Thanks for reading Fleeting Temples! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. People often ask me about how I look over my work before sharing it with the world—in other words “How do you know when a poem’s done?” There is, of course, no definitive answer, but here are some questions I ask myself—and the poem!!
Danusha, this is so helpful! I have been writing poetry every day for just a couple of months shy of a year (after a 54 year gap). So I now have a body of work that calls for revision, and I am learning, absorbing, getting better as I go. I have also been journaling a poem a day since Jan 2022, using a collection of poems by a particular poet. I start with the first poem, then keep going, no skipping, and have done two collections per poet. I am looking out for alliteration, assonance, repetition, use of spacing, etc. and it has really added to my skill (and pleasure!) So far, I have worked through two collections each of Maggie Smith, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, James Crews, and now about to finish my second Danusha Lameris! I am a member of the Hearthside Community, and I am currently in the Wisdom of the Body series. I am so grateful for your example, and your teaching. I am really looking forward to your posts on this substack!
Danusha, this is so helpful! I have been writing poetry every day for just a couple of months shy of a year (after a 54 year gap). So I now have a body of work that calls for revision, and I am learning, absorbing, getting better as I go. I have also been journaling a poem a day since Jan 2022, using a collection of poems by a particular poet. I start with the first poem, then keep going, no skipping, and have done two collections per poet. I am looking out for alliteration, assonance, repetition, use of spacing, etc. and it has really added to my skill (and pleasure!) So far, I have worked through two collections each of Maggie Smith, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, James Crews, and now about to finish my second Danusha Lameris! I am a member of the Hearthside Community, and I am currently in the Wisdom of the Body series. I am so grateful for your example, and your teaching. I am really looking forward to your posts on this substack!