Writing Tips: Love Poems
Love is in the air this month. Whether you’re celebrating sisterhood at a Galentine’s Day gathering, spending time with your significant other, or simply feeling gratitude for your loved ones, you’re likely feeling inspired to translate this complex emotion through poetry. As you create, here are some writing tips to help you craft heartfelt love poems.
Consider love in all its forms
Love comes in many different shapes and sizes—friendship, romantic love, self-love, and familial love can all provide creative inspiration for your poetry. Although love is often associated with joy, this emotion is multifaceted. As you write your love poems, also consider the painful experiences that inevitably accompany loving someone.
As an exercise, write a poem for each type of love you’ve experienced. Set a timer, and free-write whatever moments come to mind. Maybe you’ll write about a friendship that fell out, a romantic relationship that ended in heartbreak, a breakthrough on your journey toward self-love, or a moment where a family member supported you through a challenge.
Consult journal entries
As a poet, you likely have stacks of journals piled in the back of your closet. Consult these journal entries to find inspiration for your love poems. Revisiting these past relationships can give you insight into how your experience of loving someone has changed over time.
Rip out a journal entry and write a poem reflecting on your growth from this experience. Place the entry and poem side-by-side to provide a direct comparison of your perspectives. If you manage your own poetry Instagram account, this provides a creative opportunity for content as well—you might even inspire others to do the same, thereby starting a unique poetry challenge within your social media community.
Watch a favorite movie or TV show
Watching fictional stories through movies and TV shows can help us process our own emotions and life experiences. As you write your love poems, consider watching a favorite movie or TV show to spark inspiration.
As you watch, take note of the character dynamics, noting which ones you relate to. Then, ask yourself: when did I feel this way in a relationship, friendship, etc.? This exercise can help you determine a starting point for a poem. If the characters are well-known in pop culture, you might even incorporate them as an analogy in your love poem.
Curate a playlist
Music can often help you enter a creative headspace. Listening to rhythmic melodies and inspiring lyrics can spark new ideas for your poetry—themes, narratives, or even word choices you previously didn’t consider.
Since love is perhaps the most written-about topic, you can easily curate a playlist of your favorite love songs. Whether you lean toward modern music, classic soulful songs, a mix of both, or maybe you’re a Swiftie who simply wants an entire Taylor Swift playlist, press play whenever you begin writing.
Hopefully, these tips encourage you to explore all sides of love in your poetry. This February, happy Galentine’s Day, happy Valentine’s Day, and happy writing!
