"The image is the poet's pigment. The image is not an idea; it is a radiant node or cluster. A vortex through which, and from which, and into which ideas are constantly rushing. It is as true for painting and sculpture as it is for poetry."

- Ezra Pound

First say how you determine where to break the lines in your poems, then read and respond to the Edward Hirsh handout (The Line) on how to know where to make line-breaks when creating a poem. 200 word minimum.

I usually write in free verse, with no rhyme scheme. When I first write a poem, I break the lines by breath and the idea or thought -- if a thought feels complete, I'll break the line. Sometimes I also end the line at the end of a sentence or phrase.
In rewrites however, I also pay attention to the length of the line. How do I want the poem to look on the page? Tall and narrow? A dense wall of text? I might also break the lines to highlight individual phrases or word at the end or beginning of the line. I experiment with different line breaks in the same set of words, to see what gives the best impact.
Line breaks are tricky and elusive, especially with free verse. Lineation has a huge impact on the way the poem reads, and therefore the reader's understanding of the poem. As Hirsch describes, lineation serves more than one purpose. It is specific to each poet and each poem - each poet sets the parameters and boundaries of the purpose and application of lineation in each poem. For example, in the excerpt from Creeley’s poem, each line yields a different meaning. I think the impact of lineation can be quite intuitive – even not really understanding lineation, one can determine what the lineation is doing for the poem.