How to write a short poem

(and a new (short) poem)

First, pray for a blessing from the gods of brevity. Then, understand that not all poems can or should be short poems.

Short poems aren’t just long poems chopped up. They reach the end quickly and expertly, and they do so by adding layers of meaning. Let’s look at some examples.

Think of the title like a line in the poem; every word of it matters. The title can lead us straight to the first line (a bleeding title), add an expansive context, or add a misleading one. “The Committee Weighs In” is adding a misleading context, which makes that ending more shocking and emotional.

This is from Kyla Jamieson’s collection, Body Count.