What makes a poem good to you?

Does it's meaning to the person make a poem great? or maybe the story in/behind the poem itself will make it outstanding. Possibly the feelings that the poem brings of you? Maybe your a specifics junkie and a poem is great to you if it flows perfectly and rhymes well? Well what does it for you?

For me it's mostly the wording, the way someone throws a line together and it turns out to be something so amazingly special or touching. That's what gets me

For me What makes a good poem is if it has a lot of heart in it. the poem must express you in some way shape or form wheather it be because you had a bad day of a simple spark that got you to write about that subject. most of my poems are about things i haven't done or passions that i've had some are inspiration from family.

the main point is to write what's in your heart/ mind/spirit and you'll always impress the readers.

i however don't care about what people think of my poems as long as i enjoy them then i'm happy with that.

Alot of things make a poem good to me. If I read a poem and I can relate to it mostly likely I'm going to love that poem. Or if it paints a picture in my mind, something like that Shanik

For me the feelings in the poem make it great, the person behind it doesnt really matter, anyone can be a great writer in this way...

For me, a poem is a great piece if it causes an emotional response in me...that sinking or butterfly feeling in my stomach. That's what poetry is; what it's about. If you are going to write for other's enjoyment, what you write should move them also.

When it comes from the heart

When it's full of emotion; full of feelings.

Actually, this was very hard question for me.. I just can't explain it. :S

I think everyone person has their own unique personality there for, what makes the poems so good, [a poet] is that they all have their own unique style and techniques that can be seen, and the most facinating thing for me, is that, their personality and experiences reflect and project into their poems, so to some extent it is always about them. I think that is very special

=]

No, i dont agree with that....people do criticise...thats why people say comment me or w/e....but yes it is good to express how you feel and yeah you are right to some extent.

One that comes from deep inside your soul..
there's no way to judge a poem for me..if it is truly written from the heart of the poet then it is good..if it holds meaning for that person that it's a good poem.

Well I think what makes a poem good is all based on the person. To me if I can relate and feel what the author is trying to express, then I believe its a good poem. I don't necessarily care about poetic devices, using metaphors all the time, or for a poem to rhyme. I have been bashed on other boards before for not following poetic devices and refusing to take someones advice on how to change my poem. I do write from the heart and I'm satisfied with my work, but it does hurt when people tell you your writing is poor and that you should change it. To me if I changed it, it wouldn't have the same meaning. So I just will continue to write the way I do. I don't post on that board anymore.

If I can relate to it and it doesnt sound forced.

I think its the ryming and the point of the poems. if theres bad spelling i could read it any way so that doesnt matter to me

Fdsafdsd

Its the way its written

I think that a good poem consists of what the author really feels about the situation.

I think ot really depends on the style of writing and how much effort and time they put into it.

I think that a lot of things make a poem great. The mood is important, consistancey in direction, the voice of the poem, analagies used, words chosen, the titled, grammer, the ending, the meaning behind the poem, etc.
To me though, the most important thing, the thing that makes a poem great is what the poem means to me. How does the poem make me feel? Can I relate to the poem? Is the poem easy to understand? All of these things .... to me anyone .... are what make a poem stand out, what make it extrodinary.

What makes a poem great to me?
Unusual words.
Concepts that make you think.
Strong emotions.
New ideas.
Being able to relate.
Seeing how much the poet is attached to it.
Just the beauty of the creation of a new poem.

For me, when I read a good poem, it's when I can really feel it. I mean it's hard to get something you wrote and make someone else understand it, and I think it takes a true poet to be able to really put the emotions into your mind and heart and make you see the full story.

A good poem doesnt have to rhyme or the grammar doesnt always have to be correct. I think a good poem should posses the ability to get the reader so engrossed in it...when you read it, you should actually feel the emotions of the writer. A good poem should always be honest...

I enjoy poetry that is creative in its use of wording, structure, nuance, rhyme, and other more technical facets, but ultimately what attracts me the most is poetry with evocative power, whether emotional or otherwise. An evocative poem is my definition of a good poem, regardless of whether it demonstrates good technicals.

EMOTION when someone has had heart broke
or someone die or spend every penny they had on a bidge these are the things that will bring out
emotions and powerful real poems

I think what makes a poem good is emotion and if it has to do with real life and it not being fake

I mostly like the ones that can trigger some sort of emotion (preferrably sadness) I love sad poems and Id especially love them if they are ironic... havent found one of those yet though...

Great Question! For me, I'm a rhythm, rhyme, and flow guy. I like when a poem just comes together well, when it has congruence in and of it's thought (theme) and it's structure - whether that's in it's rhymes, flow, rhythm, tone, ect. I just like a poem that comes together well, and as you said, the wording and how the lines are thrown together to create something magnificent and special. How you word things, your word usage, can have a marked effect on your poem. People always compliment me on my word usage, my choice, use of words. I think a lot it is how one word, line leads into the next. It's like music, put the right notes together and you have magic. By that same token, with poetry, put the right words together, you can achieve magic, as well. And MAGIC, in my opinion, is when everything just seems to come together right and something about it just captures you. Great Question, as I said, and those where some of the things that make a poem good to me.

Great answer Robert. I totally agree with everything you said and feel the same way.

Good descriptions. I can't read poems with solely "I miss you", "You broke my heart", "I'm so sorry," etc. because then I simply can't find anything interesting about it.

To me, poetry is about mystery. If you write it out blatantly, then it's just prose with rhymes and line breaks.

For me personally, a good poem is one that can raise a desired feeling in its reader! So if someone writes a sad poem and manages to make the reader feel this way, then they have accomplished a goal! Also, a poem that teaches is beauty with a purpose!!

Natalie