Writing children's poems is a specialized genre. Although simple rhymes might seem easy to make up on the spur of the moment, it is never easy to compose them effectively on the page. Children's poems must be memorable, both in terms of their sound and in relation to the imaginative pictures the poems paint.
The author's voice should also be unique. Even then, such a genre is very hard to publish. However, there are ways the writer of children's verse can ensure a greater success in both writing and publishing poems for young minds.
Spend Time With the Intended Audience
Edward Lear, the famous composer of limericks that children love, didn't have children of his own. Nor did Dennis Lee or Shel Silverstein when they wrote their renowned books of verse. Dr. Seuss, or Theodore Dreisel, faced a similar situation. Yet, all these writers of memorable poems for children spent time with young people, whether in a professional environment as a teacher or with the children of their friends. Test out poems on these willing groups.
Some authors draw their inspiration easily from their own childhoods and clearly recall what it was like to attend the first day of school, lose a loved pet or be bullied. A combination of a good memory and the willingness to enjoy the company of kids increases the likelihood that the verse the author writes will appeal to their intended audience. Don't ever distrust the capacities of this young group of readers. Write up to them, not down, in terms of rhyme, imagery and ideas.
Foreground the Importance of Rhythm
Children love sounds. They enjoy repeating refrains, chants, end-rhymed verses and traditional forms like the villanelle or the limerick. Through the lilting or thrumming sounds of well constructed rhythmic poems, a child develops their intelligence, their memory and their ear.
Reading poems aloud to a child is a vital way of connecting with them. This faculty of verse written for children cannot be underestimated, both in its capacity to draw the child's interest and to serve as an educational tool.
Emphasize the Imagination's Role
Children have open minds. They are able to envision the possibility of other worlds. Without creating ludicrous scenarios or images that talk down to the child, let imagination flow freely in verse written for children. Edward Lear imagined a man who kept birds in his beard, Dennis Lee described the deliciousness of alligator soup and pie, Shel Silverstein created the picture of a boy who had a wavy head instead of wavy hair.
Dr Seuss, of course, is the most famed writer of imaginative verse for kids. His poems, often book-length, use a concocted vocabulary to envision such creatures as the Wocket, Yertle the Turtle and the Lorax.
Envision Pictures and Be Patient
Write poems for children that seem readily receptive to illustration. Steer clear from abstractions or cliches. Shape a voice that is not imitative or predictable. The poems should be lively, energetic and easily paired with colourful, elaborative artwork.
Publishers rarely take risks on children's poetry. Learn from publishing courses what the best route is to take. Self-publishing is also an option, especially if the writer is also a teacher and thus has a direct audience for the work. Children need poems written for them, though the author may have to make their name in another genre first, as with Margaret Atwood or Susan Musgrave, to increase the publishing world's receptivity to their verse.
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