Chris Wienandt, member of the newsroom technology department at The Dallas Morning News and former chief of the Universal Desk at the News was one of the speakers at "The New AGE of Copy Editing" workshop Sept. 13-15, 2002, in St. Louis, Mo. The workshop was sponsored by the Mid-America Press Institute. Here is Wienandt's handout on similarities between poetry and headlines.

More tips from the workshop:
Helpful links:

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Some elements of poetry

    Poetry: the best words in the best order.
    -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  • Some elements of poetry
    • The inspirational:
      • Emotion
      • Imagination (what the poet puts in)
      • Evocation (what the reader takes out)
    • The mechanical:
      • Form
      • Rhythm
      • Meter

  • Poetry vs. prose
    • Prose is general; poetry is specific
    • Prose can ramble; poetry mustn't

  • You are the paper's poet
  • Poets and head writers must both:
    • Work within a restrictive form.
    • Evoke much meaning in a few words.

  • Use your head
    • Start with the basics, then elaborate.
    • Use an appropriate tone.
    • Free-associate (within reason).
    • Make every word count.
    • Don't rely on gimmickry (puns, headlinese, cliches).
    • Don't steal the writer's thunder.

  • Be poetic subtly
    • Be aware of how your words sound together (repeated, similar or conflicting vowels or consonants)
    • Use these combinations to underline your meaning, not to show off
    • Don't overdo … be especially sparing with alliteration