Your poem title sets the tone. We show how changing a title can create an entirely different poem. Plus 9 poems with make-or-break titles!
Poets and Poems: Sam Willetts and “New Light for the Old Dark”
Poets and Poems highlights “New Light for the Old Dark” by Sam Willetts, which combines individual and family history for an effect both personal and universal.
Twitter Party: The Poetry Home Repair Manual
Tweetspeak Poetry’s recent poetry jam on Twitter used Ted Kooser’s “The Poetry Home Repair Manual” for prompts — with some surprising results.
Tattoo Poetry: Ode on a Grecian Urn Prompt
Tattoo poetry is permanent poetry—captured by the body that bears it. There’s a sense in which it is locked in time and form, much the way the painted Greek lovers were perpetually locked to the vase in “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”
Tattoo Poetry: Inked with an Author Prompt
Get inked with your author; give us a poem that tells the tale.
Top 10 Funny Poems
What makes for funny poems? Maybe the same things that make any writing funny. Enjoy a laugh and these ten funny poems.
Bottled & Canned: Surprise Poetry Prompt
Have you ever opened a can, only to find something unexpected? Now’s your chance.
Top Ten Poems from Every Day Poems
Every weekday morning, we send a carefully-chosen poem, along with beautiful artwork, out to eagerly awaiting inboxes around the world. Here are our top recent Every Day Poems.
Rock ‘n Roll Poetry Prompt: Instrumental
Rock music contains poetry, as do the instruments and voices that speak it. Jethro Tull’s “Acres Wild” shows us the way.
Rock ‘n Roll Poetry Prompt: Rock in Place
Rock ‘n roll poetry prompt takes you back to the car, the basement, or even the closet.
Rock ‘n Roll Lyrics: Poetry Prompt
Get your lyrics on and write a rock ‘n roll poem. Read one too, with an SRV.
Take Your Poet to Work: Rumi
Ever wish you could take your favorite poet along with you to work? You know, have Rumi help you mix the chemicals for that lab experiment you’re working on. Or serve up a poet on a stick along with the sandwiches to your lunch customers. With Take Your Poet to Work Day just around the corner, now you can.
Take Your Poet to Work: Emily Dickinson
Reclusive Emily Dickinson is the perfect poet for Take Your Poet to Work Day if you work from home. She won’t even complain if you work in your pajamas—she’ll be ghosting about in a house dress that’s as white as the bed linens.
Poetry Classroom: Anniversary Coffee
Welcome to the poetry classroom. Today we’re discussing Anniversary Coffee. Is it a good cup? Let’s drink up and see.
Poetry Classroom: Extra Towels
Welcome to our Poetry Classroom. This week we’re discussing luxurious towels. Or are we?
Take Your Poet to Work: Pablo Neruda
Take your favorite poet with you to work for Take Your Poet to Work Day coming up July 17. This week we’re featuring poet Pablo Neruda.
Twitter Poetry: Spinning Tickets for a Prayer Wheel
It was some Twitter poetry party. Get ready for a bank, some actors, fish, a scarlet waterfall, and bananas. Bananas?
Poetry Classroom: Life Outside
Welcome to this month’s poetry classroom, with poet Tania Runyan, author of A Thousand Vessels and Simple Weight.
Poetry Classroom: A Valediction—Forbidding Mourning
Not exactly what one expects in classical love poetry, to be sure. But hold your horses for this one, because I think this is the greatest love poem ever written.
Poetry Classroom: Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd
Welcome to this month’s poetry classroom, with author and literature professor Karen Swallow Prior. Now discussing The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd.