Do you want to start writing poetry, but don't know where to start? Poetry can be an obscure and daunting form, but it doesn't have to be. This article outlines some prompts you can use to get started, many of which I gained from attending various poetry workshops.
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)1. Write Abecedarian Poetry
An abecedarian poem is a poetic form where you go through the alphabet, starting each line as a new letter, A...B...C... and so on. If you are feeling uninspired, the limits of the form can be a great place to gain some ideas.
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2. Write Blackout Poetry
Blackout poetry is taken from another written source, such as a news article, magazine page, a book, or even another poem. The goal of blackout poetry is to black out, or cover, words to create something new using what remains.
Image Credit: Kevin Hodgson from Wikimedia
3. Write Observational Poetry
Take a look around you. Where are you right now? Are you sitting at your desk?
Are you outside? Think about what you can hear, see, smell, taste, and feel. Write a poem about it.
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4. Write a Golden Shovel
The original "Golden Shovel" was written by Terrance Hayes after Gwendolyn Brooks. Hayes took Brooks' "We Real Cool" and used each word in the poem as the last word in every line in his golden shovel, moving to the subsequent word in the next line. When writing your golden shovel, you can use an entire poem or start small with one line.
5. Write Ekphrastic Poetry
Ekphrastic poetry is one of my favorite poetic forms. Take an artwork or photo and write using it as inspiration. You could think about colors, brushstrokes, or subject, etc.
Rattle hosts a monthly Ekphrastic Challenge, a great place to look for sample Ekphrastic poems and artworks to inspire your poetry. If you're up for it, you can even submit to their challenge!
Image Credit: Vincent van Gogh from Wikimedia
6. Write a "Portrait"
Study the actions of someone around you, whether they're your parents, a neighbor, or a barista at a café. Imagine what they might be thinking based on their actions. Write a poem about it.
7. Write Anti-You Poetry
Think about how you write poetry. Do you use a lot of line breaks? Many m-dashes?
Not a lot of punctuation? Do you like to write about nature? Challenge yourself to do the exact opposite of your habits. If you like using line breaks, write with no line breaks. If you like to write about nature, challenge yourself to write about something industrial. You never know where breaking away from your habits may take you.
8. Write Super-You Poetry
Do the opposite of Anti-You poetry. Make your habits even more visible. If you like to use m-dashes, use them even more often.
If you don't use a lot of punctuation, use no punctuation. Reinforcing your habits and style could help you discover and increase your presence.
Conclusion
These are just some examples of prompts you could use for poetic inspiration. If you are looking for further prompts, Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano's The Daily Poet is a great book to peruse; the "portrait" prompt is borrowed from their prompt for July 26. As an avid poet, I wish you luck in all your poetic endeavors!
