Most established poets would tell you that a good poem should be
reader-centered and if you ask me the same question a year ago you
will get the same answer from me. Please dont get me wrong I am
not suggesting we should all start writing those
I-know-what-I-am-talking-about-but-too-bad-if-you-dont-get-it
poems.
Firstly as suggested by Bluesky_Liz in her reply and I quote,
If you have a specific audience in mind to address to, and
the poem you write is understood by your target audience, then one
would probably count that as a success.
Yes, your audiences. Who are your target audiences? Are they your
friends, your teachers, your loved ones, members of a
poetry-writing workshop, or maybe you are writing just for
yourself?
The next question you need to consider is why do you want to write
that particular poem in the first place? Is it because you are
bored, or maybe you are angry with someone, or you want to submit
it for a competition?
You know I really love cooking.
And personally I think cooking and poetry writing share many
similarities. If I am cooking for myself of course I will cook
something I like. Who cares what my friends like? I am not asking
for their opinions so why should they care? On the other hand if I
am cooking for other people I will have to take their tastes into
consideration. For example if I am cooking for my dad, I would
never use garlic in my cooking because I know he hates
garlic.
Having said that, it is also important for me to create my own
distinct taste. I want my friends/loved ones to be able to tell my
dishes apart from the rest. Something in the mushroom stew tells
them I cooked it and nobody else.
So how do you create a dish with your signatures all over it and
yet able to be appreciated by your target audiences? The trick here
is to strike a balance - too much salts or spices and you spoiled
the whole dish. You need to strike a balance in your writing
too.
And just like cooking, before you start experimenting with
different spices or herbs you need to get your basic right. You
need to understand the nature of each ingredient and its effect on
the dish as a whole. You also need to know the different methods of
cooking.
Poets are creators we create. To be able to create is a gift but
to do it right you need to have the correct skills. Thus regardless
if you are from the writer-centered camp or reader-centered camp,
it is important for you to familiarize yourself with the various
writing tools out there.
Most importantly you need to practice, and practice, and practice.
In a Nutshell:
Before you start writing, ask yourself these questions,
Who are your target
audiences?
Why do you want to
write this particular poem?
How are you going to
get your message across to your target audiences? (Remember,
whether you like it or not poetry writing is a form of
communication, even if you choose only to communicate with
yourself.)
I hope I am not too long-winded. 
