Poetry Writing Prompts

Crafting these 10 poetry writing prompts harkens back to my days taking poetry writing classes back at school. I also took several classes that delved deeply into poetry of the past such as Shakespeare and 18th century literature. I was one of those funny poets: crafting works on subjects ranging from cheese steaks to naked ladies. I'll stay away from such "high brow" topics in creating this list of poetry writing prompts.

1. Many great poems have been written on the subject of innocence. Write a poem about a characters who has learned something wise and worldly and has lost his or her innocence in the process.

2. The world of the dream is ripe for poetic exploration. Create verse based on a dream you've had. Why do you think you had the dream on that day in particular?

3. A poetry teacher once told me that all poetry is about love or death. Craft a poem about the death of a loved one.

4. Write a poem about an important worldwide event through the eyes of a child.

5. Dost though wish to face a challenge with thy pen? Make thy mark upon a paper sheet with a poem in a style Shakespearian in form.

6. Create a poem about a simple event with a major impact using only 10 words. Re-write the same poem with 100 words or more. Which conveys the occurrence more successfully in your opinion?

7. Use a poem to write about one of your biggest life goals. Make sure that your confidence (or lack thereof) of the goal coming true is expressed.

8. Craft a love poem to the person you care about the most. Make it a straight up sonnet if you're up to the challenge.

9. Some of the most immortal poems that have stood the test of time are about epic journeys. Write a poem about such a journey in your life (or make one up) that is as grand in scale as the Odyssey or the Aeneid.

10. Come up with a poem about your favorite activity. Include why it is you're so fond of it, how you feel when you're involved in it and how important a part of your life it is.

I hope you get a lot of use out of these poetry writing prompts. This site contains over 1,000 prompts that can be adapted for your poetic purposes. If you're like them all in one place, check out my book 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More.

Done with Poetry Writing Prompts? Go back to Creative Writing Prompts.