How to Write Prompts for a Poetry Paper

A good writing prompt is clear and concise.

A good writing prompt will do more than spark imagination and creativity. It will clearly state what is expected of the writer as well as the specific ramifications of the paper, including context, topic and format. Poetry can be abstract, so the prompt must list the specific poetic devices, such as simile and metaphor, that the writer should discuss. When the prompt is clear and concise, the writer can produce a clear and concise paper.

Instructions

Provide Context

1. Provide a context. This is background information that the writer can build upon. For example, consider the following prompt: Desserts are an important component of a holiday season menu. They are comfort foods because they make people feel warm and cozy. Such favorites include apple pie, pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Write a poem describing your favorite holiday treat. Appeal to your reader's senses as you describe how your dessert looks, tastes and smells. Use at least three metaphors and three similes in your poem.

   This prompt opens with a context for the writer: the significance of desserts during the holiday season. It gives examples of some of these desserts and it tells you that they are significant because they make people feel warm and cozy. Now the writer knows that his poem needs to convey feelings of warmth and familiarity in the context of food.

2. Provide a clear topic. Always include a sentence that tells your writer specifically what to write about. This sentence should be a command and should begin with the word "write." In the above example, the sentence, "Write a poem describing your favorite holiday treat," clearly states the topic: favorite holiday treats. Topics should be specific. Avoid vague topics like friendship, colors, and food. All three of these can narrowed to concise subjects such as friendship between sisters, colors you find at the beach and holiday desserts.

3. State the format. It may seem obvious that the format is a poem. However, if you are expecting a specific style of poem from you writer, you need to state that in your prompt. If you want your writer to write a sonnet about holiday desserts, you should say, "Write a sonnet about your favorite holiday dessert." State the format in the same sentence where you provided the topic. This will help keep the prompt clear and understandable for your reader. In other words, avoid writing, "Write a poem about your favorite holiday dessert. Your poem must be a sonnet." This is too wordy and can a be a huge letdown for the writer who read the first sentence and assumed he could write in a style of his choice.

References

• The Journal: Write, Organize, Remeber, Find
• Poetry Writing Activities and Prompts
• Poetry Essay Questions (1971-2003)
• You Can Teach Writing