April is Poetry Month. So, whether you wish to express undying love, political angst, or merely revel in the beauty of nature, this month is for you. Poetry comes in many forms. But all poetry uses an economy of words to express emotion, deliver an idea, or paint a picture with as few carefully chosen words as possible.
Rhyme and Meter
Poets use a variety of techniques. Rhyme refers to the same ending sound. Meter is the musical quality, or cadence of a piece. Combining rhyme and meter, the poet limits the word choice and length of a poem. Consider the simplest of poems, perhaps the first one you learned as a child:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And so are you
In this example, each line has four syllables with the second and last line rhyming. In sixteen syllables and four lines the poet has expressed their love to an intended target.
Shape
Appearance on the page is another technique employed by poets. 
Haiku is always three lines with five syllables in the first and last line, and seven syllables in the middle, forming a recognizable shape. The diamante poem forms a diamond on the page. Lewis Carroll famously used shape to write The Mouse’s Tale in Alice in Wonderland. Here is a link to enjoy his masterpiece this Poetry Month.
Free Verse
If you had asked my eight-year-old self to define poetry, I would have said it has to rhyme. Turns out, that’s not true. Free verse is nonrhyming poetry that relies on natural speech rhythms but expresses an idea or invokes an emotion using imagery, metaphor, and evocative language.
Poetry Month
There are too many poetry forms to include in this post. Because it is an evolving art, expect to see new forms develop over time. Take a moment to try your hand at a new poetry form or create your own. Happy Poetry Month!
