National Poetry Month (NPM) Daily Prompts from PSI
This year, we asked our dedicated PSI Board officers to come up with enough poetry prompts to post one every day for the month of April in celebration of National Poetry Month. We hope you'll enjoy some of these daily prompts, many of which represent forms or subjects that you will find among the 27 categories of our 2022 Poetry Society of Indiana 44th Annual Poetry Contest.
If you would like to share your prompts-inspired poems with Poetry Society of Indiana, please feel free to post them under the daily prompts on our public Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PoetrySocietyOfIndiana/ As always, poets, please remember that any poems posted in comments on Facebook's public pages may be considered as "published." Poems NOT previously published may be entered in our 2022 Poetry Society of Indiana 44th Annual Poetry Contest.
If you would like to become a member of Poetry Society of Indiana, you can then join our private Facebook group page, where posted poems are not considered "published." Membership information can be found here: https://www.poetrysocietyofindiana.org/psi-membership.html.
If you would like to become a member of Poetry Society of Indiana, you can then join our private Facebook group page, where posted poems are not considered "published." Membership information can be found here: https://www.poetrysocietyofindiana.org/psi-membership.html.
Daily Prompts
01 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write an ode to your purse or pocket (or whatever you carry your stuff in)!
Use any poetic form or rhyming scheme.
Write an ode to your purse or pocket (or whatever you carry your stuff in)!
Use any poetic form or rhyming scheme.
02 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Often we write about how music sounds, or how a sunset looks, or how a pie smells or tastes. Write a poem mixing up the senses we most often think describe our topic (the taste of music, the smell of sunset, the sound of pie).
Often we write about how music sounds, or how a sunset looks, or how a pie smells or tastes. Write a poem mixing up the senses we most often think describe our topic (the taste of music, the smell of sunset, the sound of pie).
03 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write an Acrostic poem, except instead of STARTING each line so it spells out a word vertically, END each line so it spells out a word vertically.
Write an Acrostic poem, except instead of STARTING each line so it spells out a word vertically, END each line so it spells out a word vertically.
04 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Take yourself out for Chinese food. Open your fortune cookie. Whatever is written on the piece of paper is the theme of your poem OR you must include all the words on the slip of paper in your poem.
Take yourself out for Chinese food. Open your fortune cookie. Whatever is written on the piece of paper is the theme of your poem OR you must include all the words on the slip of paper in your poem.
05 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a tricube! This form was invented by Phillip Larrea. There are no rules about rhyme or meter, the focus is all on the number three.
Form:
• Each line contains three syllables
• Each stanza contains three lines
• Each poem contains three stanzas
Write a tricube! This form was invented by Phillip Larrea. There are no rules about rhyme or meter, the focus is all on the number three.
Form:
• Each line contains three syllables
• Each stanza contains three lines
• Each poem contains three stanzas
06 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a poem in any form and/or rhyme scheme inspired by the word, hush.
Write a poem in any form and/or rhyme scheme inspired by the word, hush.
07 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Think about the first time you either drove a car or flew in a plane and write a poem about that experience without using the words car or plane or any other words that identify the mode of transportation.
Think about the first time you either drove a car or flew in a plane and write a poem about that experience without using the words car or plane or any other words that identify the mode of transportation.
08 April 2022 poetry prompt:
In poetry, Spring is often identified with bright and happy thoughts on topics like nature, youth, fresh starts, births, growth, blossoming, gardens, and flowers, etc. Write a poem in which typical Springtime visuals serve to reflect upon life’s challenges, obstacles, and “darker” moments.
In poetry, Spring is often identified with bright and happy thoughts on topics like nature, youth, fresh starts, births, growth, blossoming, gardens, and flowers, etc. Write a poem in which typical Springtime visuals serve to reflect upon life’s challenges, obstacles, and “darker” moments.
09 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a nonet! A nonet has no rule around rhyming or subject matter, but there is a specific syllable and line count.
Nonet form:
Write a nonet! A nonet has no rule around rhyming or subject matter, but there is a specific syllable and line count.
Nonet form:
- nine-line poem
- descending syllable count per line: 9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1
10 April 2022 poetry prompt:
What is you favorite time of day and why? Write a poem that describes your answer but write it in 3rd person from the perspective of a gender different than your own.
What is you favorite time of day and why? Write a poem that describes your answer but write it in 3rd person from the perspective of a gender different than your own.
11 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a poem about a significant moment in history at the local, statewide, national, or global level in any country (not a personal or “family history” moment).
Write a poem about a significant moment in history at the local, statewide, national, or global level in any country (not a personal or “family history” moment).
12 April 2022 poetry prompt:
What is your deepest spiritual ideal? Write a poem from the perspective of someone who feels that ideal is not valid.
What is your deepest spiritual ideal? Write a poem from the perspective of someone who feels that ideal is not valid.
13 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Limericks are traditionally saucy and/or humorous, but here’s your chance
to try something different! Write a limerick with an ironic or philosophical statement.
Limerick form:
• 5-line poem consisting of a triplet split by a couplet (aabba)
• lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme, and average 7 – 10 syllables each line
• lines 3 and 4 rhyme, and average 5 – 7 syllables each line
Limericks are traditionally saucy and/or humorous, but here’s your chance
to try something different! Write a limerick with an ironic or philosophical statement.
Limerick form:
• 5-line poem consisting of a triplet split by a couplet (aabba)
• lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme, and average 7 – 10 syllables each line
• lines 3 and 4 rhyme, and average 5 – 7 syllables each line
14 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a poem inspired by what you see when you look at your hands.
