essay prompts for poetry

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101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

Not sure what to write a poem about? Here’s 101 poetry prompts to get you started!

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These poetry prompts are designed to help you keep a creative writing practice. If you’re staring at a blank page and the words aren’t flowing, the creative writing prompts for poems can be a great way to get started!

New for 2023! Due to popular demand, I created a printable, ad-free version of these poetry prompts you can download to use at home or even in the classroom! Get them at our Etsy Shop .

Even if poetry isn’t your thing, you could always use these things to inspire other writing projects. Essays, journal entries, short stories, and flash fiction are just a few examples of ways this list can be used.

You may even find this list of creative poetry writing prompts helpful as an exercise to build your skills in descriptive writing and using metaphors!

Let’s get onto the list, shall we?

Here are 101 Poetry Prompts for Creative Writing

Most of these creative writing ideas are simple and open-ended. This allows you total creative freedom to write from these poetry prompts in your own unique style, tone, and voice.

If one poetry idea doesn’t appeal to you, challenge yourself to find parallels between the prompt and things that you do enjoy writing about!

1.The Untouchable : Something that will always be out of reach

2. 7 Days, 7 Lines : Write a poem where each line/sentence is about each day of last week

3. Grandma’s Kitchen : Focus on a single memory, or describe what you might imagine the typical grandmother’s kitchen to be like

4. Taste the Rainbow : What does your favorite color taste like?

5. Misfits: How it feels when you don’t belong in a group of others.

6. Stranger Conversations : Start the first line of your poem with a word or phrase from a recent passing conversation between you and someone you don’t know.

7. On the Field : Write from the perspective of a sports ball {Baseball, Soccer, Football, Basketball, Lacrosse, etc.} – think about what the sports ball might feel, see, hear, think, and experience with this poetry idea!

8. Street Signs: Take note of the words on signs and street names you pass while driving, walking, or riding the bus. Write a poem starting with one of these words you notice.

9. Cold water: What feelings do you associate with cold water? Maybe it’s a refreshing cold glass of water on a hot day, or maybe you imagine the feelings associated with being plunged into the icy river in the winter.

10. Ghostwriter: Imagine an invisible ghost picks up a pen and starts writing to you.

11. Lessons From Math Class: Write about a math concept, such as “you cannot divide by zero” or never-ending irrational numbers.

12. Instagram Wall: Open up either your own Instagram account or one of a friend/celebrity and write poetry based on the first picture you see.

13. Radio: Tune in to a radio station you don’t normally listen to, and write a poem inspired by the the first song or message you hear.

14. How To : Write a poem on how to do something mundane most people take for granted, such as how to tie your shoes, how to turn on a lamp, how to pour a cup of coffee.

15. Under 25 Words : Challenge yourself to write a poem that is no more than 25 words long.

16. Out of Order: Write about your feelings when there is an out of order sign on a vending machine.

17. Home Planet: Imagine you are from another planet, stuck on earth and longing for home.

18. Uncertainty : Think about a time in your life when you couldn’t make a decision, and write based on this.

19. Complete : Be inspired by a project or task be completed – whether it’s crossing something off the never-ending to-do list, or a project you have worked on for a long time.

20. Compare and Contrast Personality : What are some key differences and similarities between two people you know?

21. Goodbyes : Write about a time in your life you said goodbye to someone – this could be as simple as ending a mundane phone conversation, or harder goodbyes to close friends, family members, or former partners.

22. Imagine Weather Indoors : Perhaps a thunderstorm in the attic? A tornado in the kitchen?

23. Would You Rather? Write about something you don’t want to do, and what you would rather do instead.

24. Sound of Silence : Take some inspiration from the classic Simon & Garfunkel song and describe what silence sounds like.

25. Numbness : What’s it like to feel nothing at all?

26. Fabric Textures : Use different fiber textures, such as wool, silk, and cotton as a poetry writing prompt.

27. Anticipation : Write about the feelings you experience or things you notice while waiting for something.

28. Poison: Describe something toxic and its effects on a person.

29. Circus Performers: Write your poetry inspired by a circus performer – a trapeze artist, the clowns, the ringmaster, the animal trainers, etc.

30. Riding on the Bus : Write a poem based on a time you’ve traveled by bus – whether a school bus, around town, or a long distance trip to visit a certain destination.

31. Time Freeze : Imagine wherever you are right now that the clock stops and all the people in the world are frozen in place. What are they doing?

32. The Spice of Life : Choose a spice from your kitchen cabinet, and relate its flavor to an event that has happened recently in your daily life.

33. Parallel Universe : Imagine you, but in a completely different life based on making a different decision that impacted everything else.

34. Mad Scientist : Create a piece based on a science experiment going terribly, terribly wrong.

35. People You Have Known : Make each line about different people you have met but lost contact with over the years. These could be old friends, passed on family, etc.

36. Last Words : Use the last sentence from the nearest book as the inspiration for the first line of your poem.

37. Fix This : Think about something you own that is broken, and write about possible ways to fix it. Duct tape? A hammer and nails?

38. Suspicion : Pretend you are a detective and you have to narrow down the suspects.

39. Political News : Many famous poets found inspiration from the current politics in their time. Open up a newspaper or news website, and create inspired by the first news article you find.

40. The Letter D : Make a list of 5 words that start with all with the same letter, and then use these items throughout the lines of your verse. {This can be any letter, but for example sake: Daisy, Dishes, Desk, Darkness, Doubt}

41. Quite the Collection : Go to a museum, or look at museum galleries online. Draw your inspiration from collections of objects and artifacts from your favorite display. Examples: Pre-historic days, Egyptians, Art Galleries, etc.

42. Standing in Line : Think of a time you had to stand in line for something. Maybe you were waiting in a check-out line at the store, or you had to stand in line to enter a concert or event.

43. Junk Mail Prose: Take some inspiration from your latest junk mail. Maybe it’s a grocery store flyer announcing a sale on grapes, or an offer for a credit card.

44. Recipe : Write your poem in the form of a recipe. This can be for something tangible, such as a cake, or it can be a more abstract concept such as love or happiness. List ingredients and directions for mixing and tips for cooking up your concept to perfection.

45. Do you like sweaters? Some people love their coziness, others find them scratchy and too hot. Use your feelings about sweaters in a poem.

46. After Party : What is it like after all party guests go home?

47. Overgrown : Use Little Shop of Horrors for inspiration, or let your imagination run wild on what might happen if a plant or flower came to life or started spreading rapidly to take over the world.

48. Interference: Write a poem that is about someone or something coming in between you and your goals.

49. On Shaky Ground: Use an earthquake reference or metaphor in your poem.

50. Trust Issues : Can you trust someone you have doubted in the past?

51. Locked in a Jar: Imagine you are a tiny person, who has been captured and put into a jar for display or science.

52. Weirder Than Fiction: Think of the most unbelievable moment in your life, and write a poem about the experience.

53. Fast Food: Write a poem about fast food restaurants and experiences.

54. Unemployed: Write a poem about quitting or being fired from a job you depended on.

55. Boxes: What kinds of family secrets or stories might be hiding in that untouched box in the attic?

56. No One Understands : Write about what it feels like when no one understands or agrees with your opinion.

57. Criminal Minds : Write a poem from the perspective of a high-profile criminal who is always on the run from law enforcement.

58. Marathon Runner : Write a poem about what training you might be doing to accomplish a difficult challenge in your life.

59. Trapped : Write about an experience that made you feel trapped.

60. Passing the Church : Write a poem about noticing something interesting while passing by a church near your home.

61. Backseat Driver: Write about what it’s like to be doing something in your life and constantly being criticized while trying to move ahead.

62. Luster: Create a descriptive poem about something that has a soft glow or sheen to it.

63. Clipboard: Write a poem about someone who is all business like and set in their ways of following a system.

64. Doctor: Write a poem about receiving advice from a doctor.

65. First Car : Write an ode to your first car

66. Life Didn’t Go As a Planned : Write about a recent or memorable experience when nothing went according to plan.

67. Architect : Imagine you are hired to design a building for a humanitarian cause you are passionate about.

68. The Crazy Cat Hoarder : Write about someone who owns far too many cats.

69. Queen : Write a poem from the perspective of a queen.

70. Movie Character : Think of a recent movie you watched, and create a poem about one character specifically, or an interaction between two characters that was memorable.

71. Potential Energy : Write about an experience where you had a lot of potential for success, but failed.

72. Moonlight : Write about an experience in the moonlight.

73. Perfection : Write about trying to always keep everything perfect.

74. You Are Wrong : Write a poem where you tell someone they are wrong and why.

75. Sarcasm : Write a poem using sarcasm as a form of illustrating your point.

76. Don’t Cry : Write a poem about how not to cry when it’s hard to hold back the tears.

77. Listen Up: Write a poem telling someone they are better than they think they are.

78. Flipside : Find the good in something terrible.

79. Maybe They Had a Reason : Write a poem about someone doing something you don’t understand, and try to explain what reasons they might have had.

80. How to Drive : Write a poem that explains how to drive to a teenager.

81. Up & Down the Steps: Write a poem that includes the motion of going up or down a staircase

82. Basket Case: Has there ever been a time when you thought you might lose your mind? Jot your feelings and thoughts down in verse form.

83. Lucky Guess: Many times in our life we have to make a good guess for what is the best decision. Use this poetry idea to write about feelings related to guessing something right – or wrong.

84. Dear Reader: What audience enjoys reading the type of poetry you like to write? Craft a note to your potential audience that addresses their biggest fears, hopes, and dreams.

85. All or Nothing : Share your thoughts on absolutist thinking: when one’s beliefs are so set in stone there are no exceptions.

86. Ladders in the Sky : Imagine there are ladders that take you up to the clouds. What could be up there? What feelings do you have about climbing the ladders, or is their a mystery as to how they got there in the first place?

87. Always On My Mind: Compose a poem about what it’s like to always be thinking about someone or something.

88. Paranoia : What would it be like if you felt like someone was watching you but no one believed you?

89. Liar, Liar: How would you react to someone who lied to you?

90. Secret Word: What’s the magic word to unlock someone’s access to something?

91. For What It’s Worth: Use a valuable object in your home as inspiration as a poetry prompt idea.

92. Coming Home to Secrets: Imagine a person who puts on a good act to cover up a secret they deal with at home.

93. Productivity: Talk about your greatest struggles with time management and organization.

94. Defying Gravity: Use words that relate to being weightless and floating.

95. Signs of the Times : How has a place you are familiar with changed over the past 10 years?

96. Sleepless Nights : What ideas and feelings keep you up at night? What’s it like when you have to wake up in the morning on a night you can’t sleep?

97. You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit : Use one of the worst job related memories you can think of as a creative writing prompt.

98. By George : You can choose any name, but think of 3-5 notable figures or celebrities who share a common first name, and combine their personalities and physical characteristics into one piece of poetry. For example: George Washington, George Clooney, George Harrison.

99. Shelter : Write a poem about a time you were thankful for shelter from a storm.

100. Cafeteria : Create a poem inspired by the people who might be eating lunch in a cafeteria at school or at a hospital.

101. Dusty Musical Instruments : Base your poem around the plight of a musician who hasn’t picked up the guitar or touched a piano in years.

Love these prompts? The printable, ad-free version of these poetry prompts can be used offline or in the classroom! Get them at our Etsy Shop .

There are unlimited possibilities for ways you can use these poem ideas to write poetry. Using a list like this can greatly help you with getting into the habit of writing daily – even when you don’t feel inspired to write.

While not every poem you write will be an award-winning masterpiece, using these poem starters as a regular exercise can help you better your craft as a writer.

I hope you enjoy these poetry prompts – and if you write anything you’d like to share inspired by these creative poetry writing prompts, let us know in the comments below – we love to see how others use writing ideas to create their own work!

And of course, don’t forget to get the ad-free poetry prompt cards printable version if you’d like to use these prompts offline, in the classroom or with your small group!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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96 comments.

I had a wonderful inspiration from prompt number 49 “On Shaky Ground,” although it’s not exactly about an earthquake. I wanted to share it on here, so I hope you enjoy it!

Title: “Shaking Ground”

The ground’s shaking My heart’s aching I’m getting dizzy My mind’s crazy

On shaking ground It’s like I’m on a battleground We’re all fighting for love Dirtying our white glove

The ground’s shaking My body’s quaking Love is so cruel Making me a fool

On shaking ground We are all love-bound Stuck in a crate Nobody can avoid this fate

The ground’s shaking We are all waking Opening our eyes Everyone dies

On shaking ground Our love is profound Although we are separate Better places await

The ground’s shaking Death’s overtaking Heaven is descending The world’s ending

On shaking ground In love we are drowned

Awesome interpretation Amanda! Thanks for sharing!

heyyy, I have written something regarding prompt 27 and 96 The Night Charms.

Do you dread the dark; Or do you adore the stars? Do you really think the fire place is that warm; Or you just envy the night charms? The skyline tries to match the stars’ sparkle, The sky gets dark, the vicinity gets darker. The “sun” has set for the day being loyal; These are now the lamps burning the midnight oil. The Eve so busy, that everyone forgets to praise its beauty. The sun has set without anyone bidding him an adieu, Failed to demonstrate its scintillating view. The moon being the epitome of perfection, Has the black spots, Depicting an episode of it’s dark past.

