Category: Poetry Writing Prompts

1. Write a descriptive poem about a banana split: three scoops of ice cream with banana halves on either side and a big mound of whipped cream on top laced with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped nuts—all topped off with a plump red cherry. 

2. Use all of the following words in a poem: tapestry, sings, eye, din, collide, slippery, fantasy, casting, chameleon, lives. 

3. Write a poem about somebody who betrayed you, or write a poem about betrayal.  

4. Write a poem using the following image: a smashed flower on the sidewalk. 

5. The hallmark of great poetry is imagery. A truly compelling poem paints a picture and invites the reader into a vivid scene. Choose an image or scene from one of your favorite poems and write a poem of your own based on that image. 

6. Use all of the following words in a poem: scythe, fresh, bloody, dainty, screaming, deadly, discovery, harrowing.  

7. Write a poem about one (or both) of your parents. It could be a tribute poem, but it doesn’t have to be. 

8. Write a poem using the following images: a “no smoking” sign and a pair of fish- net stockings.  

9. You’re feeling under the weather, so you put the teapot on. Soon it starts to scream. Write a poem about the sound of a whistling teapot.  

10. Use all of the following words in a poem: stem, canvas, grain, ground, leather, furrow. 

11. The beach, the mountains, the vast sea, and deep space are all great for tributary poems about places. Write about the city you love, the town you call home, or your favorite vacation destination. 

12. Write a poem using the following image: a pair of baby shoes. 

13. Some poems are more than just poems. They tell stories. Try writing a poem that is also a story, a play, or an essay. 

14. Use all of the following words in a poem: elegant, hips, fern, listless, twisting, bind, surprise.  

15. Write a poem about the first time you experienced something.  

16. Write a poem using the following image: a torn photograph. 

17. Although holidays have deeper meanings, we like to truss them up with a lot of decadence and nostalgia. All that food! All those presents! Oh, what fun it is…Write a poem about the holidays. 

18. Use all of the following words in a poem: burnt, spacious, metropolis, pacing, fiery, cannon.  

19. Write a poem about an inanimate object. You can write a silly poem about how much you admire your toaster or you can write a serious piece declaring the – the nificence of a book. 

20. Write a poem using the following image: a small rowboat tied to a pier, bobbing in the water under darkening skies. 

21. Now that time has healed the wounds, write a poem to someone who broke your heart long ago. 

22. Use all of the following words in a poem: deadline, boom, children, shallow, dirt, creep, instigate. 

23. Write a poem about streets, highways, and bridges. 

24. Write a poem using the following images: a broken bottle and a guitar pick. 

25. Write a poem about the smell of cheesy, doughy, saucy, spicy pizza baking in the oven. 

26. Use all of the following words in a poem: green, loudly, tub, swim, sultry, sharp, throw.  

27. Write a poem about something that scares you.  

28. Write a poem using the following image: a rusty handsaw. 

29. Imagine you are twenty-five years older than you are now. Write a poem about your life.  

30. Use all of the following words in a poem: haunt, long, water, dream, waste, back, push, breathe, chase, where, packed, glass. 

31. The most traditional odes extol the virtues of a loved one. Whom do you love? Tell that person why with a poem. 

32. Write a poem using the following image: a camel walking across the desert. 

33. Think back to the most wonderful place you’ve ever been. What was the weather like? What did you do there? What did you see? 

34. Use all of the following words in a poem: dash, hard, staple, billboard, part, circle, flattened.  

35. You don’t have to know or love someone to pay tribute to them. Write a poem honoring one of your heroes—someone who has, from a distance, made a difference in your life. 

36. Write a poem using the following image: a clearing deep in the woods where sunlight filters through the overhead lattice of tree leaves.  

37. Write a poem about the fizzing sound of cola being poured into a glass full of ice cubes. 

38. Use all of the following words in a poem: heart, rose, twisted, stars, fire, nibble, eyes, parched, dance, chaos. 

39. Write a poem about the wind or the sky. 

40. Write a poem using the following image: an owl soaring through the night sky.   

41. There is always anticipation before a first date or an important meeting. Anticipation can even precede watching a movie. Write a poem in which anticipation is the main emotion and include a detailed description of the setting. Don’t forget to stimulate the five senses. 

