INKspiredng

Try the second person fully. Writing entirely in “you” can feel intimate or accusatory, pulling the reader directly into the poem’s world. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Blend multiple voices. Let two perspectives interrupt or echo each other within a single poem, like a conversation on the page. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Experiment with tone. Write a sad story in a cheerful tone, or a joyful one in a restrained voice. Contrast can deepen emotional effect. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Let your cultural rhythm shape your lines. If you grew up hearing proverbs, market cries, or folk songs, let those cadences seep into your syntax. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Use code-switching. Slide naturally between languages or dialects if that’s part of your lived reality— it can add authenticity and texture. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Whisper to one person. Imagine your poem is a letter to someone specific. Even if it’s never sent, the intimacy will show.✅ #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Write as if the reader is dangerous. Hold back, hint, and leave clues instead of confessions. Suspense can be an emotional device.✅ #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Let silence speak. Have the speaker refuse to answer certain questions in the poem. Absences are part of voice too. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Write in a plural voice. Use “we” and speak for a group — a generation, a village, a forgotten people. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Let the poem rest. Put the draft away for a week. Time will make its flaws and strengths easier to see. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Read the poem in reverse. Start from the last line and move upward: this can reveal where the energy drops or where the logic stumbles. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Cut your favourite line. Sometimes the line you love most is the one that doesn’t belong. Be brave enough to let it go if it serves the poem. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Check every word’s Job. If a word isn’t pulling its weight— adding meaning, music, or image— replace or remove it. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Test the poem without line breaks. Write it as a block of prose to see if it still works. Then restore line breaks with more intention. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Read it to a friend. Let a friend read it to you: hearing someone else read it aloud can reveal unintended rhythms or emphasis. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

Trim the opening. Many poems start too early. See if the real beginning is a few lines down. #poetry #poetrytips #poetrylovers #FelisCatusPress #poetrycommunity

We are now open to amplify new voices. As part of our dedication to the publication of raw Nigerian poetry, we offer a decent payment for every poem we publish. Send us your poem, we want to read your brainchild.

Delighted to share that my book review, “The Body as Metaphor and Reality in Adeleke Babatunde’s Origami,” has been published in BusinessDay Sunday. Grateful for the space to engage contemporary Nigerian poetry and for the ongoing conversations around art, identity, and healing.

Our latest Poetry Chapbook is by Adebimpe Adeyemi. Download, read and share a feedback. It's free! jidebadmus.com/SOAB.html

Solid poems out on OLUMO REVIEW @Olumoreview, the Issue 5. Go read them here: olumoreview.weebly.com/issue-5.html CHEERS 🥂