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25 Slam Poetry Examples (Plus Explanation and History)

Exciting, interactive, and inspiring for all ages.

Poetry has come a long way since Horatian odes and Shakespearean sonnets. While these types of poems can be a hard sell in the classroom, other forms might inspire a little more excitement. Our suggestion? Include slam poetry examples in your lesson plans! This unique performance art can really help you meet kids where they are and teach them that poetry is as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago.

What is slam poetry?

This spoken-word performance art seeks to bring a new life and excitement to poetry. Poets perform their poems in front of audiences at competitive events called poetry slams. They do more than just read their poem—they turn it into a high-energy performance with movement, storytelling, and other theatrical elements. Authors may perform on their own or with a larger group.

Often, the poems used at these events are specifically written to be performed. The topics are diverse, frequently political, and thought-provoking. Slam poets want their audiences to feel an emotional response, whether positive or negative. Cheers and calls fill the room as the audience expresses their opinions, making the experience interactive for everyone.

Is slam poetry a poetry genre?

It’s worth noting that not everyone considers “slam poetry” to be a genre of its own. Founder Marc Kelly Smith once said, “There is no such thing as slam poetry. There is only the poetry slam.” In other words, any poem can be performed at a poetry slam without necessarily being specifically written as slam poetry.

That being said, this form of poetry has taken off in such a dynamic way that many sources now consider “slam poetry” to be its own genre . When using this term with students, you may want to share that any poem performed at a slam could be called “slam poetry,” but not everyone considers that term valid.

How did slam poetry start?

In the 1960s, beat poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg introduced a new performance style that caught on with the younger crowd. In the 1980s, a man named Marc Kelly Smith took that concept and brought it a new audience. He was a Chicago poet who wanted shake up the stuffy, academic image of poetry, making it more accessible to everyone. The first National Poetry Slam took place in 1990, and the medium has remained popular ever since.

Why should I use slam poetry with my students?

If your kids roll their eyes when you embark on a poetry unit, try including slam poetry videos or performances in your curriculum. This genre really turns student expectations upside down! Here are a few reasons you should be teaching it:

• Slam poetry is diverse and inclusive. Poetry slams draw people of all types, and students are more likely to see themselves represented.
• The experience is interactive, for both poets and the audience. Kids often think of poetry as quiet and boring, and poetry slams are anything but!
• It gives students a way to explore emotional and intense topics. Many poems performed at slams address political or social themes, encouraging students to tap into their emotions and consider others’ points of view.
• Slam poetry engages multiple learning styles. Reading, writing, performance, storytelling, discussion, and more … it’s all here.
• It’s fun! Seriously, this is like nothing kids have seen before.

The best way to understand a poetry slam is to see it in action. Check out the inspiring examples below to learn more. Note: Poems performed at slams often address heavy political or social topics. Always view videos in advance to make sure they’re appropriate for your audience.

Slam Poetry Examples by Kids and Teens

When your students tell you that only adults can write poems, prove them them wrong with these terrific examples of slam poetry by kids just like them. Some are on lighter subjects, terrific for introducing the concept to little ones. Others tackle the social injustices and political subjects that slam poetry is known for.

I Am a Poem!

Saverio doesn’t just love poems—he is a poem. His clever use of language and poetry terms reminds students that they can find themselves in any literature genre or style. They just have to look.

Soccer Is an Awesome Sport

Slam poetry truly comes to life when you hear it out loud. Riya’s simple poem about soccer abounds with energy through her delivery and excitement.

Here’s another example of how delivery sets slam poems apart from the rest. These young poets share their thoughts on cats in a way that will make you laugh … and make you think. They subvert expectations, which is what good art is all about.

Where I’m From

This brief but inspiring poem from 11-year-old Ruben captures one child’s life in a few short verses. This is a great way to encourage your students to write their own slam poem using the phrase “Where I’m From.”

Mathematical Blues

Here’s a topic so many kids can relate to: the challenges of math class. The rhyme and rhythm here are great, and the words sum up what lots of this young poet’s peers are thinking every day.

Notes to Beauty

Mel and Alana know that beauty comes in so many different forms, and their poem celebrates them all. Their pop culture references help kids connect with the topic, while their straightforward delivery draws the audience in from the start.

When you’re a teen, you think a lot about growing up. Sometimes you feel so much older and long for childhood. Other times, you feel so young, too young, and wish for more. Anthony’s slam poetry performance captures all these feelings in a way anyone can relate to.

Why Am I Not Good Enough?

Seventh grader Olivia wrote and performed this poem for a class project. Her central theme, “Why am I not good enough?” asks a universal question that so many teens grapple with every day.

Sixteen-year-old Chris Loos uses his slam performance to express what it feels like to live with ADHD, OCD, and other “mental disorders.” This powerful piece will speak directly to other students like him. Plus, it will open the minds of those who can’t imagine what it feels like to live this way every day.

Kids These Days

These kids are tired of being labeled, stereotyped, and overgeneralized, especially when it comes to their use of technology. Their performance celebrates the advantages they feel technology is giving their generation, and encourages adults to do the same.

“They tell me I’m not Mexican,” Leticia says. But her poem spells out all the ways she embraces and values her background and culture. Regardless of your students’ ethnicities, they’ll see themselves in this search for identity.

A Jewish Girl and a Muslim Girl

Amina and Hannah come from different religions and cultures, but their poem performance celebrates the common ground they share. It’s full of both despair and hope, making connections that unite them.

Somewhere in America

Anger, despair, and fear pour out through the words in this powerful performance. Belissa, Rhiannon, and Zariya ask important questions about American values with an intensity that draws in every viewer. This one is written and performed by kids, but it addresses adult-level topics.

All Lives Matter, but …

Like much slam poetry, Royce’s piece attacks a social and political subject: Black Lives Matter. Viewers feel his anger and fear through his words and his delivery.

Levi gave himself a black eye trying to do a somersault. For days, people told him he should make up a better story, like being in a bar fight. He uses his slam poetry performance to fight back against toxic masculinity. (Some PG-13 language.)

Slam Poetry Examples by Adults

These slam poems include award winners and those by famous poets. The topics are often challenging and the language intense, so some of these might be best saved for teens in high school lit classes.

