I usually see something and think of a pretty good line, and I can tell I can make something out of it. I build the rest of the stanza around it. Then I tie the subject to an interesting theme, and proceed to the other stanzas, again writing one line and building the rest around it (moving words around or replacing them to suit). This process takes, at most, 15 minutes. But then I don't call myself a poet.
For writing (which is my profession), I use many of the ideas posted above: I freewrite, not worrying or even looking at what I'm writing. Then I come back later, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, and edit.
I guess I consider poetry a process. For me more often than not, it works somewhat like this:
1. I get an urge to write a poem, maybe a striking theme has come to mind from some random source, most likely visual. (Some other cases are personal experience).
2. I snatch up a laptop. I am not one for writing by hand now I think about it, a poem undergoes so many changes and alterations as it is written and my handwriting sadly does not come with enter or backspace keys.
3. And off I go, usually I dive straight into a poem headfirst lashing down any adjective that comes to mind here or there. The result is what I like to call the skeleton of a poem. But it still needs some mind, heart, blood and guts pumped into it before you can breathe readable life into its stanzas.
4. So I tweak the language first. See if things can be worded with any more meaning or suitability.
5. Next looking at assonance, alliteration, sibilance and the likes is a good way to advance by leaps and bounds. A song is nothing without its music, poetry is exactly like this but needs a special kind of music - but you can only fight with words to win that battle.
6. Visualize the poem - vivid images are a core sign of good poetry. Change where needed to make them more suited to the poem.
7. Restructuring with punctuation, stanza layout and rhythm gives the poem a final spruce and flow.
8. Give the new work a title. (This may come first but for me mostly at this point)
9. Now this may be a more unusual step but... leave your poem for weeks on end. When you come back to it, it is as if you are a different person reading a new poem. This extra perspective can outline weaknesses and strengths in your poetry and is a great analysis tool.
10. Finally, publish it in a group like this and let the brilliance be praised. Oh and make sure you keep your poems stored and easily accessible.
Remember this is my way to write poetry... heh if you think it is off the walls that is just fine! Would like to see other peoples methods to improve my own below here in this thread. Even writing out my steps has made me focus more!
Aoife (LOB)