14 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a poem inspired by what you see when you look at your hands.
15 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a 5x5 poem!
A 5x5 poem is a five line poem where each line consists of five words.
You can choose any topic or subject, and your choice of rhyming or non-rhyming.
Write a 5x5 poem!
A 5x5 poem is a five line poem where each line consists of five words.
You can choose any topic or subject, and your choice of rhyming or non-rhyming.
16 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Pick a book. Go to the page number page of your age in years. Go to the paragraph of the number of your birth month. Write a poem about what that paragraph says. If you don’t like that paragraph, pick a different book and start again.
Pick a book. Go to the page number page of your age in years. Go to the paragraph of the number of your birth month. Write a poem about what that paragraph says. If you don’t like that paragraph, pick a different book and start again.
17 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Rain. It’s a natural phenomenon popularly used as a metaphor in all forms of artistic expression. When something’s that common, it can be hard to express a fresh take on it, but give it your best shot by writing a poem in any form using rain as a metaphor, for anything you choose!
Rain. It’s a natural phenomenon popularly used as a metaphor in all forms of artistic expression. When something’s that common, it can be hard to express a fresh take on it, but give it your best shot by writing a poem in any form using rain as a metaphor, for anything you choose!
18 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write an ekphrastic poem inspired by the image at left. You are free to use any form, rhyming or non-rhyming, to construct your poem.
Write an ekphrastic poem inspired by the image at left. You are free to use any form, rhyming or non-rhyming, to construct your poem.
19 April 2022 poetry prompt:
What scent conjures a memory, results in a smile? Your grandmother’s hand cream? The scent of baby powder? A freshly baked chocolate cake? The smell of outdoors after a Spring rain, or evergreens in Winter? Write a pantoum to share this joy.
Image credit: “Swoop” fractal by JAC; follow him on Instagram @jahn.cavi_
What scent conjures a memory, results in a smile? Your grandmother’s hand cream? The scent of baby powder? A freshly baked chocolate cake? The smell of outdoors after a Spring rain, or evergreens in Winter? Write a pantoum to share this joy.
Image credit: “Swoop” fractal by JAC; follow him on Instagram @jahn.cavi_
20 April 2022 poetry prompt:
What is your handmade story?
What have you created by hand?
Dare to use the villanelle form to tell your story.
21 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Shortly after dawn, the birds sing in a new day.
What are the words to their song?
Use the trijan refrain form to write a poem for this melody.
Shortly after dawn, the birds sing in a new day.
What are the words to their song?
Use the trijan refrain form to write a poem for this melody.
22 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a tanka Ode To Time.
What is your favorite hour/minute of the day?
Is it a celebration of the sun’s rays in the window?
A mealtime? A busy or relaxed time?
Let us feel this in a tanka poem.
Write a tanka Ode To Time.
What is your favorite hour/minute of the day?
Is it a celebration of the sun’s rays in the window?
A mealtime? A busy or relaxed time?
Let us feel this in a tanka poem.
23 April 2022 poetry prompt:
What is on your bedside table – the first thing you see
and the last thing you see of each day? What is its significance? How and when did it get there?
Tell its story in a sonnet.
What is on your bedside table – the first thing you see
and the last thing you see of each day? What is its significance? How and when did it get there?
Tell its story in a sonnet.
24 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Take a long, hard, concentrated look out your kitchen window – what do you see? What thoughts are conjured?
Share your vision in a rondo form poem.
Take a long, hard, concentrated look out your kitchen window – what do you see? What thoughts are conjured?
Share your vision in a rondo form poem.
25 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Compose a rhymed poem dedicated to your hair!
Compose a rhymed poem dedicated to your hair!
26 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Coffee? Tea? Juice? – write an ode to your favorite breakfast beverage. Extra challenge: be silly and make it a limerick!
Coffee? Tea? Juice? – write an ode to your favorite breakfast beverage. Extra challenge: be silly and make it a limerick!
27 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Today is “Hump Day”! What does it conjure for you?
Write a free verse poem expressing your thoughts on the phrase.
Today is “Hump Day”! What does it conjure for you?
Write a free verse poem expressing your thoughts on the phrase.
28 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Are You In Or Are You Out?
That question has taken on new meanings over the past couple of years as COVID-19 and its variants continue to decimate the world.
Write a poem about “where you are” today in the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.
Are You In Or Are You Out?
That question has taken on new meanings over the past couple of years as COVID-19 and its variants continue to decimate the world.
Write a poem about “where you are” today in the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.
29 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write a poem about a place that you’ve never been but would like to live in or visit.
Write a poem about a place that you’ve never been but would like to live in or visit.
30 April 2022 poetry prompt:
Write an acrostic poem using the letters below, in the order given, as the first letter of each line. You can add blank line spaces anywhere you want, or create a 16-line poem with no blank line spaces.
U
N
T
I
L
W
E
M
E
E
T
A
G
A
I
N
Write an acrostic poem using the letters below, in the order given, as the first letter of each line. You can add blank line spaces anywhere you want, or create a 16-line poem with no blank line spaces.
U
N
T
I
L
W
E
M
E
E
T
A
G
A
I
N
Thank you for celebrating National Poetry Month with us!
We hope you've enjoyed our daily prompts this year,
and don't forget to enter our multi-category
2022 PSI Annual Poetry Contest!
We hope you've enjoyed our daily prompts this year,
and don't forget to enter our multi-category
2022 PSI Annual Poetry Contest!