Alexander Hamilton

OK, first things first: This isn’t exactly slam poetry. Slam poetry generally doesn’t include music made with instruments. But Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original performance of the opening number of the smash musical Hamilton was obviously inspired by the genre. Note that there’s very little singing—it’s all about the rhyme, rhythm, and flow of the words. You could remove the music, and the impact would be very much the same.

My Father’s Coat

Marc Kelly Smith is often considered the founder of the slam poetry movement. Watch him perform one of his most well-known poems, a thought-provoking piece about whether a father’s coat really fits his son.

Harry Baker’s slam poetry uses puns and humor to tell poignant stories. In this one, prime number 59 stops yearning after perfect 60 and falls in love with 61, a prime example of a love story.

What Kind of Asian Are You?

Alex Yang knows what it feels like to be lumped together, to have his individuality stripped away. He shares those feelings and experiences in this intense slam poetry performance.

Sarah Kay is a well-known poet, sometimes performing with her partner, Phil Kaye (no relation). In this work, she calls herself the most unreliable of narrators, noting that she constantly lies to herself. “I am the center of my own dramatic universe,” she notes. What teen can’t relate to that?

To This Day

Shane’s captivating poem about bullying took the world by storm. He edited his original TED Talk performance video to use in school talks. ( If you’d like to see the whole thing, find it here. )

Totally Like Whatever, You Know

Taylor Mali wonders when we stopped speaking with conviction and turned everything into a question. Your students will definitely recognize themselves in the speech patterns of this poem, and it might just change the way they think—and talk. (Mali is a former classroom teacher, by the way, and educators will connect with his poem What Teachers Make .)

My Honest Poem

What starts out as a list of facts turns into a deeper look at identity. Rudy Francisco’s poems are powerful but relatable, and many of them are great for the classroom.

Before he starts his poem, Nkosi Nkululeko has a few thoughts to share. And then a few more. And a few more after that …

Ode to Sister

If your students still aren’t sure about slam poetry, remind them about Brandon Leake, who ultimately won the 2020 season of America’s Got Talent with his incredible compositions. Here’s his initial audition, which even Simon Cowell couldn’t criticize.

Do poetry slams have rules?

Though different events may set their own rules, here are some of the common guidelines of poetry slams .

• Any style of poetry is acceptable, but the author generally must be involved in performing their own poem.
• There’s no need to memorize your poem, though many do. Poets are welcome to use notes on paper or in digital form.
• Poem performances are usually limited to three minutes or less.
• No props or costumes are allowed, although you may dress in a way that matches the theme or mood of your poem.
• Performances cannot include pre-recorded music or sound effects or musical instruments. However, the performer is welcome to add their own sounds by beatboxing, singing, clapping, or using their body in other ways.

How are competitions judged?

Poetry slams are often judged competitions, each with its own rules. Usually a panel of judges is chosen in advance. They may be people with expertise in poetry, or they could just be people from the audience. The judges award scores, often on a scale of 1 to 10. (In some competitions, they drop the highest and lowest scores.) These individual scores are added together to give a final score. The highest score wins the competition.

How do I hold a poetry slam?

Thinking of holding your own slam? Go for it! Just remember that not all students are comfortable performing in front of their peers. Plus, be sure to offer some guidance to the audience on constructive ways to offer their feedback. These resources can help:

• How To Host Your Own Schoolwide Poetry Slam
• Poetry4Kids : How To Host a Poetry Slam
• Become a Writer Today : How To Poetry Slam—A Detailed Guide

Looking for more ways to inspire students with poetry? Check out 15 Types of Poetry To Share With Kids (Plus Examples of Each) .

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25+ Slam Poems Appropriate for Middle School and High School

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Slam Poetry Unit Plan Poems and Transcripts: Identity & Assumptions

I hope you and your students enjoy the unit!

These are the corresponding slam poem videos and transcripts that go along with the Identity and Assumptions Slam Poetry Unit Plan.

Quick request: Would you mind leaving a review on TPT ?

That helps me keep helping you! (Did you know you get TPT credit when you leave feedback?) In addition to the fact that it makes my WEEK to hear how it went in your classroom. I would love to hear from you.

If you need help on how to leave a review, here’s a why and how-to .

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***Important****: Please ALWAYS preview slam poetry videos before showing them to your students.

I strove to pick slam poems that were powerful and topical, but that meant that a couple had one or two moments where you many need to censor content, or a couple where the topic is extremely complex.   I am not responsible for any inappropriate material shown to students, which is why it’s critical you preview the poems.

A couple tips for censoring poems yourself:

• Manually censor by muting and un-muting it as it’s playing for students (I’ve found this to attract the least attention from students).
• Pause it, skip ahead, and continue on.
• Choose an alternative poem from Day 11.

I tried to flag minute markers below to help in this process, but PLEASE, always preview in entirety before showing.

Click below to jump to that day’s slam poem and lesson materials:

“Touchscreen” Transcript

“We’re just a little too caught up” transcript (click “View Transcript” below the video)

“Times I’ve Been Mistaken for a Girl” Transcript

“Ebonics 101” Video- Flag: 2:10-2:14

“Ebonics 101” Transcript – Click the three dots under the Youtube video, and then click “Open Transcript.” The transcript should pop up next to the Youtube video.

“Accents” Transcript

Here are the transcripts again for convenience. You can find videos for this lesson above.

“We’re just a little too caught up” Transcript (click “View Transcript” below the video)

“the madness vase” video:.

Suggested Choice Poems:

“every time i step outside” video:, “lost voices” video:.

“Accents” Video:

“pretty” video:.

“3 Ways to Speak English” Video:

Explaining Depression to my Mother

What Teachers Make

Flag: 2:54, 3:02

Remember to leave a review on TPT !

New Slam Poems to Teach, Sent Each Week

Each week I sift through and send out a new slam poem to check out--and would love to include you! Sign up here to receive the slam poem along with a list of discussion ideas and literary devices to teach with it. Oh, and maybe an occasional, blow-you-away, too-bad-it's-inappropriate-for-school poem, too, because we're allowed to indulge sometimes too, right?

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How to Write Slam Poetry

Penning your own slam poetry isn't as difficult as it might seem. Follow these quick guidelines and you'll have a first draft in no time!

