Pip’s Tips About Writing Poems.

What to do first?

Sit down with a blank piece of paper or page of a notebook. Write things down. Often you will have lots of ideas. But sometimes Pip sits for an hour and nothing comes into his head! The main thing is not to give up. Eventually you will think of something to write.

Do I have to make it rhyme?

Rhyming can be great fun, but let the words flow, and then see if the poem is looking or sounding like a poem. If not, no worries, you have discovered something new!

How do we know what is a poem?

Read poems. I like to flick open to any page of a poem book and visit the poem which lives there.

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‘Nice to meet you, Poem!’

(Pip the Poet)

No need to ask your name –
your title neatly tells me.

Your first line helps me in
so I carry on and read with glee.

The last line says – So long –
Come again and visit me.

Drop in any time, please do –
I am always here for you!

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‘Read Free’

(Pip the Poet)

Read a rhyme.
Take your time.
Read it more.
It won’t bore!
Is it a WOW!? Is it a TEASE?
Or is it one of those WOWEES!!!! –
those poems where you say
MORE PLEASE!?

If it is a load of fun
(and poems are when said and done)
read it supper noon and tea!
Read it lots ’cause reading’s free!

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Yes, if you like a poem you can go back and visit it again and again, and never be tired of it! If you read one poem a day you will soon get to know about poems. In a year you will have met 365 poems!

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‘the poetry bicycle’

(philip burton)

the title
is the bicycle bell

the front wheel
is touchy–feely–hear–and–see–and–smell

the back wheel
has abracadabra things to tell

the handlebar
steers the rhyme along so well

you cannot fail to whizz along
on a poetry bicycle