You know a poem when you hear one. But how do you know it’s a poem?

Mrs. Bradstreet’s poems rhymed. But not all poems do. Mrs. Bradstreet’s poems talk about sad times, like when her house burned down in 1666. They talk about happy times too, like the years she spent with her children. Mrs. Bradstreet wrote many poems with big ideas in them about God and people. But some are about everyday life. A poem can be about anything!

A famous poet named Samuel Taylor Coleridge said poetry is “the best words in the best order.” You could also describe poems in other ways.

You know you’re reading a poem because you hear its rhythm.

A poem helps you feel your thoughts and think your feelings.

Poems happen when words don’t go all the way across the page.

All those things can be true. But one thing is certain: People who craft great poetry think carefully about the words they choose and what order they put them in. Poems should sound like music. They should paint pictures in a reader’s mind. And Mrs. Bradstreet was onto something when she said they should bring glory to God. God loves words! He chose to tell us all about Himself and how life works best using the words of the Bible.

Did you know some of the greatest poets in history were Christians? That makes sense. Christians have a great reason to write! Writing is a chance to talk about how we see God’s goodness in the world. Christian poets have also learned a lot about what makes poetry excellent by reading the Bible, which is full of poems.

But remember—a poem doesn’t have to be about God in order to bring Him glory. When we write poems, we are bringing glory to Him by using our creativity to tell the truth.