Want to create a truly memorable or powerful slam poem? There are various tricks that you can use to make your slam poem stand out from other spoken work poetry at a poetry slam . Read this cheat sheet to write your own slam poetry—and learn how to wow crowds.

•   Do Your Homework. To know what makes slam poetry effective, you need to see a lot of it performed. Attend a poetry slam at a local coffee shop or bookstore. If you can't find one, head to YouTube.com, type in "slam poetry videos" and you'll be amazed by the quantity, quality, and variety that you’ll find. Take notes on which slam poems you like best and why they made an impression.
• Choose a Topic. Identify an event, person, or issue that evokes a passion in you. It could be a trip that changed the way you look at life. Maybe you recently fell in love or went through a bad breakup. Or, perhaps you're determined to do whatever you can to fight animal cruelty. When you're fired up, emotions and words are more likely to flow out of you.
• Put Your Words on Paper . Use your five senses to create a first draft. Write down what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell when you think about your topic. Details are key when it comes to painting a vivid picture through slam poetry, so always ask yourself: "could I be more specific?" For instance, instead of writing "I drank a glass of water," write "I sipped on an ice-cold glass of water with a pinch of lemon that was so tart, it made me cringe." Craft your words into short stanzas that lend themselves to a natural rhythm and feel free to use rhyme if you feel like it.
• Edit yourself . When editing, read your poem out loud. If you find yourself stumbling over certain lines that are clunky or too long, that's when you know that a section probably needs to be cut, changed, or moved. It may help to use an online thesaurus if you're looking for synonyms to replace certain words.
• Add a Little Drama . Remember, you're not just reading your poem out loud—you're performing! The goal is to get the audience to audibly react (i.e. laugh, cry, gasp, snap, clap, yell "yeah!") to increase your score. So look for ways to increase the drama. Are there moments where you can whisper or shout? Are there places where you can speed up or slow down? Can you throw in facial expressions or bodily movements to illustrate your main messages?

After you follow these five steps, rehearse your poem and then sign up for a local poetry slam! Note: Most slams do not require you to memorize your poem, but you might want to. When you don't have to hold a piece of paper, you can look directly at the audience and use your hands as tools during the performance, which will give you a competitive edge.

Need a little more inspiration and advice? Check out these additional tips for writing and performing slam poetry , and slam poetry examples submitted by other poets.

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How To Write Slam Poetry

Introduction to Slam Poetry

Slam poetry is an incredibly powerful art form in which performance and the poetic craft are joined to create a captivating experience for both the performer and the audience. It is a form of expression that combines aspects of the performing arts such as acting, stand-up comedy, and storytelling to create a compelling experience.Originally a form of spoken-word performance, slam poetry is gaining an increasing audience as more poets and performers are embracing this style of poetry. At its core, slam poetry is a way to express yourself – your thoughts, feelings, and stories – in an improvisational,highly energetic setting.

Finding Inspiration for Slam Poetry

The best way to find inspiration for a slam poem is to explore your own creative imagination. Take the time to really sit with yourself and allow yourself to become deeply connected to your innermost thoughts and feelings. You can also explore literature, music and pop culture for inspiration as well. Pay attention to the world around you and try to find things that spark your imagination. Look for prompts that can help to get the creative process going. The more you explore, the more ideas you will find.

Planning and Outlining the Poem

Once you have some ideas, the next step is to start planning and outlining your slam poem. Think about how you want to capture your ideas and story in an effective way and how can you structure it. Taking the time to plan and outline your poem is essential not just for creating an effective poem but also making it easier to memorize once you are ready to perform the poem.

Writing the Poem

Once you have an outline and structure for your poem, you can start writing. This is the time to really hone in your creative process and bring your words to life. Focus on crafting believable characters, developing a compelling story arc, and creating an emotional connection with the audience. Keep it as succinct as possible but stay true to your story. Don’t be afraid to take risks and be creative with your phrasing and delivery.

Rehearsing and Memorizing the Poem

Once your poem is written, it’s time to start rehearsing. Learning your poem by heart is essential to making a good impression at your slam performance. It allows you to bring out the emotion and natural flow of the words. Take the time to practice your delivery as well. Work on your body language, vocal inflection, and pacing. The more rehearsed you are, the more comfortable you will feel when performing the poem.

Classical Poetry vs Modern Slam

When it comes to poetry, slam poetry is often seen as a modern and rebellious form compared to its classical roots. While the two forms often overlap, there are differences. In slam poetry, the focus is more on the performance – the style, delivery, and emotion of the poem – and less on the structure. It is also generally shorter than most classical poems and has more of an improvisational feel to it.

The Keys to Writing Successful Slam Poetry

The key to successful slam poetry lies in its ability to captivate an audience. When performing your poem, the focus should be on engaging and connecting with your audience. The power of the poem comes from its ability to stir emotions and create an emotional experience that is both natural and intense. Other important elements to consider when writing slam poetry include creativity, originality, and flow.

Using Music and Other Props

Using props and music can also make your slam poem even more captivating. Adding musical accompaniment to your poem can help to reinforce emotion and bring out the intended message of the poem. Props can also add another layer to your delivery and help to bring out the meaning of the poem. Use props sparingly, however, as too many can be distracting to the audience.

Connecting with Your Audience

The key to successful slam poetry performance is having an understanding of the audience. It is important to take the time to get to know who they are and what they are looking for. Knowing your audience allows you to craft your poem in a way that will resonate with them. It also helps you to determine the tone, emotions, and message of the poem.

Performing Your Poem

Now it’s time to perform your poem. Remember to stay calm and focused. Showtime is not the time for writing or memorizing. Focus on using powerful body language and engaging with the audience. Most importantly, be yourself. Speak from the heart and convey your passion and emotion.

Marketing and Promoting Slam Poems

In order to get your poems out there, you need to focus on marketing and promotion. Connect with venues where you can perform your poem, seek out opportunities to speak at open mics and poetic events, and create an online presence by sharing your poems online on social media platforms. By getting the word out, you can build a following and grow as a poet.

