Writing Poetry (tips & Tricks)

      O.k, let me just start out by saying that these are just a couple of ideas that I use when trying to write poetry. I don't use any of these ideas with every poem all of the time, in fact most are just techniques I started to do when I got all caught up on being "Mr. Perfect!!!" 
       I find a lot of the time I am trying to push my writing(like now). I have a small idea and I try to make it into a masterpiece!!! My favorite time to write, is when I have nothing going on in my head(which lately has been happening a lot more) and all of the sudden this great idea appears out of no where. This rarely happens, but when it does....it is MAGICAL!!!! The poem or Blog almost writes itself. My biggest problem with this, is that I don't know where to end it. I'll have this great poem or story and then I try to fatten it up with a bunch of jibber-jabber.
      I would say that probably 75-85% of my poetry is one great verse. Then I start to fluff it up by using one of the techniques I am about to show you. Hell, sometimes all I have is the tittle, which means that the whole piece is fluff!! It's all about how you want the piece to be. I mean is it a poem that tells a story, does it rhyme, and how does it rhyme? Is every line gonna rhyme with the next or is it every other line? If you want, you can even have the words rhyme within the same line. Or maybe just the last line in every or every other verse. The choices are unlimited!!! I think the thing that took me the longest to figure out was, this is "MY" poem, and I can write it how ever I want!!!! Unless of coarse it is an assignment or for some contest, but that is a whole different scenario anyways, if that is what you are into, then that is awesome!!!! Just make sure that the end result is for you and not someone else.
      Some people are born with the talent to write and then others have to work their whole lives for it and still never grasp how to write. I was one of the lucky ones, I guess. Writing to me was second nature, well, that is until I tried to force it. Then I dried up and stopped writing all together, but that too has passed(I hope). Well, look... all this rambling an nothing about how to write, maybe it was all a lie and I have no technique!!!! AHAHAHAHA, it's all just a way to get people to read my blogs!!!! AHAHAHAHA. O.K., seriously now, I will get down to business.
      My first technique has to do with rhyming. When I get stuck on a word and I want to find something to rhyme it with, I just start with the first letter of the alphabet and work down. Lets take the word "PAIN" (my favorite word, I even have it tattooed on my right forearm{I'm not even joking, "SORROW" is on the other arm, but this isn't a blog about tattoos..so I digress}) for instance.  I take the word "PAIN" and start at the top. "A" doesn't work, so I move on to "B" bane, doesn't work either, but "Brain" might, or even "Blame." What's the reason I have all this pain...In my brain? Obviously, you are the only one to "Blame!!"
     Then you can keep going, if you are satisfied with "B" then move on to "C." Your the only one to blame, you tied me up, I can't break your "Chains." Then you can move on to "D" I can't break these chains, my love was drained.
     So then you generally want to skip A,E,I,O,U, but not always, like I said, this is your poem, if it works then use it!!! So next comes "F." Maybe you want to do it every other line(this is all off of the top of my head, so bare with me!!) My love for you was drained, I no longer have a soul, Consumed by your flames, Into the darkness, Paradise will never be the same. 
     O.K., see, I skipped around. I mainly only use this technique when I get stuck. Most of the time, I try to rely on the feeling of the poem or story to carry me through. That of coarse was just a simple example, but I think I made my point. It is all about context and content. Don't rely on some trick to make you think you are some great writer all of the sudden. Everyone(including me) wants the easy solution to everything. Just because it works, doesn't mean it will always work!!! Every poem must start with a feeling or good idea.
     I must be honest though, and tell you, I really have a hard time reading poetry, because to me it is just a bunch of words put together. I know it sounds bad, but it is true. Don't get me wrong, words mean everything to me and that is what really captured my heart about music. I just have a hard time reading other people's writings. I just think that in order to really understand the feelings and soul of the writer, they must be the one to read it!!!! That is why, when you find that one great song that just speaks right to you, nothing is better. It lets you know that there are other people out there that are going through your pain and feeling the same way that you do. Sometimes, they might even help you to pull through it or understand why things are the way they are.
     My next biggest tip happens when you get stuck on a word and you've gone through the whole alphabet and have come up with nothing!! My favorite thing about words is that there are so many words that mean the same thing. Take the sentence, "I'm riding in my car." That can be switched so many ways "Traveling in my car", "Driving in my car" just plain "we were in my car" and so on. Most of the time, if I can't find something to rhyme, I'll just go back and change the last word, so Instead of "Driving in my car" I'll say, "In my car we were riding" so now, I can go through the alphabet and try to find something to rhyme with "Riding"  or maybe I'll leave "Car" out completely, "We were cruising along just the other day", so see, the possibilities are endless!!
      My last tip, is probably the best tip of all and the simplest!!! If you are really stuck on something and just not feeling it at all, then stop!!! Don't give up and DON'T... I REPEAT DON'T throw it away!!!! I know it's easy to get discouraged and think it completely sucks, which by the way, I have done so many times, it is sickening!!!! But don't do it!!! Just stop, take a break, maybe take a week, a month or however long it takes!!! I've gone back years after starting something and found I had actually written some pretty awesome, a little tweaking and it turned out to be some of my best stuff!!! It might have had a completely different meaning by then, but it still turned out great!!! Whatever you do, don't throw it away, well unless it really sucks, then it's O.K. to ditch it!!!! AHAHAHAHA just kidding. The thing is, you started this writing because of an idea or a feeling. So if you give it some time, the idea or feeling might get stronger and the words might just start to flow the next time you sit down and write.
    Good luck, I think you can take it from here, just remember that writing is just a way to express your feelings. A way to make a connection with other people that might be going through the same thing you are. Maybe it's something you've already conquered and there is someone out there right now, trying to make it through the same thing. Whatever you do, don't write because you feel it is what someone else wants!!! I mean, of coarse there will be assignments and stuff, but do them because you want to, not because you have to. Life is all about perspective!!! When I was growing up, I remember everyone always dreaded the writing assignments!!! Not me, I thrived on them!!! Spelling and vocabulary are a different situation all together, my spelling and grammar are horrible, thank GOD FOR SPELLCHECK!!!!! Take it easy, writing can be fun!!! Not to mention a great way to get out bottled up emotions. If it wasn't for writing, I would probably be in a mental hospital right now!!!!(not that I'm too far off as we speak)