42. Use all of the following words in a poem: humanity, hunger, equality, power, greed, redemption, freedom. 

43. Write a poem honoring something that can’t be seen or touched: honor, passion, curiosity, or loyalty. 

44. Write a poem using the following image: a partially deflated basketball. 

45. Even though it’s freezing outside, people are out and about, bundled up and chattering among themselves. Write a poem about pedestrians in the winter. 

46. Use all of the following words in a poem: ball, surf, concert, barbecue, sand, over, net. 

47. Write a poem to or about someone you despise or believe is evil. What hap- pens when you look at your enemy and search for his or her merits? Can you see the good in someone you view as bad? 

48. Write a poem using the following image: a circus clown removing his or her makeup. 

49. You’re digging your fingers through a box of hot, buttered, salted popcorn in a dark movie theater. Describe the sensation in a poem. 

50. Use all of the following words in a poem: forward, song, dip, along, race, pick, surge.  

51. Write a poem about a band on a tour bus after a show. 

52. Write a poem using the following image: an oxygen tank. 

53. The heat is sweltering and everybody’s indoors. The lucky ones have air conditioners. Everybody’s trying to stay cool. Write a poem about what it feels like at the height of a scorching summer. 

54. Use all of the following words in a poem: curse, manner, impatience, thought- less, slow, apart, bully, down. 

55. Write a poem about a situation that makes you uncomfortable or anxious.  

56. Write a poem using the following image: sea life dying in waters that have been poisoned with toxins or littered with dangerous waste.  

57. Describe bumper-to-bumper traffic on the through way during evening com- mute—it’s like a pack of hungry wolves sprinting and braking in their rush to re- turn to the den for their evening meal.  

58. Use all of the following words in a poem: car, king, interested, laughing, hit, blame, cup, gold. 

59. Has a total stranger ever helped you? Have you ever thought about all the people in this world you’ve never met but who have affected your life? Write a poem about strangers. 

60. Write a poem using the following image: a pile of old, dusty electronics. 

61. Write a poem about the taste of medicine: cherry-flavored cough syrup. 

62. Use all of the following words in a poem: pathetic, mind, created, overflow, social, deep.  

63. Write a poem about a number. 

64. Write a poem using the following image: a fishing rod. 

65. Write a poem about waking up to the smell of hot, freshly brewed coffee. 

66. Use all of the following words in a poem: haunted, lover, visions, mimic, safe, knock-knock, dragging, frills, clever. 

67. Write a poem about the end of the world.  

68. Write a poem using the following image: a house full of boxes waiting to be packed or unpacked.  

69. Write a descriptive poem about a grand feast: the spread of a holiday meal.  

70. Use all of the following words in a poem: roots, guard, bags, memories, age, land, eyes. 

71. Be a fan. Write a poem about your favorite book, movie, song, or television show. 

72. Write a poem using the following image: an empty hospital bed. 

73. Sunlight dances on the surface of the water. Waves roll gently against the shore. Seagulls soar above, dipping and diving through the sky. 

74. Use all of the following words in a poem: lonely, shine, drop, bloom, hiss, past, rust. 

75. Write a tongue-in-cheek, satirical tribute. Tell bad drivers, rude customers, and evil dictators how grateful you are for what they’ve done. Do it with a wink and a smile. 

76. Write a poem using the following image: tumbleweeds blowing across the desert. 

77. Write a poem about the sound in your head when you munch on crispy chips or crunchy crackers. 

78. Use all of the following words in a poem: equinox, rake, golden, apples, jacket, blow, future. 

79. Write a poem about a first romantic (dare I say sexual?) experience or en- counter. 

80. Write a poem using the following image: a trampled garden. 

81. Write a poem about driving alone in your car, radio at full blast, with the wind blowing against your face. 

82. Use all of the following words in a poem: team, resentful, jingle, spotlight, rear range, plans, foresight.  

83. Write a poem about a dream. 

84. Write a poem using the following image: a glove lying in a puddle. 

85. Write a poem about the squishy sensation of kneading dough between your fingers and the smooth texture of it when you pat it and roll it out. 

86. Use all of the following words in a poem: measure, signature, staff, key, instrument, notes, band, play, riff, radio, runs, tune, listen. 

87. Write a poem about somebody you’ve forgiven, or write a poem about forgiveness. 

88. Write a poem using the following image: a metropolis at night when the power is out. 

89. You dip your chip into a bowl of salsa, and when you take a bite, your mouth goes up in red hot flames. Write a poem about spicy food.  

