When I talk to other tutors about helping writers with poetry, I’m usually met with one of two, opposing reactions: total excitement and curiosity, or extreme intimidation. For those of us who enjoy and/or write poetry, the idea of showing up to an appointment and being met with a sonnet or a villanelle might be invigorating; but for those who may not have interest in or experience with this particular genre, that idea might induce feelings of stress or frustration. From what I’ve gathered, some tutors may find the idea of tutoring poetry (and perhaps creative writing in general) so daunting because there typically isn’t a “correct” way to write a poem. Unless the writer has been instructed to adhere to a particular formal structure, like a pantoum or a sestina, pretty much anything goes! There’s no telling where a wild comma or a dramatic em dash will appear, and the writer is free to be as concrete or abstract as they please, both in terms of language and theme. There are plenty of techniques that don’t fare so well in formal essays but might lead to brilliant poeticisms, such as repetitive language or abstract phrasing. So what do you do when presented with a piece of creative writing, namely poetry, that seems too elusive for you to provide feedback on? Here are my suggestions:
- Ask The Writer Who Their Intended Audience Is:
- As a poet, one of my first considerations when writing a poem is the reader, namely the intended reader. Some pieces are meant to be universally relatable, such as poems about coming of age, grief, or love. Others are meant to speak to a specific audience, such as poems about cultural nuances, racialized experiences, motherhood, and so on. There might be ideas or uses of language that will only resonate with the piece’s intended reader, and that’s okay! If you have a better understanding of who the piece is speaking to, it will be easier to distinguish between a misreading of a text due to, say, cultural blind spots, versus a misreading due to lack of clarity in the writing.
- Ask The Writer How They Would Describe Their Poetic Style/Voice:
- This might seem a bit cheesy or pretentious, but I think it’s important to understand the writer’s intentions and aesthetic! For example, if the writer’s goal was to produce a narrative poem, but the finished product lacks a clear, narrative structure, then forming that structure could be a great use of appointment time. Or maybe the writer is less concerned with how their work is interpreted and more concerned with the feelings (~vibes~) it evokes. In this case, you might help them brainstorm evocative language and imagery rather than dwelling on the “meaning” of the piece.
- “Interview” The Writer:
- Since the writer has come to you for help, I think it’s perfectly fine to ask them as many questions as you need to properly address their concerns. If, say, a particular word choice or allegory doesn’t click for you, ask them to explain in plain terms what ideas/themes they’re trying to get across. I think a lot of poets, when challenged in this way, end up realizing that they’ve overcomplicated certain ideas or prioritized flowery language over accessibility—I certainly have!
- Be Honest!
- If you find the language confusing or if the overall message of the piece seems cloudy, let the writer know. You can say something along the lines of I’m not sure I follow this metaphor. Could you help me get a better understanding of it? Or I’m not 100 percent sure if I’m interpreting this the way you intended, but this was my understanding of that line… etc. Most creative writers value conversation over instruction when it comes to pieces that are dear to them. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, simply expressing your confusion regarding the text can help the writer identify potential areas of improvement in their writing.
And for anyone who’s interested in reading more poetry but doesn’t know where to start, here are some of my favorite poems!
- “Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah” by Patricia Smith
- “acknowledgments” by Danez Smith
- “How to Triumph Like a Girl” by Ada Limón
- “All Them Bags” by Jasmine Mans
- “We Never Did This to Be Beautiful” by Ariana Brown
- “picking flowers” by Nate Marshall
- “Folk” by José Olivarez
- “iced out chain from the beauty supply by Halsted Indoor Mall” by Nate Marshall
- “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop
- “How Can Black People Write About Flowers at a Time Like This” by Hanif Abdurraqib