What to Expect at a Poetry Slam

A poetry slam is an event where poets gather to perform and showcase their work. Poetry slams typically follow a certain format and scoring system. The poems are judged by a panel of judges who use a numerical system to rate each poem on a scale from zero to ten. The highest scoring poem wins the round and the poet with the highest total points at the end of all the rounds is crowned the winner.

Embracing Criticism and Feedback

The best way to ensure that your slam poetry continues to improve is to be open to criticism and feedback. Feedback can come from fellow poets or from audience members. Take the time to really listen to what is being said and think about what you could do differently next time to make it better.

Opportunities For Growth

There are plenty of opportunities for growth as a poet, even after you have perfected the basics. You can practice improvising, use dialogue and other storytelling elements, incorporate props and images, and use suspense and suspenseful climaxes in your poems – the sky’s the limit. Use these techniques to captivate your audience and create a truly unforgettable slam poetry experience.

Minnie Walters

Minnie Walters is a passionate writer and lover of poetry. She has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the work of famous poets such as William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more. She hopes you will also fall in love with poetry!

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Host a Poetry Slam in Your Classroom

Have you ever found it difficult to get all of your students to buy into your poetry unit? I know I’ve felt that way before. I think some of this reluctance comes from the perception of poetry being an outdated form of creative expression. This is not true, of course. Poetry is written, read, and enjoyed by people all over the world every day. Still, it can nonetheless feel like there is a barrier to entry with poetry that is not necessarily there with novels or other forms of writing. Hosting a poetry slam is a great way to break down this barrier in your classroom. Here’s how you can easily host a poetry slam in the ELA classroom.

What is a Poetry Slam

Start by explaining to your students what exactly a poetry slam is. A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. At a poetry slam, you will hear spoken word poetry (also known as slam poetry). This type of poetry is meant to be presented on stage. Although some spoken word poetry can be found in writing, it is meant to be performed rather than exist in print. Some of your students are likely already familiar with slam poetry. This form of creative expression has become extremely popular in recent years, and many slam poetry videos have gone viral online.

History and Background

Slam poetry, just like all other types of poetry, has its own interesting history. Once your students have a strong understanding of what a poetry slam is, I suggest teaching them about how it got started.

In 1986, a construction worker and poet, Mark Smith, approached Dave Jemilo, the owner of the Green Mill (a Chicago jazz club), with a plan to host a weekly poetry competition on Sunday nights. Jemilo welcomed him, and the Uptown Poetry Slam was born on July 25 of that year.

Mark Smith instituted the basic features of the competition, including judges chosen from the audience and cash prizes for the winner. The Green Mill evolved to draw in performances from poets all around the world. Amazingly, the Uptown Poetry Slam continues to run every Sunday night!

Judging Slams

The next thing I like to do with students when hosting a classroom poetry slam is to get them to actually judge slam poetry. For this, I show students videos of different popular slam poetry performances on YouTube. I then get them to give a score for each one. You can have some fun with this by getting students to hold up a piece of paper with a score between one and ten!

Instead of giving students rubrics that guide how they judge the performances, I encourage them to score each one based on their gut reaction—how it made them feel, how much they connected with it, and how skilled they thought the performer was. I typically spend a whole class just watching and judging videos. Here are a few examples of videos that you can use with your class:

• Solli Raphael, 12, becomes the youngest winner of Australian Poetry Slam
• Marshall Davis Jones | Touchscreen
• MSA 2009 Slam Poetry

Outline the Rules

At this point, students should have a pretty strong understanding of what slam poetry is all about. Now is the time to outline the rules of poetry slams . They will want to keep these in mind when they start writing and practicing their slam poems. Although they may vary from slam to slam, I’ve listed four basic rules that you can follow below:

• Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction.
• Each poet gets three minutes to read one poem (deduction for going over time).
• The poet may not use props, costumes, or instruments.
• Of the five scores, the highest and lowest are dropped and the middle three are added together (score between 0-30).

Topic Free Writing

Next, put a list of topics on the board that might elicit an emotional response from your students. One-word topics like music, friendship, environment, beauty, happiness, and fear  tend to work well for this. Students can choose from one of these topics, or they can think of a topic on their own. In either case, encourage them to choose something that interests them, something from which they can offer their unique perspective.

Then, get your students to do some timed, 5-minute free write where they get all of their thoughts out on their chosen topic onto paper. Tell them to write whatever comes to mind and that they are not allowed to stop writing until the timer stops no matter what! The point here is to try and some strike inspiration while gathering what their thoughts are on their chosen topic.

Writing The Slam

Now it’s time for your students to write the slam poem itself, which can be informed by a powerful idea, word, or line they came up with during their free-writing exercise. First, however, I get them to fill out a  poetry slam writing organizer  that includes questions to help them organize their thoughts. Here are a couple of questions you might include in yours:

• What are the main points that you want your listener to consider about your chosen topic?
• What is going to be the tone of your poem?

Then, once they have mapped out the direction of their slam poem, I get students to write it out in its entirety, get peer feedback on it, edit the poem, and then perfect it!

Practice, Practice Practice!

Once students are happy with their slam poem , it is time for them to practice performing it. It is important to note that slam poems do not need to be memorized; they can simply be read. In either case, the more a student practices it, the more natural it will feel, and the higher they would score. Students can practice with a partner, or alone by recording themselves and watching it back. Or they might practice with a small group to get used to performing it in front of some sort of crowd, which can definitely be intimidating!

Hosting the Event

All that’s left now is hosting the classroom  poetry slam itself! I suggest making this into more of an event by leaving your classroom for this. If possible, host the poetry slam in the school theater. If you can, try to replicate the mood of a typical poetry slam by dimming the lights and having a single microphone on the stage. Students who won’t be memorizing their poems entirely can prepare more easily readable cue cards to guide them along during their big performance.

To Grade or Not to Grade?

Finally, the last thing to discuss is whether or not to grade your classroom poetry slam. This is completely up to you. If you want to, you could provide a grade using a pre-established grading rubric  that you provide students with at the outset. Or you can simply follow the scoring process outlined above in the poetry slam rules. For this, you will get your students to submit their scores for each performance. Then you can determine the final grades by dropping the highest and lowest values.

If you’re looking for more ways to spark student interest in poetry, click here!

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How to use the Poem Generator

What is a slam poem.

