How can i write poems well?

How,specifically,do i write some of the listed poems:dirge,elegy,lyric,eulogy… poem?

• i have to write poems for english class (4 of the following): narrative poem, dirge, elegy, lyric, eulogy, sonnet, free verse, epic, compare/contrast, ballad, flight poem. i dont know how to write them.

• Answer:

  First you have to know what each kind of poem IS--meaning, what makes it narrative,lyric, sonnet, etc. Start by writing down definitions of each kind. Then pick four that appeal to you for any reason. ("Hmmm...dirge, lament for somebody who died".) Then think of something PERSONAL from your life that will give you the inspiration and energy to write it. ("Hmmm...I remember how much I loved my first dog, who died...") Then sit and write. There's no right way or wrong way to write--just write. Without criticising yourself--just write what you feel. If the rhymes and meters don't quite fit, or your first ideas aren't quite there, don't worry--you can fix it later. It doesn't have to be perfect, just an example of the form that, hopefully, sounds like you... Good luck.