And I sit; I sit and wonder till the dawn. What a peaceful time it is, To have a small world of your own. Away from the chaos, I found a soul that was lost. So tired, yet radiant, Trying to be someone she’s not in the end. That bewitching smile held my hand, Carried me back to shore, letting me feel my feet in the sand. The waves moved to and fro, Whispering to me as they go, “Oh girl, my girl This is the soul you have within you, Never let it vanish, For it alters you into something good and something new, Don’t let the cruel world decide, Don’t let anyone kill that merry vibe.”

Then I saw my own soul fade, Fly into my heart, For what it was made. Oh dear lord, The night’s silence became my solace, My life lessons were made by the waves. Who am I? What have I done to myself? Many questions were answered in self reproach, The answers were still unspoken with no depth. Oh dear night, What have you done to me? Or should I thank you for putting a soul that I see. The nights spent later were now spectacular, My darkness somehow added some light to my life, Making it fuller… Everyday after a day, walking through the scorching lawns, I wait for the the dusk to arrive, and then explore myself till the dawn.

This is so amazing I ran out of words. Very lit thoughts beautifully penned. Keep writing like this dude.❤🌻

That is beautiful, it inspired me to write about my fears, thank you!!

Thank you for the inspiration! 😀 This was based of 21 and 77 (I think those were the numbers lol)

Goodbye to the days when we played together in the sun Goodbye to the smile on your face and to all of the fun I look at you, so dull and blue How long before I can say hello to the real you You are worth more than you think At the very least, you are to me Though there are greater things that wait for you than the least You are worthy of the most, the greatest of things If only goodbye could be ‘see you later’ I want to see the real you again To your suffering I don’t want to be just a spectator I want it all to end Goodbye to my only friend I want to heal you but I don’t know how I wish I had this all figured out Please come back to me I just want you to be free

Thank u so much im more inspired after seeing these creative ideas. 🤗

Glad they inspired you!

Thanks for sharing Amanda!

That was beautiful! I am a writer too! I actually just finished writing one but, it wasn’t from this website, just kind of something that’s been on my head for a while you know? Anyways, again, that was awesome! I am a Christian, and I love seeing people write about that kind of stuff! 🙂

I am jim from Oregon. I am also a writer, not very good but active. I am a Christian as well as you are. Sometimes it is hard to come up with something to write about.

All of a sudden, I have started to write poetry. Do you like all forms of writing? I would enjoy reading some of you work if you would you would like to s if you would like to send me some.

i have written one about frozen time:

my brother will be drawing, his pencil wont leave the sheet, my mother hearing the radio, today’s news on repeat. my sister, in fact, is making her bed, she’ll be making it still, till the last bug is dead. me, on the other hand, i’ll be visiting you, i’ll see you in action, doing the things that you do, i’ll be happy to see you, just a last time, i’ll kiss your still lips, and hold for a while. then i’ll take a plane to saudi, where i’ll see my dad, he’ll be swimming with turtles, he will not seem sad. i have lived on this earth, for 15 whole years, time for goodbye, with not a single tear.

hey beautifully expressed…!!!

Beautifully penned 🌼

I love it I tried one out myself as well Change

She sat looking out the window. The sound of the piano’s cheerful tune ringing out throughout the room. The sweet smell of burnt pine emanating from her fireplace. The sky is blue and the sun shines bright. She closes her eyes for a second. She opens them again. The window is broken and scattered on the ground. The piano sits covered in ashes, every symphony played now just a distant memory replaced with a discordant melody. The room smells of smoke and ash. The sky is dark and rain falls on the remnants of her home. Not a living thing in sight,not even her.

Nice one Amanda. kind of tells me the chronology of love and its eventualities.

such a dilightful poem, thanks for the word that made the day for me. you are such a good poet.

Omg! What!! This is amazing! I’d love to feature this piece on my blog monasteryjm.com. I also love this blog post by thinkwritten.com, planning on putting the link in my next blog post so others can come over here to check it out! So helpful!

this is so great! I’ve been needing inspiration. this might work

Thank you so much for this article! I love the profundity and open-endedness of the prompts. Here is a poem I wrote, drawing inspiration from #56, “No One Understands.” I wrote this from the perspective of a psychic Arcturian Starseed in her teenage years and how the world perceives her spiritual connection; while at the same time hinting at the true meaning of her various baffling actions. Enjoy 🙂

Starseed – a poem on perspective

In the snow She stands alone Wrapped in shrouds of mystery Her gentle hand gloved with giving Caressing A violet stone

Math class is dismissed But there still she sits Speaking to the ceiling in tender tones A soft and healing resonance Murmuring sweetly of ascension to Another, dearer dimension

In homeroom Her classmate weeps Of missed planes and shattered dreams Quietly She strokes the hand of the suffering And whispers then of channeling Some celestial utopia called Arcturus Where she claims to have been.

Please feel free to let me know where I need to improve! I’m fourteen years old and only an amateur, so a few suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, love and light 🙂

#79 I don’t know why he was so mad Did he not get his mail Was he already mad Or did he only get bills

He swung his arm with force He caused a loud bang He hurt his own hand He left with some blood

He is the man that punched the mailbox His hand dripped blood on it He left it with a dent He left it alone after that

That’s great Michael, thank you for sharing your response to one of the prompts!

Awesome! That was simple and yet creative

Interesting tips and keywords for boosting inspiration. I’ve found some good topic for start writing. Thanks

sleepless nights (#96)

it’s never a strangled cry that drags me from my dreams, but a gentle whisper, there to nudge the socks off my feet, and settle me back into the sheets. i seem to wake before i’ve had a chance to fall to rest.

why is it that i can never sleep, but always dream?

sleepless nights rule my life and drag me by my toes, throwing me into a sky of black and blue. not a single star can break through this spillage. and i sit and wonder in a sea of sheets, rippling around me, why my mind can swim these dark, tangling waters and i never need to take a breath.

have you ever noticed how static-filled the dark is? because when i lay buried under these burdens and blankets, the world seems ready to crumble under my grasp.

i can’t sleep, but i can dream, of days when i wasn’t pulled struggling from bed but awoken into the light. i wonder how i ever survived the grainy sky’s midnight troubles, the oil spill of its thunderclouds, the sandpaper raspiness of the three a.m. earth against my throat.

oh, how i can never sleep in a world that threatens to fall apart.

this is amazing! i hope i can be this good one day

once again beautiful <3

Thank you so much for these prompts! They’re so thought-provoking.

You’re welcome! Glad you enjoy them!

Take me back to those days, When I was allowed to dream, Where no one use to scream. Take me back to those days, When I was a child, Where I never use to find reasons to smile. Take me Take back to those days, When I never used to lie, Where I never used to shy. Take me back those carefreee days, When I was far away from school days. Take me back to those days , where every one used to prase, no matter how foolish i behave. Take me back to those days, when i wasn’t stuck between fake people. Take me back to the day I was born, So that I could live those days again………….

so mine is basically a mix between 76 and 77… I made it for my literature club i recently began trying to make.

‘Listen to me’ Listen to me your words mean more than you think your opinion is worthy to be shared your songs are capable of being sung

Listen to me

your smile is bright your frown shows nothing more than you should be cared for like you care for us.

your laughter is delightful and so is everything else

dont let the past go hurt you find strength in the experience

are you listening to me?

can you here me?

because YOU matter

Nice, thank you for sharing!

Prompt #1 “Untouchable”

Grasping Reaching Searching for the untouchable The indescribable On the tip of my tongue My fingertips Close to my heart But warping my brain Yet understood in the depths of my soul Emotions undiscovered Words Unsaid Deep in the depths of my mind Hand outstretched Lingering on the edge Eyes wide open But somehow still blind Unattainable But still in the hearts of The Brave The Curious The Resilient They Seek the unseekable They pursue the unattainable Each man seeing it in a different aspect Each of their visions blurred Each distorted by Experiences Traumas Wishes Dreams Filtering what’s untouchable

Thank you, glad you enjoy it!

I had good inspiration from #51, locked in a jar. I used it more metaphorically instead of literally. So here it is: glass walls, lid screwed on tight, can’t escape, not even at night. From the inside, looking out, this is not who I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be bigger, I’m supposed to be free, not stuck in a jar, no room to breathe. I need to move, I need to soar, I need to be able to speak my opinions and more. So as I look down at my tiny self, in this glass jar, “let me out, I can’t take it anymore”, I say to the bigger me, the one ignoring my tiny pleas.

Just wanted to add a twist to this promt. I’m just a beginner in the art of poetry, but I tried. If anyone has any creative criticism, go ahead! #16: our of order

My brain is out of order My thoughts have filled it to the brim Of my deepest thoughts of who I am Who we are As people We are out of order Never focusing on what we want Our passions All we ever get is work on top of work Pushing us down and down Like a giant hand Squeezing us into the depths of our depressions Until We can do anything But take it Anymore

Thank you Ash for sharing your take on the prompt with us!

Thank you ASH for reminding we can do anything if we try

Was inspired by #77 listen up Listen up…….! When would you listen up! Seems! you have given up! No matter who shut you up! Stand straight and look up!

Look up don’t be discouraged Let you heart be filled with courage Listen up and be encouraged Let life be sweet as porridge

You might have been down Like you have no crown Because deep down You were shut down

There is still hope When there is life Yes! You can still cope If you can see the light Yes! Even in the night

Oh listen up! Please listen up and take charge, You are better than the best Listen up! And oh! Please listen up.

beautifully written!

I wrote a poem using prompt 21 and I’m so proud of it. Comment if you want me to post it🤓

I bet the poem you wrote about prompt 21 is really good. I would like to read it please.

Mental prison, what a way to be trapped, being hidden, being snapped,

Clear glass is all i feel, apart from people, I hope I heal, I will never be equal,

I am different I am hurt raging currents people put on high alert but no one cares

No one dreads many tears I only have so many more threads

One day I’ll be gone but no one would care I will run away from the death chair

But until then

Mental prison what a way to be trapped being hidden being snapped

One day this will all blow away someday I will be molded out of clay but until then I will be lead astray

This is so darn awesome. It’s so deep and evokes the deepest of feelings🥰

I wrote almost the same thing omg I’m turning it into a contest entry

Inspired by No. 1! I am completely new to poetry, but I love it so much already! Here it is.

Perfection is Untouchable-

Perfection waiting, out of reach

Will I never touch it?

It always remain

Untouchable

No matter how hard I try

I will never quite reach

It will always remain

Though many people have tried

And seemed to have come close

But perfection’s not the goal

‘Cause we can’t quite grasp it

Perfection will always be

For all eternity

Looks like you are off to a great start!

Of Course, Silly Billy Me

”Well shit, I guess I lost my opportunity” the youngster retort

You see, for him, it’s all about his hurt – but she’s so educated, knows more about the rules of English than the rest of us.

Thus, to me she said… You cannot use curse words in a court report… you need to paraphrase his quote.

Into her spastic face I smiled – and pled my case

If you were my English professor back in the day, I could only imagine how much further in life I would have been…

”Don’t you mean farther in life?”

Of course, silly billy me.

This poem is called Secret Keeper and was inspired by #92. I hope you like it.

Everyone has a secret, Whether it be their own, Or someone else’s, We all have one.

But what if, You met someone, Who had a secret so big, That telling anyone would lead to horrible things.

And what if, That person told someone, And what they told them, Was more horrible than anything they could have ever imagined.

What if, That person told everyone, And when the parents, Of the kid with the secret found out, They were furious.

What if, They kept doing horrible things, Even though everyone knew, Even though they knew it was wrong.

And finally, What if, No one ever helped, The little kid with the biggest secret.

On number 28 : Poision I wrote a poem for it and would like to share it. The poision of friends and love

Beaten,she lies there. For they may be mistaken. Laughter rings throughout the school halls; a pure disaster. The dissapearence of parents hast caused this yet no one stops it. “Your a disgrace!” She heard them say. While in place she cries “I don’t belong here! Perhaps im out of place..” But she is not misplaced rather.. Shes lost in space.

I miss when you called me baby And I was in your arms saftely I know we drive eachother crazy But I miss callin you my baby

Those restless nights when I couldn’t sleep You calmed me down with your technique Always reminded me I’m strong not weak If only I let you speak

My heart only beats for you My feelings for you only grew You understood what I was going through I will never regret knowing you

Your smile melted my heart I wish we could restart And I could be apart Of a man I see as a work of art!

Stary night painting poem I guess ill call it

I raised my paint brush to my canvas So I could help people understand this This feeling of emotion for this painting has spoken I see the light as opportunity As for the whole thing it symbolizes unity The swirls degnify elegance and uncertainty For this painting executes this perfectly Where as my paintings let me adress Everything I feel I need to express!

#56 WHITE NOISE Faded away In the background Unheard Not visible

Eardrums splitting from the screams Yet none seem to care Can even hear my cries for help? For I am screaming as loud as I can

Are you? For all we hear Are whispers in here

Fading away in the background Unheard, invisible Yet it’s there, not loud enough Not noticeable, but there White noise Blank and pure In the background Faded away, yet so clear.

Just need to listen So open your ears She’s screaming for help But it’s muted to your ears

So open ’em up And listen to the calls For faded away, in the background Not visible, but clear. White Noise. It’s there.

