POETRY

5 powerful poetry prompts to inspire your next creative project

Kathryn Wheeler
By Kathryn Wheeler,
updated on Sep 2, 2024

5 powerful poetry prompts to inspire your next creative project

Unleash your creative side; it’s time to put pen to paper

It’s truly incredible what can follow a spark of an idea. What may seem like a small step can end up leading you on a magnificent journey to places you never thought possible before.

Poetry prompts can be a great way to ignite that spark, as well as being a great way to challenge yourself to try a new approach, explore a fresh topic, or experiment with form in a way you haven’t tried before.

Whether you’re planning on entering the Happiful Poetry Prize, looking for some inspiration for your next project, or simply want to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of getting creative – we’ve collected together five powerful poetry prompts to send you on your way.

1. Dear X…

Write a poem addressed to a person, a thing, or even a concept. For example, it could be ‘Dear ancestor’, ‘Dear Keir Starmer’, ‘Dear depression’, or ‘Dear ocean’. It could take the form of a letter or it could simply relay a message you wish to convey. You can use it as an opportunity to get something off your chest or challenge something you feel passionate about. It could be based on something you have first-hand experience with, or it could be based on something fictional. Whatever direction you may take, this prompt is about directly conveying a message.

2. Today’s top news story

Pick up a newspaper or browse through a news website. What is the top story of the day? How does it make you feel? Why do you think it’s important? Perhaps you think it’s unimportant – why? Can you take snippets of the story and work them in, or can you zoom into an element of the story that particularly resonates with you?

3. Write from someone else’s perspective

It could be a fictional character (one you have made up or one you have come across in books or film), or perhaps a politician or historical figure. Or you could combine the two options – for example, writing from the perspective of Marilyn Munroe’s housekeeper. What do you think they would say? What do you think they would feel?

4. Reflect on your happiest moment

It can be natural to turn to writing about difficult experiences, and that’s totally understandable. Poetry can be both an outlet and a way of communicating things that can feel incomprehensible at times. But exploring moments of joy is also worthwhile, and you may actually find that this approach challenges you in new ways. Think about the happiest moment in your life. What happened, how did you feel, and why is that so poignant to you? Next, think about how dwelling on a moment of happiness makes you feel. Is it hopeful? Invigorated? Nostalgic? See where this angle takes you.

5. Write a farewell

Is there something in your life that you need to let go of? Something that has been holding you back for a long time? Or perhaps you’re about to enter a new phase of your life, and there are some things that you will be leaving behind as you make this transition. You may find that this farewell turns into a celebration as you unburden yourself from something, or it may be more melancholic in tone. Whatever it is, this is your chance to explore turning over a new leaf.

Now, it’s over to you. Be bold and take risks. Don’t be afraid to put words down on the page. They may take a while to settle in their final form, but getting down ideas when they come to you is the first step.

Looking for more inspiration? Head to the Happiful Poetry Prize hub where you can read previous year’s top poems, Q&As with poets, plus plenty more practical tips and advice for bringing your work to life.

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