ABSTRACT
Writing is a cycle, a process of drafting, revising, rereading, more revising and so on. Revising is a creative act, just as much as drafting is. Playing with the structure of a draft poem can be a productive way to revise. The activities of editing and revising are closely related, even inextricable. Writers, especially poets, tend to fill their drafts with adjectives and adverbs. It’s natural to reach for descriptive words when we are trying to capture an experience, emotion or idea. A common pitfall for new writers is to sprinkle their work with cliches. Occasionally a poet will use a cliche to explore its subtext or riff on it ironically. Some topics seem to attract poetic cliches, such as sadness over a failed relationship, grief over the loss of a family member, the joy of being in love.
