By Rebecca O’Bern
Based on my time in Southern Connecticut State University’s MFA program and subsequently running the manuscript review service of Mud Season Review, what I learned is that “the key to the universal is through the specific.” You can’t write poems that connect with readers unless there’s clearly a person behind the scenes, ready to be related to. In addition, there’s writing poetry, and there’s revising poetry–these two acts of composition are not the same. While it’s important to feel inspired by the muse when composing original works of written art, it’s perhaps even more important to know what you’re doing when you sit down to edit your own work.
With that in mind, here are four quick tips for revising poems:
Is the “heart” of the poem clear? There should always be a window that opens into the heart of the poem, the specific area of the poem that goes deeper and pushes to move readers. Another way to think of this is to consider the meat of the poem. If your poem doesn’t have this, you’re probably only just skimming the surface. Push each poem to deeply connect with the emotional center of what you’re writing, and you’ll find that your poems will become more successful at connecting with readers and having a better chance at being published.
Consider the voice of the poem. Is the “voice” in the poem clear, and easy to relate to? That is, the character or narrator of the poem, who has a distinct voice in the poem that connects with readers. The voice of the poem, as described by award-winning poet Billy Collins, is a persona within the poem who carries the tone and themes of the poem throughout the piece. Make sure that you’re able to connect with your voice, and your poem will connect with readers. I know that once I was able to develop my poetic persona, more of my poems were published.
Revise for imagery. Poems that include too many ambiguous phrases or everyday colloquial terms without concrete imagery won’t be as successful at moving readers or getting picked up by publishers as those that focus heavily on good imagery. In other words, you want to engage with all five senses in poems, so don’t shy away from bringing in colors, textures, smells and tastes, sounds, and action verbs that are specific and concrete. Imagery is one of the most important aspects of good poetry. Make sure that your imagery is specific and vivid.
Edit opening and closing lines. The beginning of a poem should have a hook, or offer a window into the world of the poem you’ve created. Typically, writers may omit the first few lines of a poem upon revision, and find that the poem actually starts somewhere within the draft. For endings, a good technique for closing a poem is to land on an image of some kind. For example, you don’t want to end a poem with so-so phrases that don’t give the reader something to picture or relate to. Instead, always remember that “the key to the universal is through the specific,” so if you’re unsure of how to end your poem, consider including a clear image or action of some kind, and don’t try to wrap the poem up in a bow. End before the wrap-up.
My intent is that these four pieces of advice will enhance your writing and bring your revisions to a good place in order for your poems to be done and ready for submission. I worked tirelessly as an undergrad and grad student in my MFA program to write and revise my own work, and I’ve been able to get published as a result, so I hope that these techniques are helpful for you. Happy writing.
Bio: Rebecca O’Bern is an award-winning writer and educator with 10 years of experience helping writers to achieve success with their work. Her poems have been published in Notre Dame Review, Buddhist Poetry Review, Whale Road Review, Connecticut Review, and other journals. Visit rebeccaobern.com to learn more and follow her on Twitter @rebeccaobern.
