Five "Words" for the Poet

Your Word Resource: though this can be easily abused, it distinguishes one poet from the other. Do not allow "impression" to swallow up your "expression", or else you will find yourself abusing your words resource.

Word Picture: This is a mainstay of any poetry. They are made manifest not in overlaboured lines but in simple lines with so much profundity.

Word Music: Words are not empty. They are musical. Pay attention to the musicality in your words. We have varieties of figures of speech that enhance musicality; make use of them.

Word Site: Every word creates its own kind of ambience, its own atmosphere. Words go a long way in telling the readers the type of poem you write or what you aim at doing with words.

Word Soul/ Spirit: This is more like the persona of the poem, who feels, eats, drinks, etc. What do we eat? What do we drink? These are the questions you answer in creating a persona, in breathing soul to your poem. Remember everyone wants to go to somebody who has life in him or her, so once your work lacks soul or spirit, people avoid them.

***Being Lessons from the poetry workshop that held at the GCLF. It was facilitated by Dr. Obari Gomba.