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6 Poetry Prompts to Turn The Heat Up On Your Writing

Happy August, poetry friends! We are back with new poetry prompts to help you reflect on this hot, summer month and to help you look forward to new beginnings as you seek to grow and bloom in the days ahead. 

 

1. Allow light to guide your poetry.


National Lighthouse Day is Aug. 7. Using the occasion as inspiration, let the lighthouse serve as imagery in a poem. Write two poems, each with a different perspective: one from the viewpoint of the lighthouse, and one from someone who is lost at sea seeking that light. How do the images and poems differ? How could you bring them together in a complementary way? 

 

2. Reflect on a summer sunrise or sunset. 


Most of us can recall a memorable sunrise or sunset we’ve seen during those slower and simpler days of summer. Write a poem as though you’re back there. Was it sunrise or sunset? What colors do you see? Who are you with? How do you feel? What does it make you reflect on? Alternatively, write about the duality of sunrise and sunset. How do these contrasting themes serve your poem? 

 

3. Write about slowing down and embracing stillness. 


National Relaxation Day is Aug. 15. In a culture that glorifies “hustle,” it is vital to remember rest. In honor of National Relaxation Day, reflect on the concept of stillness and rest. Write a poem about what that looks like to you. What type of imagery comes to mind? Does stillness look like a cup of coffee on your front porch in the still hours of morning? Or is stillness more a state of mind than a destination? Write your thoughts into a poem. 

 

4. Create a poem centered around endings and beginnings.

 

August typically marks the end of summer and summer activities. School, cooler weather, and shorter days are right around the corner. As seasons start to change, we are faced with the concept of endings and beginnings. Does this August feel more like an ending or a beginning for you personally? Is it both? Write a poem about the power of transitions and the bittersweet emotion that surrounds them. 

 

5. Explore the complexity of grief. 


National Grief Awareness day is Aug. 30. Grief comes in so many forms. It hides right beneath the surface and weighs down the hearts of many. Write a poem that helps raise awareness around grief and its complexity. This could entail working through your own grief or conveying observations as you’ve walked through grief with others. Exploring this important subject will remind others that they are seen in their darker seasons. It may just be the light that reminds them to hold on to hope.

 

6. Brainstorm a poem based on the concept of harvest.


August is a prime time to start harvesting summer vegetables. Reflect on the concept of reaping and sowing. What have you planted recently that might be harvested this month? What could you sow this August that might be a harvest later on? Create a reflective poem about your observations. 

 

I hope these prompts help you turn up the heat on your writing passions this summer!

 

Happy writing, friends.