An Ode To...What?

I haven't given up on writing and working on my novel. Sadly, I had a tragic accident happen with my novel. It's all my fault, I know, and I've learned my lesson. I hesitate to reveal this accident - I'll probably get raked over the coals, but, I will so that it might help someone else learn from my mistake.

I mentioned, awhile back, that just before the new year my hard drive crashed. I had stuff saved/backed up on an external drive. Everything that was on that old drive was lost. So, when I got the new hard drive installed, I set about trying to download (or upload...or whatever term is correct for this) the stuff I had backed up on that external drive.

I as able to get my photos (thankfully!) put on my computer again, but sadly, I haven't been able to figure out (or remember!) how to get my documents off the external drive. It shows that there is something there, so I am really hoping that there is because my  novel would be on there! If there isn't anything there, then I am so out of luck. That would mean that I've lost my novel and will have to start over!

In the mean time, I have thought about trying my hand at writing poetry! I have never really written any - besides what we would have done back in school when we studied a little poetry in English class. I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't really know the rules - or if there are really any rules. I don't know what is and what isn't acceptable for poetry.

But, I will try. I've started working on my "first" poem, and when I finish it (and maybe if I find something online that can help me with writing, editing, etc to help me), I will post it here!

Have you written any poetry? I'd love some ideas, names of books/magazines, links, etc. that could be beneficial in writing poetry.