90. Use all of the following words in a poem: feast, fire, modify, squash, robbed, forgotten, understated. 

91. Write a metaphorical poem comparing an abstract concept to something concrete.  

92. Write a poem using the following image: laundry drying on the line. 

93. There’s a big bowl of chilled, fresh summer fruit in the fridge. It’s colorful, juicy, and sweet. Write a descriptive poem about it.  

94. Use all of the following words in a poem: petty, scales, spread, vault, combination, stripes, anchor. 

95. Write a poem about school.  

96. Write a poem using the following image: a smoking gun. 

97. The leaves turned gold and amber, and then they drifted to the ground. We raked them into mounds then leaped and landed. 

98. Use all of the following words in a poem: titanic, lure, power, turned, smash, collateral, lengths. 

99. Write about something (not a person) that makes you sad. It could be a song, a place, or a memory.  

100. Write a poem using the following images: trees bent and broken, dangling branches, and fresh-cut stumps. 

101. Wheels spin, racing against the wind. Against the tide. Against the crack of the whip, against time.  

102. Use all of the following words in a poem: spades, dripping, waves, crashing, platter, shaved, mobs. 

103. Write a poem about something (not a person) that makes you angry.  

104. Write a poem using the following image: a red stapler. 

105. You’re driving through town with your windows down, and you pass that inter-section where you can smell all the fast food restaurants. 

106. Use all of the following words in a poem: clean, squeak, scoop, gone, morsels, pound. 

107. Write a poem about technology.  

108. Write a poem using the following image: a highway packed with cars during commute hour. 

109. It’s Halloween and you’re bobbing for apples. You stick your face in the cool water, chomp around searching for purchase, and feel the apples bumping against your face and floating away from you. Then you get a ripe little apple lodged firmly between your teeth. 

110. Use all of the following words in a poem: telling, rinse, foul, junction, harbor, possessive, horse. 

111. Write a poem about being a writer. 

112. Write a poem using the following image: the vast emptiness and beauty of space. 

113. It’s so hot, you can see the heat dancing against the asphalt. So hot, you rub an ice cube against your neck. So hot… 

114. Use all of the following words in a poem: lemonade, cotton, fish, taffy, ripe, saltwater, blackberry. 

115. Write a poem about a junkyard, an antique store, or a pawn shop. 

116. Write a poem using the following image: the back room of a butcher shop. 

117. After a light but satisfying meal, you order dessert. It’s rich, sweet, and freshly baked. You bite into it and your taste buds explode with delight. 

118. Use all of the following words in a poem: womb, harvest, wishes, food, spinning, hands, leaves, lie. 

119. Write a poem about the house in which you live. 

120. Write a poem using the following image: an office worker sitting in a cubicle. 

121. Write a poem about something ugly—war, fear, hate, or cruelty—but try to find the beauty (silver lining) in it or something good that comes out of it. 

122. Use all of the following words in a poem: thunder, blaring, seagulls, fans, children, wrap, span.  

123. Write a poem about a restaurant. 

124. Write a poem using the following image: a window on the forty-second floor of a high-rise building. 

125. Silvery flakes drifted downward, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird soared.  

126. Use all of the following words in a poem: brother, car, flying, animals, rolling, concrete, ice, red.  

127. Write a poem about the library or a bookstore. 

128. Write a poem using the following image: a grave surrounded by mourners. 

129. A twinkling eye can mean many things. Write a poem about a twinkle in some- one’s eye. 

130. Use all of the following words in a poem: snap, spoon, grass, needles, carts, roll, squeeze, crimson. 

131. Write a poem about hobos. 

132. Write a poem using the following image: bats hanging upside-down in a cave. 

133. Two players, two sides, two strategies. They rise with weapons held high— words or swords, law or rebellion. Write a poem about opposition or competition.  

134. Use all of the following words in a poem: toes, pale, veins, floor, spiderwebs, dive. 

135. Write a poem about an abandoned ghost town. 

136. Write a poem using the following image: a prison cell with writing all over the walls. 

137. Write a poem about something beautiful—love, birth, a glorious sunset—but find the dark side of it.  

138. Use all of the following words in a poem: sisters, duty, floating, give, green, face, found. 

139. Write a poem about the sun or the moon. 

140. Write a poem using the following image: a courtroom after a trial. 

141. A face mapped with wrinkles and years…Bent hands that worked for decades… Write a poem about old age. 

142. Use all of the following words in a poem: shift, dynamite, screen, flag, pipes, boots, grime, flailing, spray, grind.  