Hi guys, I’m kind of late joining in. I read the prompts and the poems posted and this community is a creative bunch. I liked #35 People You Have Known. I want to share it with you guys.

Bern, a friend from grade school was my seat mate as well Rob had always teased me so my young life was hell Neesa was pretty, she knew that she was my crush Miss Homel, our teacher was always in a rush Played ball with Buco and I got hit on my head Fell in love with Cia, dreamt of her in my bed Had a tattoo with Marcus and called it “The Day” Chub challenged me to eat two pies, I said, “No way” I had to go far away so I wrote to Charie In this new place I found a friend in Perry My Grandma Leng passed away, she was a doll My grumpy uncle, Uncle Zar was teased by all These people have touched my life for worse or better Won’t be forgotten, be remembered forever

I hope that you liked it. Thanks guys. Thanks Think Written.

#37 fix it Still new to poems, and I haven’t written one in a while. Criticism is welcome because I need some more inspiration since I haven’t been getting any.

This is the body repair shop where we fix humans that have stopped how may we help you?

the girl stumbled upon the front door and spilled her list of regrets out into the open

“we’re sorry, miss” “but i’m afraid your first kiss will just be a dear old reminisce”

“your heart is also one that cannot be mended” “for every shattered piece- their lives just simply ended” the sewing kit can’t sew the fragments of her heart back because there were way too many to backtrack

she cried her heart out and it went “plop!” her tears like a river and like a lightbulb flickering its last light she too, took her last breath and was put to death

This is the body repair shop where we fix humans that have stopped “it seems we have failed again today” “sorry we’ll just try harder again another day”

I did poetry prompt #7. I wrote about the street I grew up on. Luverne Luverne, I moved onto you at the age of three. We like to race up and down your pavement road, either biking or running. You keep safe the house that I grew up in, one that has six humans and three dogs. You shelter other houses, too, that hold family friends and best friends to last a lifetime.

Luverne, we love you.

-Margaret McMahon

I was inspired by the prompt poison. Monster Roses are beautiful and delicate, but flawed.

Every rose has thorns that cause you to bleed.

Its innocence and beauty draws you in.

Only then when you touch it, it poisons you.

Am I really such an ugly monster, that plants pain an watches it spread?

I would say no.

Wouldn’t we all?

But maybe, just maybe a rose doesn’t notice it’s thorns.

-Lilliana Pridie

You said you’re only just starting?! That was sooo good! No criticism here. 🙂

Sorry, that was meant for “Ash” but yours was amazing too! 🙂

Prompt number 8: Street signs STOP Stop look and listen Stop at the corner Stop at the red light Stop for pedestrians Stop for cyclists Stop for animals Stop doing that Stop drop and roll Stop doing something else Stop shouting Stop whispering Stop talking Stop being quiet Stop posting cute cat videos Stop forgetting your appointments Stop making plans without me Stop eating all the yummies Stop running Stop the insanity Stop shopping Stop the never-ending commentary in my head Stop stopping Stop

Thanks for making this site and all its suggestions and especially this space to post our work, available!

I wrote from prompt #72 about moonlight. Shining down like a spotlight, Illuminating everything around you. The pure white light, Paint your surroundings in a soft glow. The round ball in the sky, speckled with craters like the freckles on your face. Looking down upon the sleeping earth, A nightlight for those still awake, a nightlight for you. Guides you, pulls you, lulls you towards it. It caresses your face with the light, casting away the shadows of the night.

I liked it I just wrote a small poem dedicated to my tutor and tutor just loved it .I used 21 good bye . I liked it really.😊

I just took up writing so bear with me.

Based on #72 “Moonlight”

A full bed Just the left side filled Soft, cold, baby blue sheets wrap around bare feet

She sweetly invites herself in Dressing the dark in a blue hue through cypress filled air, like 5 A.M. drives in January on the misty Northern coast.

Damp hair dances across grey skin, Waltzing with the breeze to Radiohead’s “How to Disappear Completely”

Euphoria slow dances with Tranquility Heavy eyes give in to sleep

Ladder to the Sky I want to climb the ladder to the sky I’m sure all would be well and that I could fly The ladder would be sturdy but still give me a fright Because looking down I’ll realized I’ve climbed many heights The higher I climb the greater the fall The greater the fall, the greater the sprawl But if i ever get to the sky up high I would be sure to hug you and say “goodbye” Once I’ve climbed the ladder I’ll know Sometimes its okay to look far down below Life is full of failure but soon I’ll find Happiness is a place, and not of the mind We all have ladders to climb and lives to live We all have a little piece of us that we can give Because when we climb that ladder to the sky We should think “No, life never passed me by”

Hi Ray, I love your piece.It gives one courage to face the challenges of live and move on.

Thanks for sharing the prompts Chelle Stein. I wrote this sometimes ago before coming to this site and I believed prompts #1 and #88 inspired my writing it. kindly help me vet it and give your criticism and recommendation. It is titled “SHADOW”.

My shadow your shadow My reflection your reflection My acts your acts

No one sees me,no one sees you Programmed by the Ubiquitous, To act as our bystander in realism

Virtuous iniquitous rises on that day To vindicate to incriminate My deeds your deeds.

Thanks for the seemingly endless amounts of writing prompts. I’ve been working on a poem, but it isn’t much.

She’s got my head spinning, Around and around; She’s all I think about, I can’t help but wondering, Does she feel the same?

Of course not, I’m just a fool; I’m nothing special, Just another person; Bland and dull.

How could a girl like her, love a guy like me? But the way she looks at me, Her smile, I can’t help but to feel flustered; Is this just my imagination?

It must be.

Wow! That’s exactly how I feel! Amazing poem!

Thanks so much, I’m glad you like it. 🙂

A massive thank you to thinkwritten.com for these amazing prompts. Some of these prompts have now formed the basis of my upcoming poetry collection (Never Marry a Writer) scheduled for release on January 1 2021. I will also be leaving a “Thank you” message for this website in the acknowledgements section. You have inspired a whole poetry collection out of nowhere which is highly commendable. So booktiful that!

That is wonderful news!

So I didn’t use any of the prompts but I wanted some feedback on this; it’s not great but I’m working on improving my writing skills

I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music I wonder if things will ever be normal again I hear light screaming through the darkness I want freedom from the chains trapping me in my fear I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

I pretend to float in the ocean, letting the waves carry me away from reality I feel a presence of hope like a flame on my bare skin I touch the eye of a storm, grasping the stillness it brings I worry about wars that a spreading like wildfires I cry when I’m not with the people I love I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

I understand feeling hopeless when you have no control over what is happening I say our differences make us special I dream to be a nurse, to help others when they can’t help themselves I try to do my best in everything I hope that all mankind will stop fighting and live in peace I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

HELLO EVERYONE.. THIS SITE IS JUST WOW, AS AND WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOPICS OR WAS NOT ABLE TO THINK UPON IT ..IT HELPED ME A LOT WITH HINTS TO BEGIN WITH MY ANOTHER POEM .. I M NOT A PROFESSIONAL WRITER BUT JUST A STARTER AND A STUDENT OF 12TH DIVISION.. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF MY SPECIAL CREATION , ALTHOUGH NOT FROM THIS SITE. HOPE YOU ALL WILL LIKE IT.

AU REVOIR GOODBYE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, I BID U FAREWELL UNTIL WE TIE AGAIN, SEE YOU SOON , SEE YOU AGAIN, LETS SAY GOODBYE FOR A BETTER DAY.

THE FIRE THAT BURNS IN OUR HEART , THE MEMORIES THAT PRESERVES OUR PAST. ITS NOT THE GOODBYE THAT WRENCH THE HEART , BUT THE FLASHBACKS THAT HAVE PASSED.

I RECOLLECT AND RECOUNT , MOMENTS THAT ARE HALF FADED AND RENOWNED, I ALWAYS FEEL SO CHARMED, THAT I HAVE SOMETHING, WHICH MAKES ME SAYING GOODBYE SO DAMN HARD.

TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE, WALK ON THE STREETS WITH GOLDEN TRAILS. FOR I M NOT GONNA WAIL, BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL MEET YOU SOON ON THE FORTHCOMING DAY.

I wrote a poem based on #101.

Thank you so much for the inspiration!!

And then it was there. What I had been missing. What is it? You may ask. Well, it’s quite simple actually. It’s the joy of music. It’s the joy of sitting down and making music. It’s the joy you feel when you look up at people admiring you. The joy you see in peoples’ eyes. I don’t know why I ever stopped that. The piano sat on the stage. Dusty and untouched. It’d been decades since I’ve seen it. I haven’t come to this stage since I lost her. After the concert. The last time I ever heard her voice. And yet here I am years and years later. Knowing why I haven’t been happy in so long. Of course pain is always gonna be there, But as I played a soft note on the piano, All of it seemed to disappear. It was as if all the weight on my shoulders got lifted. The melodious notes resonated around the hall. And for a few moments, I forgot about all the pain. I forgot about the tears. I forgot about the heartache. And as the last notes echoed around the hall, I was truly happy.

Prompt #92: Coming home with secrets

My mother’s radio sits in the balcony And it greets me with electric static Coming to this sheltering home is somewhat problematic Cause the walls are too thin, and it’s back to reality. Back to the running water that conceals the noise of cracks Crumbling behind my peeling mask, holding my face with wax An unraveled thread masking the makeup smile of a wakeup call That runs down to my chin and I keep under wraps. I take invitations to the mall, yet the space around me seems so small Nevertheless, I show my teeth with a big, shiny grin And suck a trembling breath through their thin slit Happy to wear tight jeans, to stop me from an embarrassing fall. The bath hurts on my skin, but even more to protect screams from the halls My head floats in the water, but feels trapped in its walls It cracks my head open with all these secrets inside me Before a blink of an eye, to my room I’d already flee. Not to the radio playing static or streets that won’t let me be But to under the blankets, where no one can really see The struggle to be a walking, talking, breathing secret That was thrown to the ocean in a bottle, wishing to be free. However, the words untold keep coming like ever so frequent Like adrenalized filled cops in pursue of an escapee delinquent All the more, my doppelganger and I have come to an agreement To take these secrets to our grave, that we nowadays call home.

Recipe for Happiness

Start with friendship, Then add time, A dash of humor, And forgotten binds. Mix it up, Till blended well, And make sure, To remember the smell. Put that bowl, To the side, Grab a new one, Add grateful sighs. Then add family, And a smile, Then sit back, And mix awhile. To that bowl, Add a laugh, A cheerful cry, And blissful past. Whip until, There’s heavy peaks, Then pour in, What we all seek. Combine the two, Then mix it well, Spray the pan, And pour it out. Cherish the memory, The beautiful scent, Of unity, And happiness.

My mother died when I was younger so this poem is about me sitting on the lawn at night shortly after she passed away. I was imagining better times, which is why in my poem I talk about how the girl is imagining ‘walking on the moon’ and she is gripping the grass tight and trying to remember the warmth of her mothers palms.

Sitting in the blue black grass She’s walking on the moon Watching specks of silver dance To the mellow tune Her fingers gripping the grass so tight She can almost feel The warmth of her mothers palms

The winds cold fingers

The winds cold fingers Tousle with my hair Loosening the soil My sobs are carried away on the wind

I would love to share this list (credited to you) with students participating in a virtual library program on poetry. Would that be possible/acceptable? These are great!

Wow! Thank you so much for all these awesome prompts! I’ve written two poems already!

Prompt #1 AND #15, untouchable and less than 25 words. i’m lowk popping off??

Apollo Commands the sun, which squints so brightly, scorches and freckles. i want her hand on mine. searing pain fears, still i reach out, and bubble.

I looked at the word “Duct tape” And thought about it. Its not anywhere in this poem at all but it inspired it yk?

Feathers are Soft

Feathers are soft People aren’t

Plushies are soft People aren’t

Pillows are soft People aren’t

People are mean Not nice Not joyful

well my poem is only loosely based on the second prompt because I found I had too much to say about Sundays. I would love to share it with you but these comments don’t support links.

Inspired by number 55 in list of poetry suggestions. Poem to song guitar chords. —————————————————-

Carnegie Hall

D I was feeling ecstatic G when I went to the attic A and found my auld busking D guitar

D But I felt consternation G I disturbed hibernation A at first it seemed quite D bazaar

D When I blew off the dust G it smelt like old must A but t’was time to give it a D bar

D It was then I heard flapping G which sounded like clapping A my first ever round of D applause

D It stayed with the beat G while tapping my feet A I kept playing despite all my D flaws

D I took early retirement G though not a requirement A “Bad Buskers” all get D menopause

D I’m strumming the strings G and the echo it rings A but no jingling of coins as they D fall

D So I play here alone G as to what I was prone A never made it to Carnegie D Hall

D Time to call it a day G as they used to say A for no encores or no curtain D call

D There’s a butterfly G in my guitar

D There’s a butterfly G in my guitar.

Finn Mac Eoin

23rd July 2022

I love this Finn, where can we listen to your song?