Slam poetry , also known as spoken word poetry, is typically performed at what is known as a “poetry slam”.

When it comes to writing a slam poem using the poem generator tool, the following can help in generating great slam poems:

• Experience Live Performances: Understanding the impact of spoken word is crucial. Attend slam events, watch performances online, and note what resonates with you and the audience. Absorb the energy, flow, and how performers emphasize their messages.
• Select a Passionate Theme: Your topic should be something you feel deeply about. It could be personal, social, political, or cultural. Authenticity and passion in your subject matter resonate with audiences and make for powerful performances.
• Start Writing: Express your thoughts and feelings about the chosen topic freely. Don’t worry about structure or polish in your initial drafts. Focus on conveying your message and the emotions tied to it. Remember, in slam poetry, how you say something is as important as what you say.
• Refine and Edit: Once you have your raw content, shape it. Focus on rhythm, repetition, and pacing. Consider the performance aspect: where will you slow down, speed up, or pause for effect? Eliminate unnecessary parts, sharpen your imagery, and ensure every line serves your overall message.
• Practice and Perform: Rehearse your poem repeatedly. Get comfortable with the rhythm and flow, and practice your delivery, body language, and facial expressions. Performance is key in slam poetry, so try to evoke emotions and connect with your audience. If possible, perform in front of friends or family for feedback before taking your poem to a slam event.

The AI Poem Generator is an automated tool that uses advanced language technology to create unique and creative poems based on user-selected prompts and themes.

Using the AI Poem Generator is easy. Simply type in what you want the poem to be about and click generate. If you want to go into more detail, fill out the desired options from the dropdown menus, and the AI will create a poem for you instantly.

No, the AI Poem Generator is designed to assist and inspire creativity, not replace human creativity. In actual fact, we analyzed poetry created by art, and we see it more as a tool than a replacement for human poets . It augments the writing process by offering suggestions and generating content based on inputs. With this, the AI Poem Generator is best used as a tool to help spark your poetic writing.

We support any language, from English to Spanish, to French, to the likes of Mandarin. If you find the language you want the poem to be created in is not on the dropdown above, please get in contact with us , and we can tweak the generator to include your language.

Write a prompt to begin with of what you want the poem to be about. The more detail you go into here, adding keywords, the better. Once done, use the dropdown options to add extras, such as topics and forms (like a haiku, sonnet, limerick, etc.) until you feel you have enough information to create your unique poem. Once done, press the ‘Generate Poem’ button, and your masterpiece of poetry will generate!

The Poem Analysis AI Poem Generator utilizes a large language model to create poetry from prompts and options selected. This helps to create better results when it comes to creating poetry for the first time or for the seasoned poet, which we believe can help provide inspiration, especially when experiencing writer’s block.

The content generated by our AI poem generator is purely algorithmically generated and based on sophisticated natural language processing technology. The resulting poems are automatically generated and do not reflect the personal opinions, views, or intentions of Poem Analysis. We cannot guarantee the accuracy, relevance, or quality of the generated content, as it is created in an automated manner.

The poems produced by the AI poem generator are meant for entertainment, educational, and creative purposes only. They should not be considered as professional advice, opinions, or expressions of individuals. The poems may contain errors, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies, and users are encouraged to exercise their own judgment and discretion when interpreting or using the generated content. It is also recommended to generate to improve the quality of the output poem iteratively.

We are not responsible for any actions taken based on the generated poems, nor for any outcomes or consequences resulting from their use. Users of the AI poem generator acknowledge that the generated content is algorithmically produced and may not accurately represent their own thoughts, beliefs, or emotions, just like Poem Analysis. By using the AI poem generator, users agree to the terms of this disclaimer and understand that the generated content is automatically generated without human intervention. We reserve the right to modify, update, or discontinue the AI poem generator at any time without prior notice.

Please note that the AI poem generator is a creative tool and should be used with an understanding of its limitations and automated nature.

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15 Fun Poetry Activities for High School

April 8, 2019 //  by  Lindsay Ann //   3 Comments

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High School Students + Fun Poetry Activities

If you’re an English teacher, looking for fun poetry activities for high school or middle school students, I’ve got you covered. I’m opening up my poetry toolbox and sharing some of my favorite (and most successful) poetry games and activities!  Whether you’re looking for a stand-alone lesson or something more, there’s something here for everyone.

Pop Sonnets

The creation of pop sonnets is one of my favorite poetry activities to use in conjunction with the reading of a Shakespearean play, but it can be used as a stand-alone lesson. The hook is that modern-day songs have been turned into Shakespearean sonnets. You can study one of Shakespeare’s sonnets and ask students to modernize it. Then, work in reverse by re-working a modern-day song as a sonnet. Or, just use this as a “hook” to help students feel more comfortable with Shakespearean language.   Take a look and thank me later.

Songs as Poetry

Studying modern-day songs is a great way to teach about figurative language and poetic devices while studying poetry. Try reading the lyrics, but omitting or re-writing the metaphors and talking about the change in message/meaning. Look for examples of imperfect rhyme in one of Eminem’s cleaner songs. Study poems as paired texts . Analyze lines from a famous soundtrack. Ask students to bring in their favorite songs and discuss. So. Many. Options!

Here are 12 great songs to analyze if you aren’t sure where to start:

• “Across the Universe” by the Beatles
• “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan
• “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
• “Chasing Pavements” by Adele
• “Infinity” by Mariah Carey
• “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes
• “Counting Stars” by One Republic
• “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons
• “Imagine” by John Lennon
• “Mad World” by Gary Jules
• “Zombie” by The Cranberries
• “Letter to Me” by Brad Paisley

Slam Poetry

Students need to know that poetry is not dead. It’s living. It’s breathing. It’s storytelling. It’s cool. In April, my classes come alive with the magic of slam poetry as students become authors and performers. They re-discover wonder and learn to let down their guard. They learn that there is intersectionality between their story and the stories of others. They are appreciated. They appreciate others. When I use this fun poetry activity for high school students , my classroom really becomes a true community.

Grab my slam poetry “mini” unit to get your students started with slam poetry!

Not sure which slam poems are school-appropriate and engaging? Here are 40 of my favorite slam poems !

