Poetry Potluck and Inspiration Buffet

April is National Poetry Month. We know many of you are trying to write a poem a day this month. So for our Inspiration Buffet we’re giving you a poetry prompt for every day.

You’re welcome to post your poems in the comments. Or, you can submit your poetry for consideration in our daily menu (we publish a new poem every morning). If you’d like to submit your work, visit our Submission Guidelines.

Poetry Prompts:

April 1:
Write a poem about the home you were born in. What would that house, building, room say?

April 2:
Write a poem about learning a new word for the first time. It could be a word you recently learned, one you learned long ago, or even one you taught to someone.

April 3:
Write a poem where you have a conversation with an inanimate object. Talk to it. And if you’d like, let it talk back to you.

April 4:
Write a poem about a dream you had recently. Dreams are a wonderful brewing ground for poetry.

April 5:
Write a poem about your neighbors.

April 6:
Write a poem from the perspective of yourself when you were a little kid.

April 7:
Write a poem sparked by your experience of waiting in line.

April 8:
Write a poem about the first thing you do in the morning.

April 9:
Write a poem about something you don’t understand, something that doesn’t make sense to you.

April 10:
Write a poem about not wanting to write a poem.

April 11:
Write a poem about the part of your physical appearance that you least like. And love it.

April 12:
Write a poem about fixing your bed.

April 13:
Write a poem about a power outage, about having no electricity.

April 14:
Write a poem about shopping for a gift for someone.

April 15:
Write a poem about having dinner out alone.

April 16:
Write a poem about getting lost while trying to get somewhere.

April 17:
Write a positive poem about someone you recently insulted or criticized. Find what is poetically beautiful about them and write about it.

April 18:
Write a poem about what you think is the worst part of your personality.

April 19:
Write a poem about visiting someone at the hospital.

April 20:
Write a poem an heirloom you have from someone who had died.

April 21:
Write a poem about something you recently wanted to say but didn’t say.

April 22:
Write a poem about your first car. If you never had a car, your first bike, bus ride, train ride…something that allowed you to travel on your own.

April 23:
Write a poem about something you stole.

April 24:
Write a poem about how people would see you if they didn’t see what you posted online and only knew you face to face.

April 25:
Write a poem about something you are not able to do but wish you could do.

April 26:
Write a poem about washing something.

April 27:
Write a poem about not knowing where someone you once knew is now and wondering where they are.

April 28:
Write a poem about laughter.

April 29:
Write a poem the home of someone you know who is no longer alive.

April 30:
Write a poem promising yourself something.

 

Photo by Alexandre Vanier.