To me, there is a different between "I have nothing to write" and "I don't feel like writing." If you're a master of your art, the former shouldn't be your portion, the latter is reasonable.
Furthermore, deftness implies the ability to swiftly think on your feet and easily write at the occurrence of every and any events while expertise implies the ability to write quality works masterfully, dexterously and skillfully.
Both qualities makes you an excellent poet. This is because people will ask for what you write firstly and you must be able to show them as much as possible. Then they'd scrutinize your works for quality and they must not be collection of mediocrities.
It is another story to say "I don't know what to write" but does write when given theme. It is bad to get a theme and yet don't know what to write. These are the issues that evolve around deftness. Whichever way, there are codes to being a deft writer.
It is one thing to know and have what to write, it is another to write your poetry excellently well. To write real poetry, there are codes too. And the general rule or bottom line is to dare the odds by engaging in some activities, hence the codes.
To many, the problem is not lack of inspiration or expertise, it is fear of taking the first step. What makes a poet is that he writes poetry. So, to be a poet you must make the attempt to write.
The reason for my assertion that writers block don't exists is that when I feel like not writing or not having things to write, I write about that situations too. By that, I fall the monstrous beast.
Draft first and do the next thing. Note that T.S. Elliot even said "the first draft of everything is always a shit." That is why we have the post writing stage viz. Reviewing, Revising, Editing and the likes. So your work needs not be perfect at first, it'd still pass through these stages if you're ready for real business
*Code 3:* Research
Research simply means reading and gathering information. Whatever theme you've got to write, particularly if it is wide, it is advisable to read on it. Recently I wrote poems on Sickle cell, Environmental hazard/Global warming and others, I had to read painstakingly before delving into it. However, before you read on any topic, you must firstly pour all what you know and understand about the topic.
Essentially, if you want to be a writer and reading is not your hobby, then you've chosen a wrong career. Writers read more than they write. Someone says: "You have two eyes to read and one hand to write. It implies you have to read more than you write."
*Code 5:* Do the Extras.
Research covers a lot of things. You need to understand the art of poetry if you will write excellently. Ask yourself "what is poetry?" What is the rudiment of poetry? What are the kinds, types and forms of poetry? You must be versatile with poetry because you are a poet. You must know the various styles and rules that make a good poetry. You will know these by reading avidly and attending poetry classes and lectures.
For the sake of this topic, the rudiment of poetry is imagery and other poetic devices follow. And to achieve a concrete and rich imagery, you need the skillful usage of personification, metaphor, hyperbole, simile, alliteration and onomatopoeia; as listed in the order of importance.
To get these well, you need to read widely. Who are your poetry mentors? Read there works often. Shakespeare, Rumi, Tade Ipadeola and Niyi Osundare are my mentors whose works I fall in love with. I read their works with open mind.
Very soon, I will completely peruse all the 148 sonnets of Shakespeare. I read his plays too. Not only them, I read other fine works too. But don't read only when you want or have something to write, read for knowledge, learning and pleasure sake.
As eaelier said, imagery is germane, it makes you show the event and not to tell it.
*Code 4:* Write.
Writers are those who write, if you don't write, you are not ready to be one. And when you write, you must write always in order to attain excellence. That's why I use to say "Practice makes perfection and consistency makes expertise."
There was a time I engaged in "a poem per day" routine. The result was superb. I did it for 21 days and by the end of the days, I've written up to 40 works. Also, I engaged in 60 days of writing poems on Mothers and sisters with Ajibola Habib Da Beloved, I stopped on the 10th day due to bad phone. You know what, two of the poems won for me the August Edition of PIN Monthly Contest.
Soonest, I will start another 30 days of poetry with other 10 poets. Conscious and committed writing will impact you a lot.
The extras are what others won't do. Majority run for it. And sincerely, they are challenging, tasking and uneasy but they make you great.
They are five and are:
Entering for Contests
By this, you'd know how well you are doing. There are many contests you can enter. When you win, congrats. If you lose, then learn from it. And at times, it doesn't mean you're that bad. You may just be unlucky.
Critiquing works
This opens your eyes to poetic styles of different poets. My first critique is on Song Birds written by Tade Ipadeola, that's his work that won an international contest in 2004. What led me to it was my curiosity to understand the poem, I took my dictionary and started savouring it word for word. In the end, I understood it beyond literal and I decided to make an explication of the work.
The more you critique, the more you're exposed to poetic excellence. In fact, you can understand well the Shakespearean work and the condensed works of Wole Soyinka through critiquing.
Engage in duets and duels.
Duet is to coauthor poems with friends while duel is to challenge each other. These are exercises that put you on the run for betterment.
V. Read and write always.
This is just to reemphasize the points I stated earlier. And as a matter of fact, their importance can never be overemphasized.
Submitting for websites and anthology
There are thousands of websites and anthologies that request for poetries. Having your works published gives you a personage. Till date, I receive more rejections than the acceptances I enjoy. Until those who reject you accept you, don't stop working on yourself. Every rejection should not break you but should make you by doing better.
Acceptance doesn't mean you've become a champion, take it or rake it. Look more and you'd see better and more strict publications you should submit your works for.
CONCLUSION
Although, I wrote up to 20 poems in 2010/2011 and sometime around 2013/2014, my poetry life actually kick-started in December 2015. That's why all my prizes before 2016 are essays and debates because these are what I did with seriousness in these periods. I was only writing poems for fun without any peculiar interest or seriousness.
Between December 2015 and now, the above codes are what I imbibed that give me the fair performance that people commend. I still have a long way to go because I'm still far behind those I look up to.
Writing excellent poetry demands deftness (prolificacy) and expertise (proficiency) and is not attained overnight. It requires hard work. It requires the 5 codes mentioned above with consistency, and other tips you believe will work.
Thanks for the audience.
I remain Aswagaawy;
Ayeyemi Taofeek.