Hello I wrote this in remberence of 9/11. Its now sitting in ground zero. A ordinary day to start Same as any other Dad goes off to work again, Child goes with their mother. Vibrant busy city, busses, cars galore Workers in the offices, from bottom to top floor. Throughout our life situations Hard times often do arise, Unfortunatly we never think of saying last goodbyes. That’s exactly what happened on September 11th 2001 A day that turned the world so cold When tragedy begun. Twin towers has exploded Co ordinate attacks, Al-Qaeda behind the planes That seemed to be hijacked. Thousands were killed instantly Some lives hang by a thread, Calls were made to loved ones Onlookers face of dread. Fears & screams while running As smoke fills up the air, News reports on live tv Helplessly they stare. On the news we hear the voices of all who are caught inside, Lying next to injured ones Or sadly ones who died. One man makes a phone call My darling wife it’s me, I’m sorry that I upset you And that we disagreed. My offices have been attacked they’re crumbling to the ground, A massive explosion hit our floor then instantly no sound. If I do not make it I’m stating from the heart, I love you darling, & in your life I’m glad to play a part. Tell the kids daddy loves them Continue well at school, Stand up for all your beliefs Don’t be taken for a fool. The wife is crying down the line Darling please don’t go, I love you darling so so much I’ve always told you so. He replied my darling im feeling really kind of weak, Breathlessly he’s coughing, he can hardly speak. If you ever need me just look up to the stars, I will hear your voices And heal up any scars. Suddenly all was quiet The wife screams down the fone, Darling can you hear me, don’t leave me here alone. The towers live on tv start to crumble to the ground, Clouds of smoke then fill the air The world in shock no sound. Crying at the images of all who has lost their lives , Mums,dad’s , Nan’s & grandads, husbands & wives. Rescue teams included and all those left behind To All who were among them, all who did survive, All who were injured All who sadly died. Never in this lifetime that day will be the same For ground zero holds the memories Of every single name.

Those hero’s on that awful day who never thought about their life Who fought to save the innocent To keep each sole alive Those who were pulled to safety Those we lost in vein, Never be forgotten The pain will still remain We will never forget that tragedy For the days will never be the same. But may I say with all my heart In God we put our faith United we stand For eternity were safe Amen

This is a beautifully sad poem. You really wrote your way into my heart. <3

I wrote a poem inspired by number 72. Not really sticking to what it said but thought this was kinda close to what it said…

After dusk, the almost eternal night. The dark, winter sky, full of millions of tiny stars. The sky, a color of blue that seems darker than black.

Sunset, full of an array of colors. Purple, orange, pink, and yellow. Nearly all dark blue.

Right as dawn appears, practically the same sunset hours later. Light wispy clouds fill the sky. Orange, pink, and light blue diffuse in the sky as the sun awakens

Wrote one based off the recipe one (I don’t remember which number)

From the Kitchen of: any teenager ever For: Disaster Ingredients: Social anxiety Existential dread A crush Zero sense of self worth A single class together And no social cues

Steps: (Warning: Do NOT do this if your crush is not single) You’re going to try to talk to your crush. Just say hi. If that doesn’t work, don’t go forward with the rest of these steps. Once you’ve talked to your crush, overthink every single thing you said to them. Do it. Then you’re going to decide you’re stupid for overthinking it. Next, you’re going to wait until they begin speaking to you on their own accord. If they don’t, overthink some more. One day you will think your crush is waving to you in the hallway. They won’t be. They’ll be waving to their friends behind you. Play it cool and pretend you’re doing the exact same thing. Run into the bathroom and cringe at yourself. Keep talking to them and try to partner up with them for a project. If they say no, don’t continue further; you’ll only embarrass yourself. If they say yes, say you need their number for the project. Call them “about the project” and eventually segway into other topics. Continue doing this until you guys eventually call all the time for no reason. Ask them out. If they say no, do not, I repeat, do not act like it was a dare or a joke. It ruins everything. Say “oh okay. Well, can we still be friends?” and continue from that point. If they say yes, go on a date with them outside of school before asking them to be your partner. Eventually break up and either get your heartbroken or break someone else’s heart.

And that is how you make an average teenage disaster. Enjoy!

132 Best Poetry Prompts and Ideas to Spark Creativity

Many great minds considered poetry to be the superior form of art. It transcends mortality and the transience of human life and becomes an eternal monument of people’s existence and creativity. Poetry that was written hundreds of years ago can still mesmerize, astonish, inspire, move, horrify, and elevate us.

There is an unlimited number of themes that can be used to produce great poetry. Inspiration can find its way in a myriad of ways, so this is a chance for you to get your creative juices flowing. Poetry prompts can be of great help when you are trying to find your poetic voice, or trying to step outside your comfort zone. We hope that these ten sets of themes will bring the best of your writing skills.

Ideas for poems about different types of emotions

It is no wonder that the first set is dedicated to emotions. Poetry is almost synonymous with people’s emotional footprint. These 10 prompts cover a wide range of human emotions, so dive in deep!

Write a poem about a moment when you felt overwhelmingly joyful. Try to convey this emotion by depicting the setting, the time, and what prompted this strong feeling of happiness and joy. Was it a personal success? Perhaps a wish you’ve had for years finally came true. Whatever it was, draw from your own life experience.
Sadness is a complex emotion that all of us have felt. Sadness often gives birth to the most poetical literary pieces because many people have experienced grief, or unhappiness at a certain point in their life. Write about the cause for your sadness. Perhaps you experienced a loss of a loved one, perhaps it was a professional failure. Oftentimes, people feel sad when they had their trust betrayed by a person they considered a friend.
When was the last time you felt truly angry? Think of a moment when you suffered injustice at your workplace, or you were deceived by a person you love and trust. Writing a poem about anger can be a powerful poetic expression and a way to deal with your anger.
Write a poem about a time when you felt scared. It can be told from a perspective of a frightened child, or, perhaps, an adult afraid for his/her life. Sometimes fear is connected to certain expectations and uncertainties about the future.
Imagine that you feel very proud. What prompted this feeling of pride? Being proud is usually the result of an accomplishment on a personal or a private level.
Write a poem about a time in your life when you felt brave and powerful. Describe the circumstances that led to this outburst of bravery in a personal, or professional setting. Let the reader feel the confidence and resolution in your actions through the power of verse.
Alienation is a feeling that can be soul-crushing. All people experience some moments in life when they feel as if they don’t quite fit in, or are overlooked. The feeling of alienation is often linked to the feeling of low self-worth. Write about how you managed to overcome this feeling and who, or what helped you in the process. Many people will recognize themselves in a poem about personal alienation.
Another poetry prompt about an emotion is writing about anxiety. In these modern times filled with busy schedules, it is more than expected that people would feel anxious. Take a deep look within and try to discover the source of anxiety in your own life. Sometimes it is the workplace, sometimes it’s your love life, but sometimes people have existential crises that lead to anxiety due to life’s uncertainty and complexity.
Pessimism is a theme widely explored in poetry. People often feels pessimistic due to a variety of problems in their lives. Writing a poem about pessimism may inspire people to try and find another way to look at the world by seeing things in a new perspective.
On the opposite side of the specter is optimism. A poem about being optimistic often falls in the category of carpe-diem poems, or poems about seizing the day and making the best of every opportunity that presents itself in our lives. Write poetry about a bright time in your life when you felt that every new day offered a new chance to become better, happier, and more successful.

Ideas for poems about love

For many people love represents the meaning of life. With its so many forms, love is an eternal spring for inspiration all over the world and across generations.

A mother holding her baby for the first time is one of the most intense human experiences. Try to capture the deepest connection between two human beings that happens instantly. Find a new way to depict the unconditional love that is born with the birth of the baby.
Write a poem about love between siblings. Siblings, especially when they are younger, sometimes have strange ways of showing their love for one another. Write about the big and small gestures that describe the loving connection between brothers and sisters.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Describe the setting, the time, and the situation in which two strangers meet and instantly develop strong feelings of affection. You can write it in a form of a dialogue, or use love letters. You can also give their personal perspectives in different stanzas.
The theme is “a marriage proposal.” Imagine that this poem is written by a person who is planning to propose to their partner. List all the reasons why you think that these two lovers are perfect for each other.
Love stories are never absolutely perfect. Write about a fight between two spouses. Describe the circumstances and the reasons for experiencing anger towards the person you love. Present both sides of the argument. Try to find an elegant solution to the fight and end the poem with a reconciliation.
Not every fight ends in making peace. Unfortunately, some love stories end in divorce. Write about the complex feelings that the two ex-lovers experience in the process.
Unrequited love can be horrible and depressing. The world’s greatest literature includes poem about unrequited love. Try to draw from either personal experience, or from people who are close to you. How did you try to win the other person over? What was the major obstacle? Were you disillusioned about love afterwards?
Write a poem about the one who got away. Start by describing the first date, the first kiss, the first fight, and the last fight before the end of the romance. Write about the expectations you both had from the relationships, the red flags, the disappointment, and the lost love.
Write a poem about the love between your grandparents. How did they show their affection for one another? Which small love gestures did you enjoy witnessing as a child? What did you learn from seeing how much they still care for each other? Try to portray the respect and devotion of a long-lasting relationship.
Talk about love in general. Write about the reasons why it is a vital part of human’s experience. Meditate upon your own experiences regarding different kinds of love. Write about the ways in which love makes us better people. Find different ways to depict the manner in which love enriches our souls.

Ideas for poems about life in general

Life is mysteriously beautiful, complex, difficult, and painful. You can show your appreciation for it, by writing on at least one of the following ten prompts.

Growing old is an important part of the life cycle. Some people fear the inevitable end so much that they don’t live their life to the fullest. Others are older and wiser, so they happily pass their knowledge and wisdom to the future generations. Write about your own experience, or how the old age of family members has affected your own life.
Write a poem about a specific accomplishment in your life and how it has improved you as a person.
The main theme of the poem is “the life cycle.” Everything which is born eventually dies, and the cycle starts again.
Write a poem about the experience of a couple who is expecting a baby. Write about the overwhelming emotions, love, affection, and care that the future parents feel.
There are many obstacles in life, and facing them is an important aspect in a person’s life. Write a poem about the potential hardships in life and how they affect people’s lives.
Write a poem from a child’s point of view. Remember how you used to perceive the world and how you tried to explain things to yourself using child’s logic. The poem will depict the sweetly naïve child’s perceptions of the world.
Write a poem about hope. Life is hard and complex as it is, so hope is often our driving force. Think of a time when you were hopeful.
Write a poem about a usual, boring day. Find poetry in the monotony of life.
Write a poem about travelling to a foreign country. Capture the essence of changing scenery, and dwell on the way travelling makes us more open-minded.
Think of a time when you were badly hurt. Write a poem about how you dealt with the pain.

Ideas for poems about death

People from every culture and generation in the world have been obsessed with understanding death and what comes after it. It brings, sadness, nostalgia, wisdom. These ten prompts can stir your imagination and inspire philosophical thought about the most mysterious concept in the world.

Write a poem about the fondest memory you have of a person who had passed away. Why is this memory so special? How did you feel when this person died?
Death is often personified. Write a poem addressing Death as a person. What is it that you would like to tell him? What would you want to ask him?
Imagine that you are Death and you hate your vocation. How do you justify your actions? You can use a lighter tone for the poem.
Write a poem about a person who had a near-death experience. What happened to them? How did they survive? Did they change for the better after it?
Write a poem about a real or an imaginary genocide.
Write a poem about a person trying to deceive Death and reach immortality.
Write a poem about the death of a pet. What did you do to help you deal with the loss?
Imagine that you have only a day to live. What would you do?
Write a poem about the first time you understood the concept of death.
How do you want to be remembered after you die? Write a poem about how your death is going to affect your loved ones.

Ideas for poems about philosophy

People are gifted with intelligence, wisdom, and the power to think in abstract ways. People’s quest to understand the meaning of life and the world surrounding us is a fantastic basis for writing poetry.

Write a poem about what you perceive to be the meaning of life.
Friendship is a type of human connection that makes people happier and healthier in every possible way. Write a poem about your best friend, or somebody you’ve lost.
The thirst for knowledge is a concept that defines us as a human race. Write a poem about the eternal quest for knowledge.
Imagination is a distinctly human quality. Write a poem about the role imagination plays in creating art.
Write a poem inspired by the Machiavellian quote that the goal justifies the means.
Write a poem about people’s ancient desire to explain the natural phenomena by inventing elaborate mythological stories.
Write a poem about the good and the bad aspects of humility.
Patience teaches us a valuable lesson about controlling our desires. Write a poem about a time when you had to be patient when you wanted something.
Write a poem about the benefits from daily meditation.
Write a poem about perfection. Think of the combination of aesthetics and ethics and how perfection can be achieved.

Ideas for poems about everyday things

Sometimes the most poetic compositions are created out of the simplicity of life. These ten prompts can help you find poetry in the smallest of things around you.

Write a poem about your everyday little rituals.
Write a poem about raindrops slowly falling down the window glass while you’re thinking about your life in general.
Write a poem about a relaxing walk in the park. Use natural imagery, but also try to depict the noises you hear: rustling, splashing, chirping, etc.
Write a short poem about the simple pleasure one gets from eating a juicy piece of fruit.
Pets are an important part in our lives. Write a poem about the joyfulness from playing with your pet.
Everybody makes mistakes, so write a poem about apologizing to somebody for something you’ve done.
Write a poem about a sunny morning when you went out and bought some flowers from a flower shop.
Eating a dessert might be the most relaxing and enjoyable part of dinner. Write a short poem about eating a delicious dessert.
Write a poem about a time when you didn’t have electricity due to a heavy storm, so you had to read a book using a candlelight.
Think of an activity that relaxes you before falling asleep and write a poem about it. Perhaps the activity can be listening to Mozart!