143. Write a poem about gypsies. 

144. Write a poem using the following image: a shark nearing a school of fish. 

145. Beneath the frost a little green shoot pushes itself up from the soil, through the icy crust, and into the damp, chilly air. 

146. Use all of the following words in a poem: whine, crow, gap, black, danger, divide, pithy. 

147. Write a poem about hunting.  

148. Write a poem using the following image: a mad scientist’s laboratory. 

149. Write a poem to someone who makes you uncomfortable.  

150. Use all of the following words in a poem: ink, hair, banjo, roller, tea, parade. 

151. Write a poem about the last day of school. 

152. Write a poem using the following image: a penny on the floor of a subway station. 

153. Fresh skin, smooth head, and a tiny wailing mouth. Write a poem about a baby. 

154. Use all of the following words in a poem: curl, motor, spice, retch, racket, lavender, crumble. 

155. Write a poem about fashion. 

156. Write a poem using the following image: a vase filled with dying flowers. 

157. In the clock shop, the walls are covered with timepieces. Pieces of time. Chimes on the hour. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. 

158. Use all of the following words in a poem: fade, slumber, belly, step, magnificent, snip. 

159. Write a poem about a place you want to go someday. 

160. Write a poem using the following image: blood on the dance floor.   

161. The glass house cracks. 

162. Use all of the following words in a poem: whistle, low, biting, smooth, stroll, scrape, blast. 

163. Write a poem about the ocean, a lake, or a river. 

164. Write a poem using the following image: a howl at high noon. 

165. They march with their heads high, weapons at the ready, approaching the front line. Write a poem about soldiers. 

166. Use all of the following words in a poem: underdog, lambast, prayer, blue, cringe, fall, tense.  

167. Write a poem about your favorite sport or athletic activity. 

168. Write a poem using the following image: a commuter on the subway wearing headphones and tinkering with a smartphone. 

169. Just one kiss is all it takes, and you’re barreling like a roller coaster car on the loose. Write a poem about new love. 

170. Use all of the following words in a poem: tinker, brass, maple, brush, stomp, fast. 

171. Write a poem about vampires, werewolves, or zombies. 

172. Write a poem using the following image: a cat sitting on a windowsill looking outside. 

173. It smells of disinfectant and medication. Quiet footsteps bustle down corridors and into rooms filled with sorrow and hope. Write a poem set in a hospital.  

174. Use all of the following words in a poem: claw, wool, lift, silver, buried, coax, fixed, moving.  

175. Write a poem about being chased or hunted. 

176. Write a poem using the following image: an old person sitting in meditation. 

177. There’s a quiet cracking sound, and then an apple falls, twirling to the ground below and bruising itself against the hard earth. 

178. Use all of the following words in a poem: dust, gnaw, light, copper, tubes, silent, saw, crash, drip. 

179. Write a poem about looking for something or someone. 

180. Write a poem using the following image: a group of kids eating together at a table in a cafeteria. 

181. Sand. For miles and miles, nothing but sand and dry, scorching heat. Parched throat, sweaty, sunburned brow. Oasis. Mirage. 

182. Use all of the following words in a poem: shuffle, back, starts, flat, tug, gone.  

183. Write a poem about hope or honor.  

184. Write a poem using the following image: someone sleeping in a car. 

185. The campfire burns, and marshmallows melt, seeping liquid sugar into the hot flames. The stick is charred, and we smack our lips in the dark.  

186. Use all of the following words in a poem: stamp, bail, treat, keel, gray, joint.  

187. Write a poem about a photograph. 

188. Write a poem using the following image: adults dressed in costumes. 

189. The stars wrap themselves around Earth in a celestial embrace. 

190. Use all of the following words in a poem: net, brisk, mammoth, oily, pierce, wobbly, young.  

191. Write a poem about innocence and corruption. 

192. Write a poem using the following image: someone opening a letter near the mailbox. 

193. Write a poem to someone who always offends you or makes you angry.  

194. Use all of the following words in a poem: drive, clock, sparkle, yellow, palm, dress. 

195. Write a poem about corporations.  

196. Write a poem using the following image: a lone red balloon floating up into the sky. 

197. A politician on the dais, a preacher in the pulpit, and seekers in the stands. 

198. Use all of the following words in a poem: bridge, watch, lower, square, faded, bound, shoe, crooked.  

199. Write a poem about moving on.  

200. Write a poem using the following image: the aftermath of a bar fight.