when you read others, look at where they break a line - sound it out, ask yourself (or the author) 'why there?' take a look at an image, and see if the image is a metaphor, or a simile. read lines aloud, listen for how certain sounds might run across several verses, tying them together - or how the sibilance of s's lends itself to the mood, or the hard sounds like A punctuate and draw attention in