Poetry For Your Thoughts

I enjoy writing poetry as it seems to come easier to me. I think delving into poetry helps get the creative juices flowing. Being part of the Poetry Club at the library has helped me with my writing. Here are a few prompts, poems, and tips from the Poetry Club.

Prompts

  1. Think of a place that holds special significance to you. Write a poem inspired by those ideas and feelings. Make sure to include a sensory image, alliteration, metaphor or simile, and final line.

  2. Write a ekphrastic poem. These are inspired by works of visual art. They describe, interpret, or embody the work in order to interrogate, amplify, or expand its meaning. It can include elements of art (color, subject, etc.). Make sure to include an anaphora and refrain.

  3. What we interpret in nature is place-based. Write a poem focused on nature that feels nostalgic and introspective. Make sure it’s visual and incorporate metaphor. You can also play with couplets.

  4. Write or revise a poem about an experience that considers the role of creative imagination in perceiving the world around us. Make sure to include multiple perspectives and vantage points. And add a lavish and idiosyncratic title. You can also include an enigma, paradox, or mysterious image.

  5. Write a didactic (teaching) poem. Make sure it imparts wisdom and coveys instruction. You may also include an extended metaphor like Rumi. You can also include an anaphora, refrain, or reference to a beloved friend.

  6. Create your own Ars Poetica (“art of poetry”). Free write: what does it mean to be a poet? Are there any significant experiences? What makes a “good poem”? Metaphor for what describes you as a poet. What should a poem do? This may help you forge a poetic identity.

Poems

  1. “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton and Poetry Reading by Anne Sexton

    1. This is an ekphrastic poem. It has an epigraph, which is a short quote that proceeds something to give a clue to the work. It has a strong resonance that stays with you. Of note is that Anne Sexton suffered from depression like Van Gogh.

  2. “I died for beauty” by Emily Dickinson Poetry Reading

    1. In this poem, what we value is questioned. It is introspective and feels bittersweet. It seems as though we are being reclaimed by nature. What interconnected values do you notice?

  3. “The Guest House” by Rumi Poetry Reading by Helena Bonham Carter

    1. This poem reminds us to be grateful to encounter these thoughts, as our emotions are the guest. It is an extended metaphor for the human condition and mental awareness. Rumi imparts timely teaching. Don’t ruminate, move on to the next thought.

  4. “How to Be a Poet” by Wendell Berry and Poetry Reading by Wendell Berry

    1. This is an Ars Poetica poem. It is a process analysis that resonated with me.

  5. “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens and Poetry Reading

    1. This is a cubist poem and a canto (song). It has a perception of sensation and is enigmatic. It contains blackbird in different contexts.

  6. “Voices from the Other World” by James Merrill and Poetry Reading by James Merrill

    1. This is an interesting poem and gives a glimpse of occult poetry. The all caps are voices from the dead.

  7. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe and Poetry Reading by James Earl Jones

    1. This poem is my favorite by Edgar Allan Poe. It resonates strongly with me and I remember the first line.

Tips

  1. Take at least an hour a week to read poetry.

  2. Get into a consistent rhythm of writing and reading poetry.

  3. End with something that resonates so readers can carry it with them.

Poetry is an artful form of human condition. It can be whatever you want it to be. It allows you to play with words in ways you never thought possible. I hope these prompts, poems, and tips help you on your poetry journey. What poem is your favorite and why?

Marie SaundersComment