What Topics Are Always Funny When Doing Poetry

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Congratulations, poet! Your search for poetry writing prompts is over—because Writer's Relief has curated a HUGE collection of free writing prompts and poetry exercises that will fire up your creativity!

You are welcome to post the results of these poetry writing prompts in our comments section: But be aware of publishing industry standards regarding what is considered previously published writing.

Just think—the poem you write using these poetry writing prompts might be your next literary magazine publication!

And if you want help getting your poems published by reputable presses, reach out to the submission experts at Writer's Relief!

The Best Writing Prompts For Poets

Momentous Occasions. These poetry writing prompts focus on life's big events—moments that are often emotionally charged and teeming with opportunity for poetic expression. Spend some time thinking about these moments in your life and then allow your memories to emerge as poems. Or, if you haven't had any of these milestone moments, consider how you might write a poem based on the absence.

1. The day a child was born
2. The day your faith was shaken
3. The day you made a decision to give up something or someone you love
4. The day you were turned down
5. The day your hope was restored
6. The day you lost a loved one
7. A day you laughed through tears
8. A day someone surprised you with kindness
9. An effort that ended in deep humiliation
10. An effort that ended in triumph or joy
11. A holiday from childhood that stands out
12. A wedding that taught you more about love
13. A mundane birthday party that became memorable long after the fact
14. The moment of a life-changing injury
15. A day you got good/bad news about a diagnosis

Everyday Moments. While some poems are born of life's most attention-grabbing events, others can be inspired by quiet, easy-to-overlook moments of the day. These poetry writing prompts and exercises ask you to pay close attention to all the little moments that might otherwise be missed.

16. The dawn of the day
17. Your first cup of tea or coffee
18. When your head hits your pillow
19. The moment before cracking open a beloved book
20. When you realize you have to parallel park
21. When day becomes night
22. A bell ringing
23. Sirens in the distance
24. Being stuck in traffic
25. Opening the mailbox
26. The moment you realize you're not paying attention
27. When you see someone else rubbing their forehead/eyes
28. The moment you decide to cut a corner
29. When you wave to a neighbor
30. Weighing your options
31. The moment you sit down to write

First Times. From first dates to first failures, many of life's "firsts" are accompanied by intense feelings. Whether your experiences left you feeling thrilled or disappointed, "firsts" can make for great poems. Read through these poetry writing prompts to see if any of these "firsts" might spark a new poem. (And if you haven't had any of these firsts, consider imagining one or reflecting on not having a certain "first.")

32. First love
33. First heartbreak
34. First time you saw the ocean
35. First beer/wine
36. First time you saw your parents as adults
37. First moment you realized you were an adult
38. First poem that made you love poetry
39. First visit to a museum
40. First play or live performance
41. First meal you cooked for someone else
42. First visit to a major sporting event
43. First time you realized not everyone likes you back
44. First time you stood up for an unpopular opinion
45. First memory of being embraced
46. First time you disappointed yourself
47. First time you felt small outdoors
48. First time you got dizzy from spinning

Nature And Space. Nature is often a source of inspiration for artists and poets. If you can get outside to write a poem, by all means do! But even if you're stuck indoors, use your imagination to "head outdoors" and write a poem from your creative vision.

Write about the following places and spaces however the muses may inspire you. You can describe memories or imaginings, reflect on the larger meanings of archetypes, or simply allow your heart to express its poetic wishes. Learn more about writing great nature poems.

49. A mountain
50. A river
51. An oasis (unexpected space)
52. Your favorite cozy room
53. A massive indoor space
54. An intriguing love/hate space
55. Your most vivid memory of a train/subway/airplane
56. Someplace you never want to see/go again
57. A place you will probably never see again, though you may want to
58. A place your parents dragged you to
59. Somewhere you always wished you could go
60. When you saw a rainbow
61. When nature surprised you/caught you off guard
62. Ripples on water
63. Sunlight on a spiderweb
64. The beauty of a mud puddle
65. The look of a tree in winter
66. A spring rain
67. A summertime chore
68. A winter evening outdoors
69. A winter evening at home
70. An unidentified rumble (Thunder? Rockslide? Earthquake? Subway car?)
71. A special time under the stars

Food Inspirations. Flavors evoke myriad feelings, memories, expectations, and longings. Use these food-inspired poetry writing prompts to reflect on food-related topics and write a poem based on your reactions.

72. The taste of coffee
73. The texture of eggs
74. The smell of bread
75. The heat of an oven on a cold day
76. The scent and feeling of picking strawberries/apples/etc.
77. The promise of fresh fruit
78. The memory of hunger
79. A bowl of fake fruit on a table
80. A time you had to force down a loathed meal
81. Catching the scent of something delicious when walking down the street
82. Watching someone else eat

Meeting The Unexpected. These poetry writing prompts ask you to imagine a scene or moment—and then think of something that catches you (and readers) by surprise. What shocking and unexpected thing might you see in a crosswalk? What would that sight mean to you and others? Allow your mind to wander—and let your poetry surprise you.

83. In a crosswalk
84. At the beach
85. In your soup
86. Appearing from under the water
87. In your rearview mirror
88. At the bank
89. From a hidden alleyway
90. In a shoe
91. Under a shoe
92. In a tree branch
93. Caught in someone's hair (or your hair)
94. In a dog's mouth
95. In a waiting room
96. Under a bed
97. Behind a cloud

Mysterious Places. For these poetry writing prompts, we're going to ask you to stretch your imaginations beyond the world of logic and fact and imagine that you can inhabit "in between" spaces. What would it feel like? What would you do? Or not do?

Imagine you are…

98. Between stars
99. Between particles
100. Between dreams
101. Between flames in a fireplace
102. Between light and shadow
103. Underground
104. Behind a mask
105. Between air and water
106. Just before waking
107. Just before sleeping
108. Between notes in a song
109. Between the couch cushions
110. Between breaths
111. Between tripping and catching yourself

Poetry Writing Exercises. Once you've written a poem in response to one of our poetry writing prompts, consider rewriting—this time in a poetry genre that is outside of your usual wheelhouse. Choose one of the poetry genres below.

112. Beat poetry
113. Epic poetry
114. Epistolary poem
115. Elegy
116. Free verse
117. Haiku
118. Lament
119. Lyric poetry
120. Palindrome
121. Pastoral
122. Prose poetry
123. Rhyme of choice
124. Slam/spoken word
125. Sonnet

Want To Write Better Poetry?

Check out these great articles from Writer's Relief that will help you craft responses to our poetry writing prompts and exercises:

Fun With Poetry: 7 Days + 7 Games = One Week To Poetic Reinvigoration!

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry Submissions.

Poetry Submission Turnoffs: Styles And Formatting That Make Editors Cringe.

The Healing Power Of Confessional Poetry.

Poetry Is A Lifestyle Choice: How To Keep A Poetic Frame Of Mind.

How To Write Good Rhyming Poetry.

Writer, Can You Help? Please add to our list of poetry writing prompt ideas by posting your own ideas for poetry topics in our comments section!

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Source: https://writersrelief.com/2018/12/14/125-of-the-best-poetry-writing-prompts-for-poets-writers-relief/

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