Wednesday Poetry Prompts Archives - Writer's Digest

Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 750

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:50:34 +0000

For this week’s prompt, write a “something hidden” poem. The hidden thing could be a physical object, like treasure, a passport, or a letter (from a friend or enemy). Of course, not everything hidden has to be physical; people frequently hide their feelings, intentions, and real thoughts on situations. So consider what could be hidden and bring it into the light with a poem.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Write a poem every single day of the year with Robert Lee Brewer’s Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming. After sharing more than a thousand prompts and prompting thousands of poems for more than a decade, Brewer picked 365 of his favorite poetry prompts here.

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Here’s my attempt at a Something Hidden Poem:

“The Poet,” by Robert Lee Brewer

From an early age, I was taught
heroes hide their true identities:
Bruce Wayne as Batman, Clark Kent as
Superman, and Barry Allen as The Flash.
In one world, they saved the day;
in the other, they played make believe
that they were just ordinary people
as if fitting in was more challenging
than solving crimes and fighting evil,
and so, from an early age, I carefully
cultivated this alter ego, waiting
for my chance to save the day.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 749

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, take the phrase “Group (blank),” replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Group Think,” “Group Project,” “Groupies for Yacht Rock Cover Bands,” and/or “Grouped Together Against Our Will.”

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at a Group Blank Poem:

“Grouping Pieces,” by Robert Lee Brewer

When I start a puzzle, of course, I look
for the edge pieces first, searching for straight
lines, and then, assembling it like a book
with a border that’s firmed up like it’s fate.

After that, it’s about looking for shapes
and colors, finding common ground for one
area after another like grapes
growing on a cardboard vine until done.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 748

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, write a vacation poem. Maybe you’ve been on a vacation this summer; maybe you’ve been on a vacation some other time; or maybe you’ve never been on a vacation. Regardless, the idea of going on vacation is one that can seem amazing to some and stressful to others. And well, vacation could also refer to vacating as well…so, as always, have fun exploring the space.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at a Vacation Poem:

“Staycation,” by Robert Lee Brewer

No need for a ticket
on a plane or a train;
no rental car needed
to drive us all insane.
We can deliver thrills
from the comfort of home
and order a pizza
by website or by phone,
and if we start stirring
until we feel crazy,
we can leave for a bit
until we feel lazy.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 747

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:21:41 +0000

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems at times that I’m bombarded with all the darker parts of the world. It can be overwhelming and tempting to forget that there is still beauty to be found every day all around us. Sooooo…

For this week’s prompt, write a beauty poem. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I won’t belabor the point or give too many of my own examples. Think about what concerns you most about beauty, whether it’s positive or negative, and explore your thoughts in poetry.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at a Beauty Poem:

“Saint Simons Island,” by Robert Lee Brewer

Each morning on the dock, I listen
to the birds hunting in tall grass,
watch them flying across the marsh,
hear the splash of fish enjoying the sun,
witness a manatee floating on its back
or a flamingo spreading its pink wings wide,
and I almost forget there’s another world
(many worlds) burning the midnight oil
with worry and wonder and whatever
else matters more than this beauty.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 746

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, write an abandoned poem. I’ve abandoned many poems over the years, but I’ve also written many poems with abandon. Some people abandon ideas, interests, hope, and despair. Other people have abandoned relationships, hometowns, and so many other people, places, and things. Many people abandon their homes throughout the year to take vacations (so don’t forget that it’s sometimes possible to return to the things we briefly abandon).

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at an Abandoned Poem:

“perfect,” by Robert Lee Brewer

each evening, i admit i can’t
be perfect; i find that i must
abandon that ideal; but then,

i abandon my sound logic
each morning, imagining i
can be something impossible.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 745

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Not sure how we’ve made it to July already, but here we are.

For this week’s prompt, write a better poem. Better than what? Better than other poems maybe, but I’m just thinking of all the ways better is used, whether it’s better late than never or better than that. For better or worse, there better or worse ways to explore better luck next time. So you better watch out, better not cry, and so on. Or you better just write a poem.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at a Better Poem:

“better yet,” by Robert Lee Brewer

let’s start each day anew
with a certain sort of amnesia
that resets each evening
with abandoned reason & resentment
& a certified commitment
to those things we once meant
in those hours we once spent
so seductively & productively
burning the midnight oil
spoiling for each & every word
like they were a blessing from god.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 744

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel like I have to mention that I create these prompts ahead of time. That is, I didn’t create this prompt in relation to anything that’s currently in the news. Any similarities or deeper interpretations are just coincidence. Do with that what you will.

For this week’s prompt, write an intelligence poem. You could write a persona poem from the perspective of an intelligent person, or perhaps you yourself are very intelligent. Many governments have intelligence services, and many writers (and other human beings) are (rightfully) concerned with artificial intelligence. So write an intelligence poem this week.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at an Intelligence Poem:

“AI Did Not Write This Poem,” by Robert Lee Brewer

I’d like to believe it is true
that my brain is not a machine
reacting to the reactions
of others, that I have free will
and original thoughts, but who
decides what is real or a dream
when tabulating our actions
until we all find our thoughts stilled
by chemical combinations
and varied interpretations
as if a program moves us all
along an invisible wall
against which everyone must fight
by writing deep into the night.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 743

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, write a summer poem. The summer solstice is on Saturday, but it’s felt like summer in the Atlanta area for a while now. So let’s write about swimming pools, sunburns, baseball, AC, lawn maintenance, road trips, and more.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at a Summer Poem:

“In the South,” by Robert Lee Brewer

In the South
in summer,
the early birds
wander out
a little later
each morning,
because the worms
take their sweet tea time
measuring days
by each early
afternoon
thunderstorm
blowing up
and out
and anyway
there will always
be another.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 742

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, take the phrase “I’m (blank),” replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles could include: “I’m Ready to Start,” “I’m Not Sure What to Write,” “I’m All Alone,” and/or “I’m the Best There Ever Was.”

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at an “I’m Blank” Poem:

“I’m Pretty Sure,” by Robert Lee Brewer

I’m pretty sure
I don’t know what
is coming next
or thereafter,
but that’s OK
when you’re content
to just follow
the road you’re on,
and we’re all on
the same highway
to wherever
it is that we’re
all traveling
like there’s any
where else to go.

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Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 741

Robert Lee Brewer — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For this week’s prompt, write an ecstatic poem. For those who aren’t familiar, the term defines an overwhelming sense of happiness or joy. It’s a feeling I’ve been fortunate enough to feel from time to time, and I hope everyone else has had a moment or two (or many, many more) to pull from to write an ecstatic poem (even if it’s the lack of this feeling).

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

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Here’s my attempt at an Ecstatic Poem:

“summer song,” by Robert Lee Brewer

& as i pull another weed
& as i clip another branch
& as i bag each piece of lawn waste
& as i hear the birds sing & fight
& as i feel the sun against my skin
& as i think only of the next small task
& as i hum i know i’m in love with the world
& everything swirling in & around it
& then i pull another weed

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