What Elements Make For an Enjoyable Poem?

The title says it's all... what do you consider enjoyable in a poem?

What subjects, what techniques, what imagery really seize your attention, hold you transfixed and keep you coming back to a poem or even a particular poet?

You can't ask what makes a poem enjoyable, some may like something but the way you put it out and may hate something and love the way you put it out a poem is all from the hart wether is be sad, happy, silly, or any kinda poem if it is from the hart and you just put it out the reader will like it or not and not everyone will like them. its the self chose in the world.

Ah, but that's the point! I'm interested in hearing what people think about such things? Everyone obviously has different feelings about poetry.

I want to hear some of those opinions here! ;)

So what do you think, Donny? What do you really love to see in a poem?

i like to see details! and its always better if its a poem coming from like a persons experience or feelings or maybe the feelings of sumone around them, that helps make a poem really really good.

Yes! I agree with that! I love poems that have description, not just feelings... I prefer something like
The mahogany swing sways
His tears thumped on the ground
He cried and wailed aloud
Yet the trees drowned his voice.
(I know, it's crap, but you get my jift)

Rather than...
I cried a lot
I sat on a swing
I yelled and was unhappy
I knew that I would never be loved.

SO, yes, if you get my idea... but I do like sometimes non descriptive poems, just I prefer ones with deep meanings and detail.

Sorry if I may of offended anyone in any way...

well you haven't offended me because I totally get your drift and agree.

I think that unless they are funny poems shoould have a lot of description. Not that I can talk because i don't think many f my poems have much description. But then again, most of my poems are rubbish.

hmmmmmm..... not very helpful really, i've just got myself confused!

Now we're going!

I agree with you on the imagery... I love reading poems that have great descriptions in them, especially if it's an engaging or varied manner of describing something.

But admittedly I do love poems that can evoke emotion well... not necessarily that simply describe it (I agree with you 100% there!) but that--similar to the imagery--make you feel the emotion without necessarily having to be told "feel sad ", etc.

[BTW, I've read more than a few of your poems, Blood Red Tears... I don't think they're rubbish!]

You made complete sense, Painful Memories.

And a good poem to make you introspective... definitely a lovely thing to read, JustPlainMe.

There's another post around here discussing religious poetry. And with all the posts about the election results, I can't help but wonder what could make someone more philosophical than a political or religious poem.

But then again, a lot of the religious poetry I've read seems more adorant than philosophical, let alone something to make you go "hmmm...."

(Which is kinda too bad... you'd think more religious poetry would make you go hmmm....)

After reading a few threads commenting on the recent election and/or the war in Iraq, I'm beginning to understand why someone _wouldn't_ write anything political.

I think there would be a witch hunt by whomever is on the opposite side. That can't lead to enjoyment of a poem; at least for the writer!