Paint Chip Poetry

This poetry writing activity is FREE if you’re willing to grab some paint chips from your local hardware store, preferably ones with multiple colors in one. Or, Amazon sells an awesome paint chip poetry “game.”

• Have students use one of the color names as the title for a poem.
• Have students write poems in stanzas, using each of the color names as inspiration.
• Have students use all of the color names somewhere in a poem.
• Have students choose two contrasting colors and make a poem of contrasts.
• Have students choose two complimentary colors and make a poem.
• Have students choose a color and write an identity poem.

Blackout Poetry

This is an oldie, but goodie poetry writing exercise for high school students. Copy a page or two from a whole class novel. Or better yet, choose a completely divergent text, maybe a science textbook or page from a dictionary. Students string together words on the page to form a poem, and black-out the rest of the words. If they want to go above and beyond, they can create an original illustration to accompany their blackout poem.

Book Spine Poetry

Take your students to the library (or have them browse a site like Goodreads) and challenge them to create poems from book titles. Each title becomes a line in the poem. An optional challenge: have students choose (or randomly draw) a theme, and their poem has to relate to their chosen theme. If you’re looking for some FREE templates, I’ve got you covered: Click Here !  I created these templates as a quick fun poetry activity for high school sophomores after my librarian told me that having my classes pull so many books would be a pain to re-shelve.

Poetry Tasting

A lot of teachers are loving my reading progressive dinner stations . Poems are short and accessible texts that always rock when used with this activity.

Here are some options for poetry stations, a fun group poetry activity: 

• Choose a certain kind of poem or a certain poetic movement to explore at ALL the stations, i.e. the ghazal or Imagist poetry.
• Choose different kinds of poems or movements to explore at each station.
• Choose poems related to ONE thematic idea.
• Choose poems written by teenagers.
• Choose “famous” poems.
• Choose slam poems.

Poetry Transformations

If you’re studying word choice and tone in poetry, why not have students transform a poem, switching from one tone to another? Then, have students write a reflection analyzing why they made 4-5 important changes.

Found Poems

This poetry activity is exactly what it sounds like. Have students choose / cut-out words from magazines to form “found” poems. Or, have students listen to a TED talk or story, writing down a certain # of words they hear. Then, ask them to use these words + ones of their own to write an original poem.

Easter Egg Poems

If ’tis the season, you might as well use those plastic easter eggs you may have lying around. Put “poetry inspiration” in each egg. At the very least, I suggest a word or phrase. If you want to go “all-in,” create a combination of the items below:

• Random household objects, i.e. a piece of string, a bead
• Newspaper/magazine clippings
• Words/phrases
• Famous first lines
• A “mentor” poem, copied and folded up

Tell students that their challenge is to write a poem inspired by these objects. Or, if you prefer, have students incorporate words / ideas from each object in their poem.

Favorite Poem Project

If you’ve never seen the site “ Favorite Poem Project ,” I suggest checking it out as a poetry unit resource. The site’s goal is to interview a variety of different people about their “favorite poems.” In each short video, an individual shares a personal connection to his/her poem and reads the poem out loud.

After being a fan of this site for some time, I decided to have my students make their own “favorite poem” videos . They explored, chose a poem that they liked “best,” and created videos on Flipgrid discussing their thoughts about the poem and reading it aloud. These videos were then viewed by classmates. Everyone enjoyed this a lot!

Metaphor Dice

Poems as Mentor Texts

Using mentor texts for writing is a powerful strategy for poetry instruction, yet one that I find myself “skipping” because there isn’t time. I have to remind myself to “make” the time because it’s important. If we’re going to spend time analyzing texts, it only makes sense to have students try to use those writing moves in their own writing. After all, students should be writing frequently, and not always for an assessment grade.

Here are 12 great mentor poems if you’re not sure where to start:

• “ We Real Cool ” by Gwendolyn Brooks
• “ Montauk ” by Sarah Kay
• “ This is Just to Say ” by William Carlos Williams
• “ Mother to Son ” by Langston Hughes
• “ My Father’s Hats ” by Mark Irwin
• “ Chicago ” by Carl Sandburg
• “ Entrance ” by Dana Gioia
• “ My Father is an Oyster ” by Clint Smith
• “ If ” by Rudyard Kipling
• “ Ode to a Large Tuna in the Market ” by Pablo Neruda
• “ The Bean Eaters ” by Gwendolyn Brooks
• “ The Summer I Was Sixteen ” by Geraldine Connolly
• “ Where I’m From ” by George Ella Lyon (As a bonus, students can submit their poems to the “I am From” project. ) p.s. If you’re looking for ready-to-use templates,  here you go !

Magnetic Poetry

A fun activity to fill extra class time, or just for fun: magnetic poetry . Give each student (or pairs of students) a handful of magnetic poetry pieces. See what they come up with. Take pictures and display around the room.

Interactive Poetry Bulletin Board

Sort of like magnetic poetry, but with a twist, it’s fun to set-up an interactive bulletin board as a fun poetry activity for high school students to try before or after class. You can do this in several different ways.

• Poem of the day + a “feel-o-meter” for students to rate the poem on a scale from “mild sauce” to “hot sauce.” You can have students use push pins to vote.
• Large scale magnetic poetry + a bulletin board becomes “push pin poetry.” You choose the words. Students move them around to form poems.

Hey, if you loved this post, I want to be sure you’ve had the chance to grab a FREE copy of my guide to stream l ined grading . I know how hard it is to do all the things as an English teacher, so I’m over the moon to be able to share with you some of my best strategies for reducing the grading overwhelm. 

Click on the link above or the image below to get started!

About Lindsay Ann

Lindsay has been teaching high school English in the burbs of Chicago for 19 years. She is passionate about helping English teachers find balance in their lives and teaching practice through practical feedback strategies and student-led learning strategies. She also geeks out about literary analysis, inquiry-based learning, and classroom technology integration. When Lindsay is not teaching, she enjoys playing with her two kids, running, and getting lost in a good book.

