Poetry Advice

Here at Lush, we have two poetry categories for you to choose from. The Love Poems category is for you to explore the more romantic side of erotica. Poems about romance, passion, sensuality and heartbreak are welcomed here. In the Erotic Poems category, let your wild side out. This is not only a good place to write about the more explicit side of sex, but fetishes and your wildest fantasies can be written about here too.

Poems about such themes as friendship, self discovery, empowerment and the more humorous variety are welcomed in Poet's Corner in the forum.

Although poetry is a very personal thing, there are some basic rules to follow.

Poetry is a literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm. Symbolism is a big part of this through the use of metaphor and simile. "She drifted as though on an ocean." It is the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language that separate poetry from prose. The forms and conventions used suggest differential interpretation to words, or evoke emotive responses.

An example that is definitely not poetry:

I hate bringing out the paper but
I have an honours degree in
Literature and I've worked half my life as a respected critic.
I've helped careers.

An example that is poetry:

Poetry ebbs and flows,
With the patience of sound and the sea,
Words relating,
Copulating in a wave of meaning and melody.

In order to truly understand poetry you must read it. A lot of it. Much more so than prose writing, poetry plays with the sound and the meaning of the words. It's actually more closely related to music in form than it is to prose writing.

To arrange sentences in equal lines isn't poetry. To arrange words in meaning and harmony, so that to remove one mere syllable brings down the edifice... Well, that is.