Poetry Basics

[click or tap to expand each topic. Videos and resources linked are not affiliated with B.H.L.M at this time but illustrate the concepts. Poems linked are freely available on their respective websites]

How to break your poem into effective lines, with free video resources and example poems from Layli Longsoldier and William Carlos Williams.
How to diagram, outline, and structure an American sonnet, without covering rhyme scheme. A contemporary guide on an old form.
Learn what submission calls are, what an editor means when they say “submit one to three poems,” and the basic legal terms you need to know to protect your own work.
The last step: once you’ve got draft one, don’t send it out! Sit on it, improve it, and polish it. These are three strategies Fish herself uses to revise her poetry, essays, and fiction.

Prepared by Yeyduh K., online handle “Fish the Haiku Poet,” for free.

Coming soon: durable archive of Narrow Road Writing Workshop Materials

Poetry Basics

What is a line break? (500 words)

What is an American Sonnet?

Ten Industry Terms to Learn before Submitting your First Poem (750 words)

Three Strategies to Self-Edit your Poem (250 words)