Writing poetry can help a person come to grips with—or understand—what is in their mind.

Writing and reading poetry is an effective companion to talk therapy.

Prompts and rituals can help anyone get started with writing poetry.

April is National Poetry Month and a good time to consider beginning a poetry writing practice for yourself and/or your clients. Poetry is a powerful creative endeavor that keeps us in the moment and slows down time. It’s also a good way to practice mindfulness. What could be wrong with that?

Poetry is one of the oldest art forms, using imaginative, rhythmic, and emotional language to create images and evoke feelings. In fact, poetry is the voice of the soul. Poetry is also a form of storytelling; we know that our stories and experiences shape who we are. Poets have a way of putting feelings and images into words. They tend to have a keen eye for observation.

Writing and reading poetry can be empowering, providing insight into our conscious and subconscious minds. In their classic book, The Poet’s Companion, Addonizio and Laux (1997) emphasize the importance of being in touch with one’s shadow. They also write that poets must be willing to feel the emotions that come from facing the world and its unflinching truths. They talk about the concept of duende, a term coined by poet Federico Garcia Lorca, which describes the mystery, the roots that probe through the mire that we know and understand.

Navigating Challenging Times

For years, therapists have suggested poetry as a way to navigate difficult or challenging times. This mode of healing is particularly valuable for those who find it easier to gravitate to the written word and are less comfortable with the spoken word. Writing can also augment any type of psychotherapy already in progress. Whether prose or poetry, writing empowers us. It helps us come to grips with—or understand what is in our minds. It can also identify the dreams resting in our hearts.

Writing can help us figure things out. When writing a healing poem, it’s important to write from the heart rather than your head. That might take practice—we often intellectualize our pain. Try writing with one hand on your heart to remind yourself to create from feeling.

If you’re new to poetry, remember that it’s important to read a lot of poetry for inspiration. You can start by reading anthologies to find your favorite poets and then check out their books. You can also go on YouTube and listen to poets read. When writing, you might also tell a story in your poem—sometimes this is called narrative or free-verse poetry. In contemporary poetry, rhyming isn’t common. And if you cry while writing, that’s OK. Tears show that you’re tapping into deep emotions—one of the most powerful paths to healing.

There are many types of poetic forms, but these are the easiest to start with.

List poems: Organize a collection of items, images, or ideas, usually around a theme.

Ekphrastic poems: Vividly describe or respond to a piece of art.

Prose poems: Combine intense imagery and rhythmic elements of a poem in paragraph form.

Free-verse poems: Follow no fixed rules, allowing creative freedom and imagery. It’s probably the easiest form for beginning poets.

Haiku: A 3-line poem of 5/7/5 syllables that typically captures a moment in nature or in human life. Note: The syllable breakdown is flexible.

Some Tips on Writing Poetry

Use succinct, essential words.

Start with a feeling, idea, image, or observation—something that evokes emotion.

Consider the poem’s music, melody, or rhythm. For example, alliteration uses words starting with the same letters; assonance repeats vowel sounds.

Engage all your senses when writing.

Use metaphors to compare two unlike things (e.g., Time is a thief).

How to Start Writing Poetry

Before beginning a regular writing practice, establish a few rituals. Pull out your journal and do some freewriting or stream-of-consciousness writing. (also called automatic writing, coined by André Breton, the French writer and surrealist). This practice reveals what’s most important to you at the present time. It’s also a way to enter a creative flow—especially if poetry does not yet come naturally.

Some people are inspired in the moment by what they see, hear, or feel in the moment, and that’s a wonderful way to begin. But prompts can also spark ideas. Start with a thought, image, question, or phrase. Try openings such as: “I confess,” “I wish,” “I remember,” or “I love.” When you finish, revise like an artist: Break a line, add a stroke, rearrange, and read aloud. Listening helps you gauge whether your words truly resonate.

Here are some more specific prompts for poems:

Write about your childhood home.

Write about when you feel most alive.

Write about your first love.

Write about a smell that evokes memories.

Write a letter to your younger self.

Write about a meaningful moment.

Write about the best advice you’ve ever received.

The most important aspect of starting any new practice is consistency. Carve out time each day to read or write poetry. Nothing improves us like practice. As Miguel Ruiz says, “Practice makes the master.”

To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Addonizio, K, and Laux, D. (1997). The Poet’s Companion. New York: W. W. Norton Co.

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