In my experience, in conversations with friends, family, and acquaintances, I have often been asked what seems to me a very simple question. “Well, how do I write a poem?” The snarky answer is, “Well, you get a pen and a paper and start writing.” While true, the sarcasm there is not helpful to get anyone actually writing, and what I want people to understand is that writing a poem really is not as mysterious and difficult as it’s cracked up to be.