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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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98 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!

i wrote a poem from number 73: its tiled “perfect” I tried to be perfect I stared counting my calories And eating less And working out more I even spent time heaving over the toilet I tried to be perfect But every calorie i counted Every time I ate less everyday I spent working out and every moment I spent heaving over the toilet ended up turning to counting every calorie and heaving over that toilet after every meal trying to be perfect is pointless I don’t ever wish to be perfect again I don’t want to spend time heaving over that toilet again or counting those calories or eating less everyday to just try to be something that doesn’t exist anyone who try’s to be perfect will just be ruined like I was

#47 “overgrown” The roses look beautiful But they are so overgrown There’s weeds all around it Some are dying Some are living But they are so overgrown If I could pick the weeds And putting down weed killer Will it look better Will it help the ones that are dying But they are so overgrown The living ones are slowly dying Do I pick the weeds Or just leave them But they that will leave them to be so overgrown All the roses are dead now I killed them They were so overgrown that it killed them I should’ve picked the weeds So that they wouldn’t have been so overgrown

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9 Types Of Poems To Spark Your Creativity

Poetry styles to fit your style

On January 20, 2021, 22-year-old youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman inspired the country and made history when she read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. Gorman’s free verse poem touched on themes of unity, hope, and progress; it encouraged Americans to continue working toward a “union with purpose.” (If you don’t know what “free verse” means, don’t worry—we will cover that on the next slide.)

Gorman is the youngest known inaugural poet, and her moving reading of “The Hill We Climb” ignited a newfound interest in poetry, often considered an obscure form of writing. To many, poetry can seem daunting because it’s so different from prose. But there is no wrong way to read a poem . If you find a poem that you connect with, even if you’re not sure what it is “supposed to” mean, you’re reading it right!

To help demystify poetry a bit, and in celebration of National Poetry Month, we are going to break down some of the different kinds or forms of poetry. Along the way, we are going to show you some classic examples of these poems and give you some guidance on how you can write poetry yourself—any day of the year.

Listening to Gorman’s performance of her poem is just one way to garner curiosity in poetry. Learn some fantastic ways to get your child (and yourself) excited about poetry!

If you watched Amanda Gorman’s performance, you may have noticed that it sounded very similar to typical speech patterns. That isn’t so surprising for free verse poems, or “verse that does not follow a fixed metrical pattern.” In other words, it doesn’t have to follow any of the strict rules about syllables , rhyme , or cadence that we will see in other forms. But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t use any of these elements. It just means that the writer can choose which of them they want to use. Basically, every free verse poem uses its own unique structure.

Free verse is a popular and common form of poetry. In addition to “The Hill We Climb,” other famous free verse poems include “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot and “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath. Perhaps the most famous American free verse poem, though, is “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman (1892), which begins:

I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air, Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin, Hoping to cease not till death.

Creeds and schools in abeyance, Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten, I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard, Nature without check with original energy.

As you can see from this excerpt, the lines here don’t rhyme, and there isn’t a pattern in the length of the lines or how many lines there are to a stanza (group of lines). Try reading it aloud (or listen to dulcet -toned Nate DiMeo read it to you here ) and see how much it sounds like a conversation the narrator is having with himself.

slam poetry

Another poetry form that does not follow strict rules is slam poetry . Slam poetry is free-form poetry designed to be performed aloud. The name comes from poetry competitions known as “poetry slams.” In this way, slam poetry is a kind of performance art . In fact, Amanda Gorman’s recitation of “The Hill We Climb” had a lot of slam poetry elements, including hand gestures to punctuate and emphasize important moments in the text.

Slam poetry gets its inspiration from the beat poets and French-speaking Négritude poets who wanted their work to protest the conventional, European forms of poetry. Throughout its history, slam poetry has been associated with forms of activism and giving voice to those who have been historically marginalized.

Slam poetry is designed to be watched and listened to, not read. One classic example is “Falling in Like,” by Big Poppa E. You can read a short excerpt of this poem about young love below, but we recommend you watch him perform it here instead.

you make me feel… goofy.

goofy like i blush when someone mentions your name.

goofy like i have a bzillion things i wanna tell you when you’re not around, but face-to-face i just stare at my toe making circles on the ground, like i’m all thumbs and no place to put them, like i just wanna write you a note that says:

do you like me? ? yes ? no ? maybe

You probably noticed that this poem doesn’t use proper spelling, capitalization, or punctuation, and even has some unusual elements like checkboxes. That’s the thing about slam poetry —you can be as creative as you want with it. If you’re worried that you won’t be able to follow the rules of the other forms (or simply don’t want to), slam poetry is a great place to start writing. The only limit is your imagination!

Want to know more about slam poetry ? Visit our article on getting a close look at the full experience of slam poetry .

In a lot of ways, slam poetry is the modern incarnation of the ode . Originally, an ode was “a poem intended to be sung.” Today, an ode is “a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.” A lyric poem is a poem that expresses personal feelings or emotion. (The name comes from the instrument the lyre , which was played to accompany these poems in their original form.)

Perhaps the most famous example of an ode is “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats (1819). In the poem, the narrator describes the images on an ancient Greek urn , which he uses as a way to express his feelings about art in general.

A more accessible ode might be “Ode on Solitude” by Alexander Pope (1700), in which the narrator talks about his desire to live the simple life, alone:

Happy the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground.

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire, Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire.

This ode happens to use a specific rhyming pattern and meter, but there are no requirements that your ode has to. In ancient Greek literature, odes were seven stanzas of five lines of 10 syllables. As you can see from our example from Pope here, that form is no longer a requirement. However, if you want to try writing your own ode , you might want to start with the ancient Greek format, because other ode structures can become quite complicated.

We just talked about types of poetry that don’t necessarily have any specific requirements when it comes to rhyme, meter, or anything else. So, let’s pause for a moment and ask ourselves, “Why do some forms of poetry follow strict rules? Why not just write in whatever way we choose, like in free verse or slam poetry ?”

Well, some poets actually find that the rules of certain forms of poetry inspire creativity. In a sense, having a structure gives you a place to start—staring at a blank page can be daunting for any writer! So ironically, having rules can give you more freedom to express yourself.

One classic form that has specific rules is the sonnet . A sonnet is a poem of 14 lines usually written in iambic pentameter . Iambic pentameter is a line of 10 syllables, with every other syllable stressed. (An iamb is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, like “mo tion ” or “I ate .”)