Ideas for poems about time

Time, even for scientists, is one of the most interesting concepts. Its abstractness has served as an inspiration for many philosophical and literary works. The following prompts can guide you into writing poetry about different complexities of the notion of time.

Write a poem about a childhood memory that still brings you joy when you think about it.
Write a poem about the modern age we live it. What is positive and what is negative about living today
Think of a lost opportunity because the timing wasn’t right. Write a poem about the importance of using every opportunity, which is difficult because people often find excuses for their failures.
Write about a person who has wasted his/her youth. This person feels immensely remorseful.
Waking up after having spent a few months in a coma can make people reevaluate their life choices and decisions.
Write a poem about a time in the past when you experienced an epiphany – a sudden realization of great truth.
Write about the development of the human life, starting from the time a person is a toddler.
Describe the sunset and use it as a metaphor for the end of a person’s life.
Describe the sunrise and link it metaphorically to the concept of birth.
Write a poem about an antique clock.

Ideas for poems about different forms of art

Poetry has always been regarded as one of the most sophisticated aspects of human existence. As a form of art, it is inevitably connected to other forms of art. These ten prompts can inspire pieces that combine different artforms.

Write a poem about the feelings that overcome you while listening to your favorite music.
Write a poem about a Shakespearean play.
Write a poem about a mysterious painter.
Write a poem from the perspective of a ballet shoes.
Describe the images and stories painted on a Grecian urn.
Imagine that you are a famous painter looking at a freshly finished piece. Write a poem about the painter’s perceptions of a painting.
Write a poem about a day spent in a museum.
Write a poem about a film character that you admire.
Write a poem that will instruct actors on the manner that they should act, which is similar to prince Hamlet’s speech to the players.
Write a modernized version of a famous speech taken from a Renaissance play.

Ideas for poems about historical events

Historia est magistra vitae. Indeed, history teaches us about life. Numerous works have been written celebrating historical events, so this is your chance to use verses to do the same.

Imagine that you lived in the period of Alexander the Great. Write a poem about him.
Write a poem about the hardships in World War I.
Write a poem about life in the industrial revolution in England.
Write a poem about Martin Luther King.
Imagine that you are an archaeologist who makes a startling discovery in Egypt.
Imagine you saw the apple falling on Sir Isaac Newton’s head.
Write a poem about Queen Elizabeth I. She was an exceptional monarch that deserves literary praise.
Write a poem about the trial of Galileo Galilei.
You are Alexander Bell, the person who invented the telephone. How is the world different because of you?
Write a poem about Archimedes and his “eureka” moment.

Ideas for poems about religion and spirituality

If something truly separates us humans from the other forms of life on this planet, it is spirituality. The belief in a higher power is a distinctively human quality. Delve deeper into your own beliefs and spirituality and put your religious experience into words.

How can you restore the faith in God in somebody who seems to have lost it? How can you help this person find his way again?
Imagine that you are one of the three Magi following a star to Bethlehem.
Write a poem about a moment you felt that you are one with nature.
Describe your feelings after meditation. Write about the setting, your surroundings, and the feelings that come rushing in.
Write a poem about the afterlife. It doesn’t have to your own perception. It can be inspired by major religions.
Think of a religious temple you’ve visited. How did it make you feel? Where was it? Is it real, or imaginary?
Everybody has experienced personal hardships. Write a poem about a difficult period in your life and about your prayers to overcome it.
The death of a close family member, or a spouse can be the most traumatic experience in a person’s life. Write about your relationship to God after you lost somebody you loved. Did it change?
Write a poem about temptation. Did you give in to the temptation? How did you feel after that?
Imagine that you are God for only a day. What would you do with your power?

Ideas for poems about family life

The family life is in the core of a healthy society. Family ties can bring you joy, sadness, love, pride, etc. Use the following prompts to express your understanding of family life.

Write a poem about a child who gets a puppy as a Christmas present.
Describe a family trip to the ZOO. The tone can be lighter, and it can be told from the children’s point of view.
Write a poem about a family summer vacation. Draw inspiration from from jumping into the water, sunbathing, building sand castles, exploring cities’ architecture and culture. A summer vacation brings the best in every family, so you could go back to your own childhood in order to depict a realistic representation of the feeling.
You are celebrating Christmas with your extended family. Write a poem about the conversation around the dinner table.
Imagine that you are a mother, or a father expecting a child. You have created a new heartbeat in the world. Try to depict the wonders that surround procreation.
You are planning a surprise birthday party for you father and you’ve invited all of his close friends into his home.
Write a poem celebrating your parent’s 40-year anniversary. Tell them why this is a special event for you, how much they’ve touched your life, and how much affection you have for them.
Imagine that you are stuck with your sibling in an elevator for two hours. What are you going to talk about?
Write a poem about leaving the home you were born in and moving to anew place. Try to portray the strong feelings of nostalgia and the memories that arise from packing your life in card boxes.
Write a poem about an ill family member. Use your verses to make them feel better and to bring hope that everything will turn out alright in the end.

Ideas for poems about nature and travelling

Nature is a powerful and mesmerizing force that sustains us. We are a part of nature, and nature is within all of us. These ten prompts can serve as an inspiration for you to create an homage to this planet.

Write a poem about the beginning of spring and the new cycle of life. Use natural imagery, colors, and active verbs that would signify the awakening of nature.
Think of a city that you haven’t visited yet, but you really want to. Why is it so? Is it because it is exotic? Is it because of its architecture? Perhaps, you are more interested in the people and their culture.
Write a poem about a natural phenomenon. Are you astonished by it? Is it devastating for people? Focus on the power of nature.
Imagine that you are a raindrop and describe your journey.
Many poems have been written about the Sun and the Moon. Try to find a different angle when writing about them.
Write a poem about meeting an interesting/mysterious/funny person on a train in a foreign country. How did you start the conversation? How long did you talk? Did you explore the city together?
Imagine that you are on top of Mount Everest. How do you feel? Who are you with? How can you inspire other mountaineers to conquer the highest mountain peak?
The ocean, unlike the earth, can’t be conquered by humans. The ocean is too powerful and people are it his mercy during every voyage, regardless of the length. Write a poem about the respect people should have for this large body of water.
Write a poem about the change of seasons and the passing of time.
Imagine that you’ve been granted to power to fly for a month. Where would you go? Why? How do you think your life and perceptions will change after that month?

Ideas for poems with supernatural elements

Human’s imagination is limitless and astonishing. Centuries ago people would come together to tell stories, often incorporating supernatural elements in their accounts. By doing so, they were able to cause catharsis. Mythologies were created because people couldn’t explain natural phenomena. The fight between personifications of good and evil have been of great interest for millions of literature lovers. Here are 12 prompts to help you get started.

Imagine that you are moving into what others believe to be a haunted house.
How far would you go to save a loved one? Would you make a deal with the devil?
You are sage who gives advice to people you believe have kind hearts.
You are a dragon defending your family from human invaders.
Write a poem about a princess locked in a high tower and who isn’t allowed to look at the real world outside her windows.
You find a magic ring in your grandmother’s old casket. You can heal whomever you want on the expense of another human being.
A man who presumably has died at sea returns on Halloween to his old house to visit his grieving mother.
You have the ability to communicate with trees and gain wisdom.
Write a poem from the point of view of a werewolf.
Write a poem about the three Fates who decide on the fate of a baby.
Imagine that world is slowly disappearing and nobody could explain how. Offer a solution to the problem.
You have the ability to foretell the future. You see a great tragedy on a large scale that is to happen in a month. What do you do to stop it? Can you really alter the future with your actions?

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200 Poetry Prompts for your Next Poem

Post author By Onyemechi Nwakonam
Post date September 20, 2023
No Comments on 200 Poetry Prompts for your Next Poem

Poetry presents a powerful medium for self-expression and creativity.

Exploring thoughtful poetry prompts can help unlock stanzas that add beauty, meaning, and imagination to life.

Whether honing your skills or processing emotions, quality poetry prompts inspire impactful writing.

Prompts stimulate the brain and provide launching points for translating observations into verse.

From sensory details to philosophical themes, poetry prompts flex creative muscles.

An effective prompt intrigues and challenges the writer just enough.

In this blog post, we will delve into diverse poetry prompts to ignite your inspiration.

Get ready to let these prompts unfold your unique inner voice.

“Prompts in poetry also called Poetry Prompts are like little ideas or words that help poets get started with their poems. They can be a single word, a picture, a feeling, or a question. Poets use prompts to spark their imagination and create poems that express their thoughts and feelings. It’s like a jumping-off point for their creativity, giving them a starting place to write their poetry. So, prompts are like friendly helpers for poets to begin their poetic journey.”

Form Specific Poetry Prompts

1. Haiku – Write a 3 line poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the third line. Make it about nature.

2. Limerick – Write a 5 line silly or humorous poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme. Make the first, second, and fifth lines longer than the third and fourth lines.

3. Free Verse – Write any length poem without rhyme or meter. Use imagery and emotion.

4. Sonnet – Write a 14 line poem with an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme. Make it about love.

5. Villanelle – Write a 19 line poem with an ABA rhyme scheme using two refrains. Make it melancholic.

6. Sestina – Write a 39 line poem with a set of 6 repeating end words. Make it about longing.

7. Pantoum – Write a poem with repeating lines in an ABCA BCBD CDC… rhyme scheme. Make it meditative.

8. Ghazal – Write a series of couplets with a AA BA CA rhyme scheme. End them with a common refrain. Make them mystical.

9. Tanka – Write a 5 line poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, 5 in the third, 7 in the fourth, and 7 in the fifth. Make it thoughtful.

10. Ode – Write a poem in 3 stanzas praising something or someone. Use an ABABCC rhyme scheme. Make it joyful.

11. Ballad – Write a narrative poem with a repeating refrain. Use ABXB rhyme scheme. Make it about a legend or hero.

12. Rondeau – Write a 15 line poem with two repeating rhymes and a rhyme scheme of AABBA AABR AABBA R. Make it charming.

13. Rubaiyat – Write a quatrain poem with an AABA rhyme scheme. Make it philosophic yet romantic.

14. Ekphrastic – Write a vivid description of a painting or photograph in verse. Use imagery and metaphor.

15. Clerihew – Write a short 4 line biographical poem with an AABB rhyme scheme. Make it humorous.

16. Acrostic – Use a name or word to begin each line and create a poem from the letters. Make it a tribute.

17. Nonsense – Write a playful poem that celebrates language itself. Use made up words and absurd imagery. Make it silly.

18. Found – Create a poem using words and phrases cut out of magazines, newspapers, blogs, etc. Shape them into meaning.

19. Blackout – Take a piece of text and black out words to reveal a poem beneath. Use pages from old books or print articles.

20. Visual – Create a shape poem or concrete poem using the visual arrangement of words on the page. Make the form match meaning.

21. Surrealist – Write an absurd dreamlike poem using strange imagery, juxtaposition, and free association. Make it irrational.

22. List – Make a list poem using catalogs, litanies, aide memoires, and inventories as poetic form. Make it enumerative.

23. Shakespearean – Write a 14 line poem mimicking the rhythm, meter, imagery and form of a Shakespeare sonnet. Make it dramatic.

24. Praise – Write a poem extolling the virtues of someone or something meaningful using hyperbole and positive language. Make it adoring.

25. Elegy – Write a mournful poem reflecting on the death of someone important. Use imagery of nature to convey loss. Make it contemplative.

26. Autobiographical – Write a personal poem about your own life and experience. Use sensory imagery and concrete moments. Make it reflective.

27. Protest – Write a poem speaking out against injustice or corruption. Use repetition, rhetoric, and emotion. Make it persuasive.

28. Pastoral – Write an idealized poem about rural country life. Use nature metaphors and traditional form. Make it idyllic.

29. Blank Verse – Write unrhymed lines in iambic pentameter like Shakespeare’s plays. Make it elegant and timeless.

30. Epigram – Write a very short satirical or humorous poem ending in a witty turn. Make it clever and pithy.

31. Riddle – Write a short poem that describes something without naming it. Give clues so the reader can guess the subject. Make it mystifying.

32. Symbolist – Use objects, images and metaphors to evoke emotion. Avoid direct statement. Make it indirect.

33. Narrative – Write a poem that tells a story with a plot. Use techniques like pacing, dialogue, and imagery. Make it engaging.

34. Sonnet Sequence – Write a series of thematically connected sonnets with different moods and motifs. Make it varied.

35. Romantic – Write an emotional personal poem valuing freedom, individualism, and nature. Make it passionate and idealistic.

36. Dramatic Monologue – Write a poem from the perspective of a specific character speaking. Reveal psychology through voice. Make it revelatory.

37. Homeric – Write a grand epic poem in dactylic hexameter featuring gods, heroes, and mythic quests. Make it legendary.

