Finding Inspiration for Poetry

Poetry is a fantastic way in which many people express themselves. Often, emotions are hard to explain coherently. Maybe emotions were too much for someone to handle or too complex to put into simple words. As someone who struggled to journal in story form; I turned to poetry for comfort. Poetry is such a freeing way to write, with many different styles to wrap your thoughts into. Here I will share a few of my favorite inspirations for my writing. I hope you enjoy :)

1. Words

This sounds quite obvious, yet we often fall into the trap of not knowing what to write. At times I found myself “emotionless” with nothing to base my poetry on. This turned me to dictionaries! Have you ever dissected a word to its rawest form?!? Imagine the word and draw lines away from it pointing to things that you associate with the chosen word. You can make as many lines as you would like and create your poem from what you came up with. To make this more complex, restrain using your inspirational word until the very end of the poem… if you decide to use it at all.

2. Surroundings

Your surroundings play a vital role in many aspects of life. Have you ever thought about the impact of your environment on your mental health, plants (if you have any), animals, and allergies? Those are just a few! Poetry can expose many emotions present in your environment. Find a spot to sit in your yard, a park, or a stream. If you feel comfortable enough; close your eyes and listen. Proceed to write down your thoughts and how it makes you feel. You could even write based on your 5 senses. Be creative and find different spots for inspiration!

3. Animals

In the USA, it is widely known that 67% of families own pets! Pets are a wonderful inspiration for writing. You can observe their interactions with one another and even with humans. Every animal has a unique personality that you could pick apart and find inspiration in. If you do have pets; you could look on YouTube at videos or even find a family or friend who would be willing to let you observe or play with their pet. The ideas are endless! Have fun and be safe while interacting with others pets.

4. Relationships

Every being longs to be in a loving and understanding relationship. This could be romantic or platonic. We are surrounded by relationships that destroy and ones that lift each other. You could write about relationships that you have been in or even ones you briefly capture at a glimpse in a park. Humans are beautifully flawed and ever so complex. It's easy to find flaws in what we see. Maybe speculate and dig deeper into what you do not see. Do not assume but always be ready with questions.

I hope this helps some of those who are struggling to find inspiration. I love using these tips for myself and often utilize them in my writing. The key is to put yourself out in nature or with other people. This may be difficult for some so be gentle with yourself. Best of luck on your writing adventures!