IMHOWhat music you put to lyrics(coz that's what poems basically are)will depend on the subject of the song,the mood,the mood
you're in,blah blah.
I don't have 'techniques' I can recommend myself,but I can suggest a website;
www.guitarnoise.com/songwritingIt's a series of articles written over a couple of months(originally a weekly thing)that addresses with the whole shebang,from tricks to copyrights,all that stuff.
See if it helps you.
And btw,there's a difference btwn writing songs to play for you pet cat,and songs you want people to hear.And when it gets to people,which ones?where?what setting?your local pub?Talent search thing?what?
These things affect what drives you(to write songs in the first place)and what drives you ultimately determines what you put out,how(technique)you put it out,and so on.