Determine a basic idea of the subject of the poem. Write a list of ideas and choose one or draw inspiration from art, a photograph or another author.
Consider the identity of the narrator: age, race, gender or class. Write down who this person is in terms of his identity.
Think of the narrator's point of view and how this perspective can be portrayed with tone and style. Think about stiff short lines vs. flowing long lines or stanza breaks. Also consider form poems, depending on your chosen identity.
Write a poem using language that suits your idea, narrator and identity. Examples of appropriate language may be accents, foreign words or items of cultural significance.
Seek constructive criticism. Ask another writer to critique your poem.
Rewrite portions of your poem, if necessary. Continue drafting until you are happy with the result.