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Step one is to get feedback that you're basically on the right track. A lot of people don't feel ready to show their poems to anyone (maybe outside of close friends or family) and need some encour...
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#4: Attribution notice removed
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/42990 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/42990 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Step one is to get feedback that you're basically on the right track. A lot of people don't feel ready to show their poems to anyone (maybe outside of close friends or family) and need some encouragement first. You're past this step. Step two is a professional editor or reader. Other answers have covered this in detail. So I'm going to give you some intermediate steps. Ones that give you direct feedback from consumers of your poetry. 1. Go to open mike nights for poetry (I'd avoid mixed open night unless you're sure it's one where people stick around and listen to the poetry) and see what sort of reaction you get. Audience reactions during and immediately after your reading and also reactions from people who might come up to you afterwards. 2. Submit your poetry to a few magazines (low level, not top board quite yet) or contests. My local county fair includes poetry categories with the arts submissions; yours might too.