The most famous sonnets are those written by Shakespeare , like the one that begins “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”

One of our favorite sonnets is “Nuns Fret Not At Their Convent’s Narrow Room” by William Wordsworth. What is wonderful about this poem is that it explains how the strict rules of the sonnet give the narrator “ solace ” (comfort).

Nuns fret not at their convent’s narrow room; And hermits are contented with their cells; And students with their pensive citadels; Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom, Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom, High as the highest Peak of Furness-fells, Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells: In truth the prison, unto which we doom Ourselves, no prison is: and hence for me, In sundry moods, ’twas pastime to be bound Within the Sonnet’s scanty plot of ground; Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs must be) Who have felt the weight of too much liberty, Should find brief solace there, as I have found.

Another classic form of poetry is the ballad . Similar to the ode , ballads were originally designed to be sung. A ballad is “a simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed in short stanzas and adapted for singing.” Usually, ballads tell a story or recount a series of events. They are often considered one of the easiest kinds of “formal” poetry to write.

A classic ballad is typically written in four-line stanzas (a quatrain ) that follow some kind of rhyming pattern, although the specific pattern can depend on the poem. Generally, though, ballads use the rhyme scheme ABCB, meaning the second and final lines of each stanza rhyme, and the first and third lines of the stanza do not rhyme. Ballads also generally use iambic tetrameter, meaning a line of eight syllables, alternating with iambic trimeter, a line of six syllables.

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge (1834) is one of the best-known ballads . It doesn’t follow the classic ballad form exactly, but you can get a sense of what ballads are all about from this excerpt:

It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. ‘By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

The Bridegroom’s doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin; The guests are met, the feast is set: May’st hear the merry din.’

As you might have noticed, the lines alternate between eight syllables and six syllables, so it is a little different from a classic ballad . But you could certainly imagine these lines being put to music, right?

An enthralling speech can be pure poetry as well, especially if it uses poetic devices. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a prime example—find out why!

Villanelle isn’t just the name of the elusive hitwoman in the TV crime drama Killing Eve . It’s also a poetic form. A villanelle is a fancy ballad that follows these rules:

• Five stanzas of three lines each, followed by a single stanza of four lines.
• The stanzas of three lines each use an ABA rhyme (the first and last line rhyme).
• The final stanza uses an ABAA rhyme.
• The first line of the poem is repeated at the end of the second and fourth stanzas.
• The third line of the poem is repeated at the end of the third and fifth stanzas.

Likely the most famous villanelle of all time is “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas (1951). You can get a sense of the rhyme scheme and the repeated lines from this excerpt here:

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.

As you can see from this example, the first line, “Do not go gentle into that good night,” is repeated at the end of the second stanza.

Villanelles are a little more challenging to write than a typical ballad. If the rhyme schemes and repetition seem like altogether too many rules for you, you may be more interested in…

The haiku form comes from Japanese poetic traditions. It’s closely associated with the 17th-century poet Matsuo Bash?. These short poems have a simple structure: the first and last line have five syllables, and the second line has seven syllables. Traditionally, these poems were “often on the subject of nature or one of the seasons,” but you can write a haiku about anything!

The most famous Bash? haiku is:

an ancient pond a frog jumps in the splash of water

Lovely, right? As you might have noticed, these lines don’t have any kind of rhyme scheme; there is just a simple syllable pattern. (The 5-7-5 pattern is there in the original Japanese.)

If you’re a total novice to writing poetry, haiku is a great place to start. Another relatively simple form of poetry to write is…

Limericks are funny, often raunchy, poems that follow the following form:

• Five lines that follow the AABBA rhyming pattern (the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, and the third and fourth lines rhyme).
• The third and fourth lines are typically shorter than the other lines.
• On the third and fourth lines, the rhythm is two short syllables followed by a long one ( anapest ).
• On the other lines, the rhythm is short syllable, long syllable, short syllable ( amphibrach ).

All those notes about rhythm might seem daunting, but don’t worry about them too much. The most important thing is to stick to the AABBA rhyming pattern. Additionally, limericks often begin:

There was a [something] from [somewhere]…

One classic limerick that spawned countless (sometimes dirty) imitations was written by Dayton Voorhees (1902):

There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket. But his daughter, named Nan, Ran away with a man And as for the bucket, Nantucket.

If you’re really feeling stuck with your limerick, you can take inspiration from this one—like many poets before you—and start with the same first line.

blackout poetry

If you’re not interested in, or feel daunted by, the practice of writing poetry, you might find the contemporary and innovative form of blackout poetry (also known as found poetry ) more appealing. It’s one of the most accessible forms of poetry out there.

All you need to start is a piece of paper with writing on it—a newspaper, a recipe, a page from a book—and a black marker. Then, as the creator of blackout poetry, Austin Kleon, puts it, “cross out words, leaving behind the ones you like.”

The result is a poem consisting of words that stand out on the page in contrast to the black of the marker. It’s striking, both poetically and visually. Blackout poetry is especially appealing because people of all ages can easily try their hand at it, like in this example:

Blackout Poetry continued… Ss poems are starting to take shape and we’re discovering that this is harder than it looks! If you have an old book at home, we highly recommend you try blackout poetry too! ?? @AllenbyPS_TDSB pic.twitter.com/1WvLDyg38N — Mme.Bedder (@MmeBedder) March 17, 2021

As we’ve seen, poetry can take many forms—it’s just a matter of what you’re looking for. Whether you feel inspired to write poetry yourself, or merely take the time to read a few poems every now again, don’t worry about getting it “right.” Just try to stay curious, be gentle with yourself, and remain open to multiple meanings. After all, as American poet Mary Oliver once wrote, “a poem on the page speaks to the listening mind.”

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

Poetry: Slam Poem Analysis Assignment

• Google Slides™

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Description

Slam Poetry Analysis Assignment slideshow including instructions and rubric.

This is the final lesson in a larger unit in which student must analyze a slam poem of their choice and create a presentation about it.

Aspects of the assignment include the following:

• Links to suggested slam poems
• Step-by-step instructions
• Poetic devices
• Context research
• Topics of diversity and identity
• Personal reflection.

This lesson fits in with the new ENL 1W curriculum about diversity and identity issues.

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