38. Imagist – Write a precise visual poem focusing on images not ideas using free verse. Make it luminous.

39. Confessional – Write an autobiographical personal poem emphasizing emotional extremes and intimate details. Make it self-revealing.

40. Speculative – Write a fantastical poem based in science fiction, fantasy or mythology. Make it otherworldly.

41. Verse Novel – Write a poem that reads like a novel with characters, plot, setting and action. Make it narrative.

42. Procedural – Write a poem that follows an instruction manual, recipe or process. Make the form match function.

43. Erasure – Take a text and erase most of the words to create a poem from the remaining words. Make it fresh.

44. Light – Write a short delicate poem subtly capturing a transient moment. Use imagery and quiet language. Make it luminous.

45. Blues – Write a melancholy poem originally accompanied by guitar in an AAB verse form. Make it soulful and haunting.

46. Omen – Write a short ominous poem of prophecy using imagery and symbolism. Make it foreboding.

47. Invocation – Write a ritualistic poem calling upon a muse or spirit for inspiration. Use rhythm and repetition. Make it spiritual.

48. Recipe – Write a poem detailing the ingredients and steps of an actual or invented recipe. Make it abundant and enriching.

49. Children’s – Write a short playful poem using repetition, rhyme and rhythm to delight children. Make it imaginative and fun.

50. Landay – Write a two line poem or Afghan women’s folk couplet with 9 syllables in the first line and 13 in the second. Make it wise yet simple.

51. Chance – Write lines using randomness like drawing words from a hat. Let the poem form organically. Make it unexpected.

52. Voice – Write a dramatic poem in the voice of an inanimate object like a tree, cloud or bicycle. Make it vivid and unorthodox.

53. Rhyme Royal – Write a poem using 7 lines with an ABABBCC rhyme scheme. Make it stately and elegant.

54. Tercet – Write a series of 3 line stanzas with an interlocking ABA BCB rhyme scheme. Make it harmonious.

55. Cadence – Write lines of poetry built around the natural rhythmic cadence of walking or running. Make it embodied.

56. Recipe – Write a poem that reads like the directions for making or doing something. Make the form serve the function.

57. Color – Focus a poem on descriptions of color using inventive language and synesthesia. Make it vibrant.

58. Memory – Write about a vivid memory using nostalgic details, sensory language and association. Make it evocative.

59. Allusion – Write a poem referencing mythology, literature, history, or art through allusion. Make it learned and layered.

60. Elfchen – Write a tiny 5 line poem with 2 syllables in line 1, 3 in line 2, 4 in line 3, 5 in line 4, and 2 in line 5. Make it precise.

61. Dada – Write an avant-garde nonsensical poem using absurd imagery, made-up words, and wild juxtaposition. Make it weird!

62. Slam – Write a performance poem to be read aloud using voice, rhythm, and drama. Make it impassioned and inciting.

63. Song – Write lyrics with meter, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme meant to be sung. Make it melodic.

64. Rap – Write rhyming lyrics meant to be spoken rhythmically over music sampling and beats. Make it fresh and lyrical.

65. Spoken Word – Write a poem using wordplay, storytelling, and performative language meant for live recital. Make it dynamic.

66. Cinquain – Write a short 5 line poem with a specific syllable count. Make it succinct.

67. Ablaut – Write a poem repeating vowel sounds as a form of wordplay. Make it musical and lyrical.

68. Name – Write a poem inspired by the letters and meanings of someone’s name. Make it personal and playful.

69. Cut-up – Randomly cut up words to reassemble them into a poem. Let chance determine the result. Make it unexpected.

70. Bio – Write a short biographical poem encapsulating the essence of someone’s life. Make it resonant.

71. Kural – Write a short Tamil verse with two lines focused on a single idea, proverb, or theme. Make it wise.

72. Odin – Write a poem in three stanzas, two with four lines and one with three, using alliteration and kennings. Make it ancient and epic.

73. Palindrome – Write a poem or poetic line that reads the same forwards and backwards. Make it clever.

74. Kennings – Write a poem using two-word metaphors compound words instead of nouns. Make it imagistic.

75. Love – Write a love poem that captures the essence of desire, passion, heartbreak, or affection. Make it sincere.

76. Nature – Write a poem celebrating trees, storms, flowers, seasons, landscapes or animals. Make it lush.

77. Praise – Write a poem glorifying someone’s talents, deeds, character or accomplishments. Make it adoring.

78. Elegy – Write a mournful poem reflecting on someone’s death or a tragic event. Make it solemn yet beautiful.

79. Satire – Write a humorous poem mocking a vice, shortcoming or societal issue. Use irony and wit. Make it thought-provoking.

80. Protest – Write a powerful poem speaking out against injustice and corruption. Make it political and fiery.

81. Prayer – Write a devotional poem praising a deity, invoking blessings or seeking solace in faith. Make it reverent.

82. Epic – Write a long ambitious narrative poem like the Iliad or Odyssey featuring heroes and grand action. Make it majestic.

83. Ode – Write an exalted lyric poem formally praising someone or something of significance. Make it lofty and dignified.

84. Lune – Write a three line poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 3 syllables in the second, and 5 syllables in the third. Make it minimalist.

85. Tanka – Write a concise unrhymed Japanese poem in five lines following a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable count. Make it vivid and evocative.

86. Senryu – Write a satirical or ironic Japanese poem structurally like a haiku but mocking human folly. Make it humorous and insightful.

87. Free Verse – Write an open, unmetered, unrhymed poem exploring images, thoughts and feelings. Make it reflective and conversational.

88. Sonnet – Write a 14-line poem in iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme scheme. Make it elegant, rhythmic and thematically unified.

89. Villanelle – Write a 19-line poem using only two rhymes with repeated refrain lines. Make it intense and hypnotic.

90. Sestina – Write an elaborate 39-line poem with a complex repeating pattern of end words. Make it complex and mathematical.

91. Pantoum – Write a meditative poem using repeating lines in an interlocking chain. Make it cyclical and hypnotic.

92. Ballad – Write a narrative folk song with short stanzas and a repeating refrain. Make it musical and storytelling.

93. Concrete – Write visual shaped poetry using the arrangement of words on the page to enhance the meaning. Make it vivid and imaginative.

94. Acrostic – Craft a poem where the first letters of each line spell out a word when read vertically. Make it playful and clever.

95. Paradelle – Write a meditative poem repurposing lines like a double sestina. Make it recursive and kaleidoscopic.

96. Abecedarian – Write a poem where each line or stanza begins with a successive letter of the alphabet. Make it complete and exhaustive.

97. Rhapsody – Write an ecstatic poem praising something intensely and effusively with enthusiasm and joy. Make it euphoric and rhapsodic.

98. Recipe – Write a poem detailing the steps for making food using vivid sensory descriptions. Make it abundant, enriching and delicious.

99. Inherited Forms – Use traditional fixed forms and adapt them to fresh modern subject matter. Make it surprising and inventive.

100. Experimental – Break conventions and explore new possibilities in poetic forms, language, and subjects. Make it radically creative.

General Poetry Prompts

1. Write a poem from the perspective of a raindrop falling from the sky. Describe what you see and feel along the journey down.

2. Pick a color and write a poem using imagery and metaphors related to that color.

3. Observe a friend or family member without their knowledge. Write a poem describing their subtle habits and quirks.

4. Compose a poem using the items currently visible in your room as inspiration. Give each item symbolic meaning.

5. Describe your perfect day in vivid sensory detail through poetry. Let your imagination run free.

6. Go outside and find an interesting natural object, like a flower or insect. Describe its details and connect it to a deeper meaning.

7. Recall a time you felt truly alive and free. Convey that feeling in a poem.

8. Think back to your very first memory. Describe it visually using poetic devices like alliteration, rhyme, repetition.

9. Pick an emotion and write a poem that rouses that exact emotion in the reader.

10. Choose an historic event or person. Write a poem from their perspective.

11. Describe your biggest dream or goal in life in a short uplifting poem.

12. Write a poem about a struggle you overcame. Convey the obstacles and your strength.

13. Observe people in a public space. Write a poem incorporating snippets of overheard conversations.

14. Pick a song with personal meaning. Write a poem inspired by the mood, lyrics, or melody.

15. Write a poem as a letter of gratitude to someone who impacted your life.

16. Use rhythm and rhyme to turn a daily routine, like brushing your teeth, into an energetic poem.

17. Go to a park or natural area. Write a poem personifying an aspect, like the trees swaying or water flowing.

18. Write a silly or humorous poem using puns, nonsense words, or literal meanings.

19. Describe a delicious meal so vividly the reader can almost taste it.

20. Use metaphor and abstract imagery to describe a state of mind like bliss, anger, grief. Allow the reader to interpret.

21. Pick an animal and describe its movements and characteristics in a poem. Think beyond physical features.

22. Write a poem describing yourself to a stranger. Convey your personality with carefully chosen details.

23. Compose a poem using repetition of the first line at the end of each stanza.

24. Use similes and comparisons to describe a simple object in an imaginative way.

25. Write a poem with each line containing a color that conveys the mood of that line.

26. Use personification to let an object or place tell its own story and history.

27. Describe a picture, painting or other visual art in a poem. Move beyond the physical details.

28. Write a poem structured as a debate between two opposing things, like love and loss.

29. Pick an issue important to you. Write a poem rallying people to action.

30. Write a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a hidden message vertically.

31. Compose a poem using natural imagery to describe your feelings about a relationship.

32. Use rhyming pairs of opposites throughout your poem, like dark/light, brave/afraid.

33. Choose a quote and write a poem expanding on its meaning line by line.

34. Write a poem describing a walk you took, journey you made, or trip you went on.

35. Observe strangers and write a poem imagining their hopes, struggles, dreams.

36. Describe a sound you find comforting using literary devices like alliteration and onomatopoeia.

37. Pick an issue in the news. Write a poem from the perspective of someone affected.

38. Choose a monster or mythical creature. Describe its origins and purpose.

39. Use metaphor to describe a friendship or relationship in a new way.

40. Write a poem describing how you have changed over time.

41. Use rhyme and rhythm to turn a list of items into an energetic poem.

42. Describe a moment when you felt utter joy and connection to the world. Convey this elation through poetry.

43. Take on the point of view of an animal in nature. Describe a day in its life.

44. Write a poem sharing words of encouragement and motivation. Uplift the reader.

45. Describe a memorable experience involving one of the five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, touch.

46. Observe the moon. Write a poem personifying it and conveying its changing faces.

47. Write a poem made up entirely of questions that explore an abstract theme like love, fear, hope.

48. Pick a place you visited, liked, and left. Convey your fondness for it through poetry.

49. Write a poem describing a work of art that moved you or left an impression.

50. Use metaphor and imagery to describe an emotion without naming it. Let the reader infer based on your descriptions.

51. Write a poem describing a spiritual experience or moment of deep reflection.

52. Observe people interacting. Write a poem incorporating snippets of imaginary conversation.

53. Use rhyme and repetition to describe a process, like making a cup of tea.

54. Convey the feeling of experiencing something for the first time, like riding a bike. Describe the excitement and fear.

55. Personify an emotion like loneliness or heartbreak. Give it human qualities and have it narrate a poem.

56. Write a loving poem from a mother’s point of view looking at her new baby.

57. Describe someone you admire without naming them. Use metaphors to hint at who it is.

58. Pick an issue in your community. Write a rallying poem to inspire change.

59. Observe the sky. Personify the clouds, sun, moon, and stars in your poem.

60. Write a poem around a central theme or message you want to convey to readers.

61. Write a poem describing a work of music, like a song or symphony. Convey the sounds and feeling it evokes.

62. Pick a place that no longer exists, like a childhood home. Describe fond memories of it in a poem.

63. Use your senses to describe a pleasant memory associated with a loved one who passed away.

64. Compose a free verse nature poem focusing on sights, sounds, and imagery.

65. Write a short philosophical poem contemplating a deep question or issue in life.

66. Describe a failure or bad day poetically, showing what you learned from the experience.

67. Use metaphor and imagery to describe your life’s purpose or personal philosophy.

68. Pick an object and personify it, giving it human abilities to interact with its environment and share its life story.

69. Write a poem sharing an important life lesson you learned the hard way. Offer wisdom through poetry.

70. Compose a poem made up of advice you would give your younger self.

71. Use rhythm, rhyme, and literary devices to describe the experience of being on a rollercoaster or thrill ride.

72. Pick a job and write a poem about it from the worker’s perspective using sensory imagery.

73. Choose a fairy tale or story. Write a poem from an alternate perspective, like the wolf’s or the giant’s.

74. Use a string of metaphors to describe someone you love in a new imaginative way.

75. Take on the voice of a supernatural or mythical being like a ghost, vampire, or mermaid. Describe your world.

76. Write a free verse poem describing yourself or your life using nature metaphors and similes.

77. Compose a poem of thanks or praise to something abstract like creativity, hope, or your childhood.

78. Write a poem sharing words of support or encouragement for someone going through a hard time.

79. Pick an issue or cause important to you. Write a poem rallying others to lend their voice or take action.

80. Describe a beautiful landscape you visited powerfully using poetic imagery and devices. Allow the reader to envision it.

