3 Ways to End a Poem

19Jul 2020 by admin

“The closer you can bring a reader to being in the poem, the more involved in the work they’d feel, and the more invested they’ll be.” – dimitrireyespoet.com

The following are 3 simple ways to end poems, all different in nature, but what they’ll have in common was that they’re all techniques which I’ve used in my own published work. They will be linked below, but if you were interested in reading my work before reading the blog, I’ll leave the links here:

https://platformreview.org/poetry-archive-2020#/dimitri-reyes/

https://www.clashbooks.com/black-telephone-magazine/2020/5/26/dimitri-reyes?fbclid=IwAR3FpkUEt6-RaJHMKLae1GbJAuHnCWwXAEGNmT3VUrk_LZCwttCcSkXsubY

This is to say, that though these are simple techniques, they aren’t end-all solutions. If you are looking for more professionalized & personalized help, I suggest you consider working with me through Patreon or perhaps taking one of my workshop classes by sending me a message.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Without further wait, here are 3 Ways to End a Poem.

Dialogue

One way you can end a poem is in dialogue and/or the speaker’s voice. With this ending, the reader ends up being closer to the experience. The situation is brought to life through the speech of a subject within the world of the poem and gives the work a more intimate feel— which is what you’d want to happen in a poem.

When writing, it is important to be actively thinking about how you can bring out varying feelings in your audience. The closer you can bring a reader to being in the poem, the more involved in the work they’d feel, and the more invested they’ll be.

first published in Platform Review (2020)

Alliteration

As you’ll find out from my other blog, 3 Tips for the Beginning of a Poem, alliteration can be utilized in several different instances. By definition, alliteration is the use of the same sounding letter sprinkled repetitiously throughout a section. This enhances the music in the poem and reads in a satisfyingly rhythmic way. For example, take a look at the ending of my poem, “A Brown Boy High-School Narrative Set to the Twilight Saga” published by the Platform Review.

a stockpile of smooth walks

and silky locks paying service

to a God-silver screen.

read the rest of the poem here.

Quote

Ending with a quote can be a great closing if done right. As long as it doesn’t feel forced or it wasn’t put in for the sake of not being able to come up with your own ending, ending your poem with a quote by another person (or famous poet from the example I’ll provide) can add a level of context that wouldn’t of existed otherwise.

A safe way to gauge if you’re using the quote appropriately is to ask yourself if the quote you used adds to the poem or the original quote. Using a quote in your poem (especially if it’s old/ antiquated) can add new meaning to it depending on what your poem is about and/or when it takes place. For example, my poem Memo Written to Branch Brook Park as Whitman, which first appeared in Black Telephone Magazine, calls upon the Jersey writer to help explain the speaker’s experience, ending with: “One day I’ll flourish./ One day I will be just as brilliant,/ but for now I’m just blades of grass” which is a reference to Whitman’s book, Leaves of Grass.