How to Title a Poem
Alright, so you’ve done it. You, the mighty writer, have finished a poem. The line breaks are just right, the imagery is descriptive and detailed, and the piece came out exactly as you imagined. As the feelings of triumph and success wash over you, you realize you missed one crucial step: your poem has no title. While many writers believe the title is the least important part, the title is what ties everything together and indicates what the piece is about to the audience. However, it can also be the most challenging part of the writing process. While several famous poems are untitled, in your case, it is most likely not the best idea to call your piece ‘Untitled 2’. Unless you are already a well-established poet, this decision will not persuade anyone to read your work and will produce the opposite effect. Yet, how can you capture the emotions and themes of your poem in just a few words? While I am not an expert, I have been studying poetry for the entirety of my college career, and I can offer a few tips, tricks, and things to avoid.
Dont’s of Titling Poetry
*Boring Titles
The easiest and arguably biggest mistake someone can make when titling a poem is naming it something generic and bland. One-worded titles that name the main component of your poem before the reader engages with the piece will decrease its appeal. If the audience thinks they already know what the poem will be about, then why read it? Titling a poem something like ‘Rain,’ ‘Love,’ or a color does not capture your readers’ attention. These types of titles have no mystery or enticing aspects, thus, severely decreasing interactions with your work. A title that does not give anything about the poem away and instead pulls the reader in will ensure that all the hard work you spent writing will not be wasted on the title.
*Taking Away the Element of Surprise
A common mistake many inexperienced poets make is using a line from their poem as a title. While this can create a sense of uniformity, it takes the power away from the line. If the line is strong enough to use as the title, you want to build up the energy for the reader, so it makes a lasting impression when they read it. This is not to say that this is forbidden, and poets should never do it, but poets should consider other methods first to keep their work fresh and enticing. Repetition can be a tricky literary device, especially regarding the body of a piece and the title. It can alter your intended emphasis to mean something entirely different to your readers.
*Believing that the title is separate from the poem
Poetry can be a difficult genre to understand, but it is similar to other forms of writing. If you were writing a short story or essay instead of a poem, you would want the title to reflect what your piece is about. For scholarly essays, the title is crucial for engagement, so others in that field can easily find it when looking for information. If you spent weeks writing a short story concerning characters who travel to extraordinary places, go on fantastic adventures, and discover incredible treasures, you would not call the piece something that has nothing to do with the work. The title should not be separate from the poem’s body. Think of the title as the poem’s brain. The brain operates with the body together as one being. The poem itself and the title should flow together as one.
Do’s of Titling Poetry
*Coming up with the title before you start writing
If you struggle to title your poems frequently, the easiest solution is to come up with titles and write a poem based on the title. If I am writing a poem on my own without any guidelines from a rubric, this is my preferred method of poetry writing. I find it so much easier to write a poem based on a title than to title a poem after it is done. This way, you remove the chance of your title and poem not getting along. However, unless your titles magically pop into your brain (like they often do for me), you should have a general idea of what you want to write about. For instance, I titled one of my newer poems, ‘The Wooden Table on the Second Floor,’ but there was not a single mention of this table in my poem. The poem was based on my daily routine of doing my homework, getting overwhelmed and frustrated, and finding ways to calm down. However, if I had titled the piece ‘Homework,’ ‘Stress and Anxiety,’ or anything remotely related, I would not like the poem as much as I do. By titling my poem first and pre-deciding what the title will mean, I have laid out the blueprint for my poem and made the writing process much easier for myself.
*Brainstorm. A lot
Do not permanently settle on the first title you come up with. Write it down, of course, but play around with it and discover how to make it better and more enjoyable. I find that startling or spooky titles work the best for me, but the more you write, the better you will get at writing and titling poems. If you want to start frequently writing poetry, keep a list of potential titles you would wish to use for poems. This can be a paper list, a Google Doc or Word file, or even a jar of words you like that you randomly pick from and slap together to make cool and funky titles. If you cannot put words on this list, ask another poet about their favorite words. While you can’t steal someone else’s title, you can use a phrase from their brainstorming list and make it your own.
*Deconstruct your poem to find the perfect title
If you already have a completed poem, and it’s just missing the title, do not worry. You can analyze and deconstruct your own poem like you would for an assignment or another classmate’s workshop. Read the piece and write down the themes, tones, main ideas, metaphors, or other unique characteristics. Compile these items together to make a title as unique as your poem. Try to create titles using words that do not appear in the poem but still reflect what the poem is about. For instance, if you had a poem about your dog, instead of calling it ‘Ode to my Dog,’ a clever poet could title the piece something like ‘Nose Prints on my Car Window’ or ‘The Thing in my House that Eats All my Socks.’ These titles reveal the possibility that the piece could be about an animal. Still, readers must read the poem if they wish to learn more.
*You are allowed to be the only person who understands the title.
The funny and exciting thing about poetry is its relatable and universal nature. Even the most skilled poets will find several different interpretations of their work, and the same trick can be done with the title. Is it an inside joke that you and a friend have? Perfect title. The weird dream you had three years ago that still haunts your memory? The contents hold the perfect title. The chances are, if it makes sense to you, it will make sense to other people the longer they toy with it. Many poem enthusiasts (including myself) do not want the poem neatly handed to them on a silver platter with the analysis crisp and clear. Let your readers dig and research to see if they can piece together the puzzle of your title. Even if your audience never does, it will undoubtedly be the buzz of the discussion.
Like any skill, poetry takes patience and practice. It takes time to master the craft, and it is all about confidence. I always like to tell people intimidated by poetry that there are no rules,
only suggestions and tactics that work better than others. If you disagree with everything I just said, that is totally fine. Write poetry the way you think it should be done. My only goal here is to offer advice to anyone seeking it and help others learn to enjoy poetry as much as I do.