81. Use personification to let an object tell the story of its creation and history. Imagine if it could talk.

82. Pick an emotion and write a five line poem using each line to convey it more strongly. Build intensity.

83. Describe a stranger you saw in a public place, imagining their life and personality beyond their appearance.

84. Write a poem structured as a debate between two conflicting emotions, like joy and grief.

85. Compose a poem sharing an important life lesson through a metaphor or symbolic story. Offer wisdom obliquely.

86. Describe a type of weather using poetic devices. Convey the sensations and experiences it evokes.

87. Take on the voice of a plant or tree in nature. Describe your limited but rich perspective on the world.

88. Write a poem celebrating a historical figure or event through praise and vivid imagery.

89. Pick an item that symbolizes a relationship, time in your life, or experience. Describe it in detail.

90. Observe people in public. Compose a poem incorporating imagined snippets of conversation that hint at their lives.

91. Use a central metaphor extended through a poem to describe your life’s journey or personal growth.

92. Write a poem sharing words of gratitude or praise for someone who helped you through a difficult time.

93. Describe a memorable, fleeting moment in nature through poetry in great detail. Convey its power and beauty.

94. Pick a place you love. Use rhythm and imagery to take the reader on a poetic tour of its sights and sensations.

95. Compose a free verse poem describing a spiritual experience, enlightening realization or moment of clarity.

96. Write a rhyming poem describing a process through a string of verbs, like chopping, mixing, folding, baking.

97. Use similes and vivid imagery to describe a simple, everyday object in a fresh imaginative way.

98. Take on the voice of an animal. Describe a day in your life using humor and your unique perspective.

99. Describe someone you love without naming them. Use metaphors and objects to creatively hint at who they are.

100. Free form poem: Write freely about any topic or experience important to you. Let your inner voice guide the pen.

Poetry prompts are invaluable tools for stimulating creativity and self-discovery.

However, don’t become overly attached to any single prompt.

Allow them to gently provoke and guide, not control.

Keep practicing the art of channeling insights into imaginative verse.

Appreciate that poetry’s beauty lies in capturing fleeting moments and intangible concepts.

Your authentic experiences deserve expression.

Revisit your poems occasionally to appreciate your evolution.

Though rewarding, translating life into poetry requires courage and vulnerability.

By opening up, we better know ourselves and connect with others. Keep these prompts close by whenever inspiration strikes.

By Onyemechi Nwakonam

Hi ,I write poetry and short prose. I am excited to help you organise your writing journey.

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The best poetry writing prompts

Poetry is one of the oldest art forms in history, stretching back to the times when poems were sung and chanted as hymns around a bonfire, but even the greats back then had some help. While a poet of yore had to turn to technology-less sources in their life to find inspiration — music, friends, places, nature, even memories— these days you can simply go online to get the poetry writing prompts you might need to spark poem ideas.

Whether you’re looking to connect with your feelings on the page, understand your perspective on an event, or explore a past experience through the lens of words, poetry writing prompts are a great way to sharpen your writing skills and hone your relationship with language. We hope that these creative writing exercises can assist you in channeling those emotions and help you on your journey as a poet!

To get you started, here are our top ten poetry writing prompts:

Write a poem about fall.
Write a poem inspired by your favorite saying.

If you're looking for some more help writing a poem, check out this free resource:

How to Write a Poem (blog post) : A poem could be a six-word haiku, or it could be a two-hundred page epic in the veins of Kate Tempest’s Brand New Ancients. Whatever you’re looking to write, this comprehensive series of blog posts will take you through all of the steps involved in writing a poem: from the different types of poetry that you can write to how to write (and publish!) a poem.

Want to expand beyond poetry and learn how to write a short story? Check out How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten day course guiding you through the process of short story writing by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest , for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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A Selection of Poetry Prompts from 1200 Creative Writing Prompts

by Melissa Donovan | May 24, 2022 | Poetry Prompts | 15 comments

Poetry prompts from 1200 Creative Writing Prompts.

Today’s poetry prompts come from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts , which is jam-packed with ideas and inspiration for writers and includes fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction writing prompts.

Some of the poetry prompts in the book ask you to use a list of specific words in a poem. Some give you a topic to write about. Some ask you to draw on your life experience. Some give you images to use as inspiration for a poem.

25 Poetry Prompts from 1200 Creative Writing Prompts

Write a descriptive poem about a banana split: three scoops of ice cream with banana halves on either side and a big mound of whipped cream on top laced with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped nuts—all topped off with a plump red cherry.
Use all of the following words in a poem: tapestry, sings, eye, din, collide, slippery, fantasy, casting, chameleon, lives.
Write a poem about somebody who betrayed you, or write a poem about betrayal.
Write a poem using the following image: a smashed flower on the sidewalk.
The hallmark of great poetry is imagery. A truly compelling poem paints a picture and invites the reader into a vivid scene. Choose an image or scene from one of your favorite poems and write a poem of your own based on that image.
Use all of the following words in a poem: scythe, fresh, bloody, dainty, screaming, deadly, discovery, harrowing.
Write a poem about one (or both) of your parents. It could be a tribute poem, but it doesn’t have to be.
Write a poem using the following images: a “no smoking” sign and a pair of fishnet stockings.
You’re feeling under the weather, so you put the teapot on. Soon it starts to scream. Write a poem about the sound of a whistling teapot.
Use all of the following words in a poem: stem, canvas, grain, ground, leather, furrow.
The beach, the mountains, the vast sea, and deep space are all great for tributary poems about places. Write about the city you love, the town you call home, or your favorite vacation destination.
Write a poem using the following image: a pair of baby shoes.
Some poems are more than just poems. They tell stories. Try writing a poem that is also a story, a play, or an essay.
Use all of the following words in a poem: elegant, hips, fern, listless, twisting, bind, surprise.
Write a poem about the first time you experienced something.
Write a poem using the following image: a torn photograph.
Although holidays have deeper meanings, we like to truss them up with a lot of decadence and nostalgia. All that food! All those presents! Oh, what fun it is…Write a poem about the holidays.
Use all of the following words in a poem: burnt, spacious, metropolis, pacing, fiery, cannon.
Write a poem about an inanimate object. You can write a silly poem about how much you admire your toaster or you can write a serious piece declaring the magnificence of a book.
Write a poem using the following image: a small rowboat tied to a pier, bobbing in the water under darkening skies.
Now that time has healed the wounds, write a poem to someone who broke your heart long ago.
Use all of the following words in a poem: deadline, boom, children, shallow, dirt, creep, instigate.
Write a poem about streets, highways, and bridges.
Write a poem using the following images: a broken bottle and a guitar pick.
Write a poem about the smell of cheesy, doughy, saucy, spicy pizza baking in the oven.

Did any of these poetry prompts inspire you to write? Which one stoked your creative flames? Did you write a poem, or were you inspired to write something else? Where do you get your best creative inspiration? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

15 Comments

This is very helpfull

Thanks, Linda!

What’s the easie#t way for me to get my poems published? I’m 13 and would really like to see my works immortalized.

Why are you looking for the easiest way? The easiest is not always the best.

That would almost certainly be starting a blog and publishing your poems there. For the record, I think this is a fine way to publish poetry, depending on your goals. And the internet certainly immortalizes everything.

Use all of the following words in a poem: tapestry, sings, eye, din, collide, slippery, fantasy, casting, chameleon, lives.Use all of the following words in a poem: tapestry, sings, eye, din, collide, slippery, fantasy, casting, chameleon, lives.

that was prompt #2. this is my poem.

the world is nothing but a tapestry spun with lives. The world sings out calling, calling to everyone to join and help and make this one big cloth that changes color a chameleon cloth the casting is made from happiness but oh It’s just so slippery but hang on just as tight as your fantasy the life you’re living now. Your living in the eye of god It’s not as din as you might think You collide with oh so much you give chances and take them too And that’s what life is all about.

Anushka Joardar, age 11

What a lovely poem, remarkable for your age. Keep writing, Anushka!

I have just finished a novella of poetry and am looking to publish after I flesh out the last few details, but I have found that poetry can be harder to market. Do you have any suggestions there?

Hi Mackenzie. I’m not sure what a “novella of poetry” is. A novella is a short novel (a fictional story). Poetry is usually published in collections. Do you, perhaps, mean a chapbook of poetry?

Writing Forward is about the craft of writing rather than marketing, so I’m afraid we don’t have any marketing tips here. But there are other resources online that focus on marketing.

I have written poems and think writing prompts are very helpful. Here is one of my pieces: “Storms” The ground is shaking, splitting the earth The way my headache splits, unleashing the monsters of my mind and letting them fester. Rain soaks my skin The way tears once soaked my cheeks With salt and sadness. Now I feel nothing. The ground still splits The rain still pours. The world is moving and I am standing still, Unable to move with it.

I would LOVE advice.

Hi Lexi. Thanks for sharing your poem with us. I’m guessing that “12” is your age? If so, then this is impressive work for someone so young. This isn’t a forum for feedback and advice, but you’ll find plenty of articles and books to guide you in your writing journey. I wish you the best of luck.

Mother Nature and her kingdom are flourishing Her kingdom provides humans nourishing Her love for her creation cannot be tamed All of the land belongs to her, it has been named Nature’s songs can be heard through the birds They can’t be explained by words Her flowers sprinkle fresh smells The animals all have their stories to tell

She let us borrow her kingdom while it lasts We were novice to her kingdom in the past Now, what have we done to her? We have torn her dress Mother Nature has become less Her kingdom is destroyed Animals have fallen in our cunning ploys We have become doltish to her All her once gardens, are now a site of destruction People have brought ructions to her calm palace We have left her broken After she gave us her life, as a token! Please notify me if there are any errors. After all, I’m pretty young!

Thank you for sharing your poem with us, Ashley. It’s lovely.

really impressive

The Day We Met. A Poem by Ainsley, Age 13 (Almost 14) Prompt Number: 3, Getting Betrayed

Note: Hello! So, this poem is about a close friend I had. But we met online. We never met in person. We planned it all out. Whose house to go to, etc. She lives in New York, While I live In Washington. Then, well, she turned toxic. She was my first ever Internet Friend, and my first crush, as well as the first person who ‘kinda’ asked me out. She was also the only one I could text and or stay on a call with for hours on end and never get bored. We both love ukulele, writing songs, singing, Gacha life, Moriah Elizabeth, singing, roleplaying, videos games, etc. We trusted each other so much, we gave out our full names. After dm-ing on the app for a couple months (The app name is PicsArt Btw), we gave each other our phone numbers. Then go from there. This girl is like, 2 years younger than me. I mention “Jewls” at the end of the poem. That’s her nickname, and that’s what I’ve always called her sense we first shared our names. I also mentioned the word “Blocked” quite a lot. That’s because she’s blocked every single very small amount of social medias I have, which includes one PicsArt Profile, two Pinterest accounts, one Phone Number, four Email Accounts. I literally cannot contact her.

The day we met, I’ll never forget, The good times we had on those dark dark days.

The day we met, You said you’d never forget The laughs we shared on those boring old days

The day we met She’ll never forget That I covered for her on those crazy unfair days

The day we met I’ll never forget When we saw each other’s faces on that bright bright day.

The day we fought I never even thought That things could turn out in this way

The day we fought You never even thought That you could be so cruel today

The day I cried I barley even tried To get out of bed when I thought of your face

The day she smiled On the other side of the world While I was sat in a puddle of my wounds

Today, this day She’ll never understand That I miss her still even if she broke my heart

…and stomped on my dreams …and crushed my soul …and slashed my seams

That she turned upside down that I called her name That she turned around Just to laugh in my face

Then I ran away But I can’t let go And though she’s moved on I still seem to know That one part of her Maybe misses me? But then again Why would she want to make me bleed? And call me a liar A fake A Bitch A Freak A creep A jerk A maid A weak?

Why would she say she loved me? When all she did was dump me It had only been an hour And then she said I did something She got someone else to do a favor That broke my heart from the start Then we go around and yell through the keyboard And in the end, I always get blamed

Doors shut Now I want to say “I’m sorry, Jewls, please don’t go away!”

It’s too late now. It’s been weeks sense that day. But it feels like It happened yesterday

Cause I’m still as hurt And I’m still as torn As I was the day We said our last words

Now I’m remembering our times And saying to myself “The day we met, I told you I’d never forget.”

Thank you for sharing this, Ainsley. Keep writing!

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Poetry Prompts

Fiction prompts, creative nonfiction prompts.

Essays About Poetry: 5 Interesting Examples and Topic Ideas

Let’s look at some examples of essays about poetry and topics to use as a starting point for your poetry essay.

To many, poetry is like a massage for the soul. Deep lyrics, interesting connections, and reflections on the commonalities that connect all humans make poetry a language that can connect us all.

From Walt Whitman to Edgar Allen Poe, poetry has long been recognized as a form of literary art. Different from visual art, poetry allows authors to use diction, rhyme scheme, and literary devices to paint a picture for the reader. Some poets work to describe physical scenes or events with great detail, while others use language that makes the emotion they’re describing feel real to the reader.

