to understand what the poem is saying on multiple levels. Grasp what the critiques say.



Good luck.



I disagree about trashing some of your work. Go back to edit it after a few months. You may be able to find a phrase or the essence of the work that is just what you are looking for.

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Always keep a notepad on you...



When walking through the path of life and you feel an emotion that moves your very core, take a deep breath and hold the emotion.



Find somewhere peaceful and it will flow like wine at an Italian wedding...



Keep it up man, prolong the art of humanity!
you can get registered at site like ALLPOETRY.COM there they have contests, classes and many more. its a fun site and lot of good people out there.



:)
read, write, read, write, read some more, practice, then write