Hi there, my name is Nnamdi osu, and this blog is all about poetry and poets, especially intending poets with no idea on how to start off. A lot of people believe that they have what it takes in getting a poem done but don’t know how to start. Here are some few personal tips that I believe could help overcome this problem any intending poet could have.

Tip 1. First of all, before you begin writing a poem (or anything thing at all), you should ensure that your mind and environment are one. No matter how inspired you are if your immediate environment is not conducive to write, you should either leave the particular scene or postpone the write up. This is because the sooner an inspired line comes in your minds tends to be unable to hold on to it because of the distractions around you.

Tip 2. There is a moment that I call the inspired period. It differs among people. Some could have theirs around mid night, some, like me, have theirs in the afternoons. For some, it could be at particular times in the week. This inspired period is the “eureka” kind of moment in my literary world. At this moment, inspiration, and ideas keep flowing into the mind. It is essential for an intending poet to try and discover this inspired moment in his or her life. At this time you would be able to put down beautifully composed poems and wonder where you got it from. So at times when approaching mine, I always make sure that my pen and pad are handy.

Tip 3. Always try to have a pad and pen around you, if possible at all times, or as a substitute, an electronic device like a PDA to jot down lines. Most beautiful poems I’ve written came at times I wasn’t expecting them (way out of my inspired period). And such lighting inspired lines (lighting because of the speed it comes into the mind and runs off), have been of the best periods poets in the past have written master pieces.

Tip 4. Endeavor to join a writer’s group or meeting of any sort. This is called networking. It ensures that you will have the opportunity of getting information, tips and advices in the writing field. It could be by joining one at church (which I belong to) or any writing club around you.

Tip 5. Now, the writing begins. This tip has to do a lot about your ability to bear criticism. And as my group leader in church always says “if you can’t bear criticism then don’t bother writing at all”. This is because you might write a poem that you believe is so beautiful, only for someone to tell you it sounds like a nursery rhyme. But remembering that criticism is something that every great poet has encountered that improved them, you might just take the poem out again, and begin to work on it, determined not only to make it better, but to learn from each criticism without getting angry and frustrated. This is what makes a better poet.

Next week, I would be talking about tips on improving poetry skills. I welcome any further suggestions, remarks (or criticism too) to the above write up.
Feel free to chip in. thanks

To read one of poem,and possibly rate it please visit link: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/life/politics-poems.asp (reflections of a third world child)

Belwo is a poem i wrote called drumbeats of war dedicated to all नाटो soilders who died in iraq just to keep the peace.

Drumbeats of war

I can hear the gunshots from afar, calling.
The sound of the drumbeats, urging me to put my boots on.
It’s time to leave civilization behind,
Once again, its time to delete sanity and mercy from my very being and deck on a barbarian behavior that generates my killing mode to the extreme
Its hard to say why I choose to be a pawn in the chess of politics and allow a little part of me die each time I fire a gun and snuff off someone.
I can hear the drumbeats of war again as I throw away my last conscience on the floor.
It’s time to go, the drumbeats tell me
It’s time for war