What do you do when you want to remember something?  Do you say it to yourself again and again until you learn it?  That’s using repetition.  Repetition in poetry may include a word, a phrase, a line, or even a stanza the poet  wants to use more than once for particular effect. We hear it, We see it. We begin to feel its presence. When using repetition  the poet must make sure that what is repeated is important to the poem,  otherwise it can feel or sound overdone. In the poem, Bully For Me , I consciously repeated the words, 'But ours left'   in each stanza hoping to create a sense of relief in the mind of the reader. Bully For Me We had a bully at our school I think every school has one -But ours left Now, I can ride to school Relaxed We had a bully at our school -But ours left And now playtime is fun again We had a bully at our school -But ours left I wonder if that person is happy? Like me and my friends  Are now ...

Here are some tips for young poets to follow. They have helped me with writing poetry over many years. I hope they assist you in discovering your poet’s heart. Write as often as you can. That's what writers do — they write. They think about their words, rehearsing in their heads- and then they write. Sometimes though they get a spark of an idea and just have to write it down , rather than risk losing it. Carry a writer’s notebook with you and collect your ideas wherever you may be. My notebook is my travelling companion and a place to collect ideas and memories. American poet, Ted Kooser advises potential poets to, ‘Read at least 100 poems before you write one.’ My advice is similar to Ted. You certainly need to read lots of poetry to get a feel for the shape and sounds of this wonderful form of writing. Try to write in your notebook every day, -even if it’s just a few words or lines. When you begin to write start with the things closest to you — yourself...

It is important to create a sense of wonder around words. Ralph Fletcher refers to deliberate playfulness with language to create a particular kind of effect. I agree. Wordplay is critical to feeling comfortable with language in general and poetry in particular. Here are a few ideas to get the word fun started: Poets try to see ordinary things in extraordinary ways *Describe a pair of dirty,worn out sneakers They look like..... They smell like..... They feel like..... They remind me of..... What don’t you want to be doing tomorrow ? What don’t you want to be doing next week ? What don’t you want to be doing when you grow up ? Word gatherers    - collect words...poets need them Words which sound like noises  (onomatopoeia  ) buzz plop quack twang whizz splat bong Words which sound good hubbub giggle gingerly agog billabong skedaddle gongoozle  Words which are made up: esky elbon...