There are many different kinds of poetry, from epic poems to lyric essays. Each poet must decide what poetry format works best to get their point across to their reader. It’s important to note that popular styles of poetry change over time, and readers can expect a different style from an eighteenth-century poet than from a poem written from a modernist perspective.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers

Examples Of Essays About Poetry

1. How Poetry Changed My Life By Shuly Cawood
2. 8 Reasons Why Poetry Is Good For The Soul By Kim Barkley
3. Top 20 Best Poets Of All Time By Bizhan Romani
4. Walt Whitman’s Guide To A Thriving Democracy By Mark Edmundson
5. “What Might Have Been And What Has Been”: How T. S. Eliot Looked At Lives By Lyndall Gordon

Topic Ideas For Essays About Poetry

1. who is the greatest american poet of all time, 2. what’s the purpose of poetry, 3. who was the most impactful poet of the twentieth century, 4. what makes a good poem, 5. social standing and poetry, 6. how does gender influence poetry, 7. working through trauma: how poetry and other creative writing can help, 8. poetry and social justice, 9. amanda gorman: who is the national youth poet laureate, 1. how poetry changed my life by shuly cawood.

It was Dr. David Citino who let me into his poetry writing seminar, Dr. David Citino who taught me how to take sentimentality out, Dr. David Citino who made it possible for me to stay in my journalism program and finish. Poetry kept me from quitting. This is one of the reasons that when National Poetry Month comes around every year, I can’t help but celebrate. Poetry did not just save me from quitting my journalism degree: poetry has been my constant companion and has guided me through upheavals, emotions, and changes and has helped me cope, understand, and let go.

Halfway through her master’s degree program in journalism, Cawood wanted to give up on her degree. She felt called to study poetry but knew that her journalism degree would give her the career opportunities she wanted after graduation. In this essay, Cawood celebrates Dr. Citino, her poetry professor, who helped give her the strength to finish her master’s program while learning more about the literature she loved.

2. 8 Reasons Why Poetry Is Good For The Soul By Kim Barkley

Have you ever sat there and not known what to write? Picking up poetry, reading through different excerpts from classic poets can blossom ideas you never knew existed. Reading and writing poetry makes you think of new ideas, but can also dramatically change the way you perceived old ones. It is a way to process experiences, visual descriptions, and emotions.

One of the most common arguments about poetry is that it doesn’t serve a literary purpose or educate readers on important topics. Barkley (rightfully) argues that this isn’t the case. Poetry can help children develop reading skills, open the imagination, and provide a safe space for authors to express difficult emotions that can be difficult to convey using traditional prose.

3. Top 20 Best Poets Of All Time By Bizhan Romani

Like art, poetry can be highly subjective as much of its worth lies in the emotional connection felt by its audience. It can therefore be difficult to judge poetry on its technical merits alone or to rank one poet against another. With that said, there are some poets that have made outstanding achievements in different forms of poetry, influenced literary movements, or left a lasting impression on pop culture.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your essay about poetry or you’re simply looking for a good jumping-off point to begin reading poetry in general, Romani’s list is an excellent compilation of some of the best poets of all time, including Sylvia Plath, Sappho, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, and more.

4. Walt Whitman’s Guide To A Thriving Democracy By Mark Edmundson

“Song of Myself,” arguably Whitman’s greatest work, can be seen as a vision quest. In the original version, which had no title when it was published in 1855, in the first edition of Leaves of Grass, Whitman begins as an everyday workingman. He is “one of the roughs,” the tough, laboring type who is depicted on the book’s frontispiece —shirt open, hat tilted to the side, a calmly insouciant expression on his face. Through a series of poetic and spiritual encounters he gains in experience and wisdom to become a representative democratic individual, one who can show his countrymen and countrywomen the way to a thriving and joyous life.

One of the most well-known and well-respected poets in American history, Walt Whitman is known not just for his descriptive, personal poetic style but also for helping to shape pre-abolition America. In this essay, Edmundson doesn’t just dig into Whitman’s life as he wrote his most famous works—he also discusses how Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Wordsworth influenced Whitman. Poetry is full of both original ideas and borrowed thoughts, and Edmundson works to explain how Whitman’s greatness was due to both his literary prowess and his respect for other greats of his time.

5. “What Might Have Been And What Has Been”: How T. S. Eliot Looked At Lives By Lyndall Gordon

Eliot acknowledges the routine plot of existence—“in my beginning is my end”—but he will reverse this: “in my end is my beginning.” Though, of course, this looks to eternal life beyond death, he is thinking also of the life of his ancestor, Andrew Eliott, sailing in 1669 from East Coker, Somerset, across the North Atlantic—a dangerous, three-month voyage—to Salem, Massachusetts. Here is one model life: the risk taker who can begin again in middle age, who takes off for a new life in the New World. This risk mirrors Eliot’s move in middle age to remake his private life during the thirties.

Twentieth-century poet T. S. Eliot seemed to have visions of a perfect life. Since he died in the mid-1960s, many people have been surprised to discover proverbial skeletons in the closet of the poet’s earliest works, including elitism and anti-Semitism present in his early poetry. Today, many wonder how Eliot’s poetry has remained ever-present in today’s literary culture. In this essay, the author suggests that despite Eliot’s unacceptable beginnings, his words—specifically those about how people do not begin to reflect on a person’s life until their death—remain relevant to today’s society.

Exploring the greatest American poets can be fun to delve into different poets’ styles, including Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, and Sylvia Plath. As you explain your opinion on which poet you believe is the best of all time, explain why you feel the poet you chose stands out among their peers. You may also want to explore current poets and discuss whether it’s possible that the greatest American poet of all time is still alive and writing.

There’s no doubt about it—poetry is art. Musings on the purpose of poetry can provide solid insight into how words can portray emotion. If you decide to write about the purpose of poetry, be sure to explain to your readers how poetry has influenced your life. Share examples of poems that have had a significant impact on you, and explain how poetry contributes to the betterment of society. Be sure to include quotes from well-known poets about the purpose of their work and why they believe they’ve been able to impact society by sharing their creative gifts positively.

Essays about poetry: Who was the most impactful poet of the twentieth century?

Poetry doesn’t just provide poets with an outlet to express themselves—it can also have a significant impact on society and make the world a better place. In an essay on the most impactful poets of the twentieth century, please explain why you feel the poet you selected stands out from their peers. From Maya Angelou to e.e. cummings, you’ll have myriad opportunities to discuss poetic excellence. Explain how the poet you chose affected people, social movements, and history.

While this essay topic is subject to opinion, you can write about what you believe to be a good poem and provide examples from your favorites to support your thesis. You may feel that epic poems that allow the author to tell a detailed story are superior to other forms of poetry, or you may feel that lyrical essays that describe deep human truths are key to the literary world. No matter what argument you choose for what makes a good poem, support your argument with quotes, and don’t rely too much on stories of how a particular form of poetry affected you personally.

Poetry can break down barriers and, in many cases, provide a common language based on shared experiences from people of varying social standing. In your essay about social standing and poetry, explore how poetry has been used throughout history to connect people in various economic situations. You may also want to delve into how poetry can be used to help people understand the experiences of others (for example, explain how poetry can help a person who grew up in poverty express their experience to someone who grew up in a different situation).

Male and female poets both have incredibly valuable offerings to the literary world, and it can be interesting to explore themes of gender within poetry. In your essay on how gender influences poetry, explore both poems about gender and how the idea of gender can influence a poet’s work. Discuss how societal expectations that go with traditional gender roles are a theme in the work of many poets and how rallying against traditional gender roles can cause issues, both in a poet’s personal and professional life.

Writing can be therapeutic, and many people depend on journaling to help them process difficult and traumatic events. In an essay on how writing can help people work through trauma, dig into the latest research on therapeutic writing. You may also want to interview a therapist or counselor about how they use journaling or writing in their practice to help their clients work through difficult issues. If you have personally been able to work through trauma with the help of writing or journaling, it’s fine to use a personal anecdote to begin or end your essay. Be careful that you don’t lean on anecdotes to carry the body of your essay, however. You’ll want to provide research-driven proof that writing can be used to impact mental health positively.

Social justice movements have been used to change the course of history repeatedly. In many cases, poetry has served as an important part of social justice movements, providing a voice to those deemed voiceless. In your essay about poetry and social justice, talk about social justice movements both currently and in the past, and refer to poems that have worked to inform others about social issues and create positive change. In your essay, you can focus on one facet of social justice (such as racism or sexism) or look at how poetry and social justice interact with a wider lens.

Amanda Gorman: Who Is The National Youth Poet Laureate?

National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman took the world by storm with her poem The Hill We Climb, which she read aloud at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration ceremony. In your essay on Gorma, be sure to talk about her past, her education (a Harvard graduate), her rise to fame, and her goals for the future–she has her eyes set on a future presidential run.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Amanda has an M.S.Ed degree from the University of Pennsylvania in School and Mental Health Counseling and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. She has experience writing magazine articles, newspaper articles, SEO-friendly web copy, and blog posts.

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A Guide to Lyric Essay Writing: 4 Evocative Essays and Prompts to Learn From

Poets can learn a lot from blurring genres. Whether getting inspiration from fiction proves effective in building characters or song-writing provides a musical tone, poetry intersects with a broader literary landscape. This shines through especially in lyric essays, a form that has inspired articles from the Poetry Foundation and Purdue Writing Lab , as well as become the concept for a 2015 anthology titled We Might as Well Call it the Lyric Essay.

Put simply, the lyric essay is a hybrid, creative nonfiction form that combines the rich figurative language of poetry with the longer-form analysis and narrative of essay or memoir. Oftentimes, it emerges as a way to explore a big-picture idea with both imagery and rigor. These four examples provide an introduction to the writing style, as well as spotlight tips for creating your own.

1. Draft a “braided essay,” like Michelle Zauner in this excerpt from Crying in H Mart .

Before Crying in H Mart became a bestselling memoir, Michelle Zauner—a writer and frontwoman of the band Japanese Breakfast—published an essay of the same name in The New Yorker . It opens with the fascinating and emotional sentence, “Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart.” This first line not only immediately propels the reader into Zauner’s grief, but it also reveals an example of the popular “braided essay” technique, which weaves together two distinct but somehow related experiences.

Throughout the work, Zauner establishes a parallel between her and her mother’s relationship and traditional Korean food. “You’ll likely find me crying by the banchan refrigerators, remembering the taste of my mom’s soy-sauce eggs and cold radish soup,” Zauner writes, illuminating the deeply personal and mystifying experience of grieving through direct, sensory imagery.

2. Experiment with nonfiction forms , like Hadara Bar-Nadav in “ Selections from Babyland . ”

Lyric essays blend poetic qualities and nonfiction qualities. Hadara Bar-Nadav illustrates this experimental nature in Selections from Babyland , a multi-part lyric essay that delves into experiences with infertility. Though Bar-Nadav’s writing throughout this piece showcases rhythmic anaphora—a definite poetic skill—it also plays with nonfiction forms not typically seen in poetry, including bullet points and a multiple-choice list.

For example, when recounting unsolicited advice from others, Bar-Nadav presents their dialogue in the following way:

I heard about this great _____________.

a. acupuncturist

b. chiropractor

d. shamanic healer

e. orthodontist ( can straighter teeth really make me pregnant ?)

This unexpected visual approach feels reminiscent of an article or quiz—both popular nonfiction forms—and adds dimension and white space to the lyric essay.

3. Travel through time , like Nina Boutsikaris in “ Some Sort of Union .”

Nina Boutsikaris is the author of I’m Trying to Tell You I’m Sorry: An Intimacy Triptych , and her work has also appeared in an anthology of the best flash nonfiction. Her essay “Some Sort of Union,” published in Hippocampus Magazine , was a finalist in the magazine’s Best Creative Nonfiction contest.

Since lyric essays are typically longer and more free verse than poems, they can be a way to address a larger idea or broader time period. Boutsikaris does this in “Some Sort of Union,” where the speaker drifts from an interaction with a romantic interest to her childhood.

“They were neighbors, the girl and the air force paramedic. She could have seen his front door from her high-rise window if her window faced west rather than east,” Boutsikaris describes. “When she first met him two weeks ago, she’d been wearing all white, buying a wedge of cheap brie at the corner market.”

In the very next paragraph, Boutskiras shifts this perspective and timeline, writing, “The girl’s mother had been angry with her when she was a child. She had needed something from the girl that the girl did not know how to give. Not the way her mother hoped she would.”

As this example reveals, examining different perspectives and timelines within a lyric essay can flesh out a broader understanding of who a character is.

4. Bring in research, history, and data, like Roxane Gay in “ What Fullness Is .”

Like any other form of writing, lyric essays benefit from in-depth research. And while journalistic or scientific details can sometimes throw off the concise ecosystem and syntax of a poem, the lyric essay has room for this sprawling information.

In “What Fullness Is,” award-winning writer Roxane Gay contextualizes her own ideas and experiences with weight loss surgery through the history and culture surrounding the procedure.

“The first weight-loss surgery was performed during the 10th century, on D. Sancho, the king of León, Spain,” Gay details. “He was so fat that he lost his throne, so he was taken to Córdoba, where a doctor sewed his lips shut. Only able to drink through a straw, the former king lost enough weight after a time to return home and reclaim his kingdom.”

“The notion that thinness—and the attempt to force the fat body toward a state of culturally mandated discipline—begets great rewards is centuries old.”

Researching and knowing this history empowers Gay to make a strong central point in her essay.

Bonus prompt: Choose one of the techniques above to emulate in your own take on the lyric essay. Happy writing!

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