poetry writing prompts

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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?

hammer poetry prompt idea
Use this hammer as inspiration for a poetry prompt idea!

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.

fast food writing prompt hamburger
Do you like fast food? Write about a recent fast food experience in a poem – good or bad!

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.

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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?

ladder poetry prompt
Where might this ladder to the sky lead? Write about it!

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.

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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!

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96 Comments

  1. 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

      1. 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.

        ~Sanikaa

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

      2. 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

    1. 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! 🙂

      1. 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.

    2. 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.

    3. 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.

    4. 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!

  2. 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 🙂

  3. #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

  4. 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.

  5. 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………….

  6. 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

  7. 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

    1. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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

  10. 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.

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

  12. 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

  13. 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

    Untouchable

    Though many people have tried

    And seemed to have come close

    It will always remain

    Untouchable

    But perfection’s not the goal

    ‘Cause we can’t quite grasp it

    It will always remain

    Untouchable

    Perfection will always be

    For all eternity

    Untouchable

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. 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!

  18. 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!

  19. #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.

  20. 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.

  21. #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”

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. 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!

  25. 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.

  26. 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.😊

  27. 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

    2 A.M.

    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

  28. 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”

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

  29. 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.

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

    Flustered

    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.

  31. 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!

  32. 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

  33. 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.

  34. 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.

  35. 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.

  36. #44

    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.

  37. 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

    1. The winds cold fingers

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

  38. 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!

  39. 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.

  40. 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

    Feathers are soft
    People aren’t

  41. 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.

  42. 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

    Chorus

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

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

    Outro

    D
    There’s a butterfly
    G
    in my guitar

    D
    There’s a butterfly
    G
    in my guitar

    Fading

    D
    There’s a butterfly
    G
    in my guitar.

    Finn Mac Eoin

    Ireland

    23rd July 2022

  43. 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

  44. 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

  45. 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!

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