Tell it slant, don't tell it straight. 

Don't tell it at all. Show me. 

Lyrical is ok, up to a point. 

Don't overload with details. 

 

Whoa! Hold it right there. 

This is veering towards 

the anecdotal,

the confessional,

the conversational,

and, Heaven forbid, 

the sentimental. 

 

I find it easier to get obscure

poems published, than ones 

where the meaning is clear. 

All workshops end in tears.