Make a list of words that you expect to find in a love poem, then set it aside. Now make another list—this time, of traditionally unromantic words. When you're ready to start your poem, think of what it might take for each of those unromantic words and images to suddenly seem romantic. Write a poem that describes (or imagines) a moment that shouldn't have been romantic but was—but without using words from your first list. More >
Write a poem about a common experience (walking home from school, taking off in an airplane, waiting to be served at a restaraunt), and pay particular attention to when and how you conjur each of the five senses. Remember the power of metaphor: attempt to describe the scene using senses that are not literally present in your memory, but which feel the most true. In revision, remove unnecessary description to emphasize the effect of your favorite lines. More >
Choose a moment in daily life through which you recently interacted with nature in a surprising way. Write a haiku that conveys the moment through images, striving to be true to the traditional rules of the form, especially the compressed, three-line structure. Select your images carefully, paying close attention to what is offered through the proximity of the images, rather than only through the images themselves. More >
Choose a biographical figure, famous or not, and write a dramatic monologue from their unique perspective. Be careful not to offer your own commentary, and instead explore the inner life of the individual. If it is helpful, select a pivotal moment in the person's life and plan to let the poem end there. More >
Make a list of words that you expect to find in a love poem, then set it aside. Now make another list—this time, of traditionally unromantic words. When you're ready to start your poem, think of what it might take for each of those unromantic words and images to suddenly seem romantic. Write a poem that describes (or imagines) a moment that shouldn't have been romantic but was—but without using words from your first list. 
Write a poem about a common experience (walking home from school, taking off in an airplane, waiting to be served at a restaraunt), and pay particular attention to when and how you conjur each of the five senses. Remember the power of metaphor: attempt to describe the scene using senses that are not literally present in your memory, but which feel the most true. In revision, remove unnecessary description to emphasize the effect of your favorite lines. 
Choose a moment in daily life through which you recently interacted with nature in a surprising way. Write a 
Choose a biographical figure, famous or not, and write a 
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