What Is A Poem?

Faithful reader Chip writes: “What makes a poem?”

Well, Chip, that’s why I majored in poetry. THERE ARE NO RULES. Cool, eh?

Poems tend to focus on a single feeling or event rather than tell a story. Some old-fashioned poems tell stories, but they rhyme too, so let us speak no more of them. Poems tend to be more descriptive. Modern poems rarely rhyme, but use language cleverly.

My recommended poet for beginning male readers is Charles Bukowski. He’s rude, crude, and very funny. Some say he’s misogynistic, but I like him. Best book of his: Love is a Dog From Hell.

Go buy it. I’ll wait here.