Mining Poems

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to read over the poems you’ve been writing. I like to do that with a couple different colored highlighters. I mark words or phrases or lines that I especially like or that surprise me. Then I pick 2-4 of those highlighted selections and try to combine them into a new poem. You can rearrange words, change word endings, or add more words or lines if you need them. See what happens when you take pieces that you really like and combine them into a new whole!

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to read over the poems you’ve been writing. I like to do that with a couple different colored highlighters. I mark words or phrases or lines that I especially like or that surprise me. Then I pick 2-4 of those highlighted selections and try to combine them into a new poem. You can rearrange words, change word endings, or add more words or lines if you need them. See what happens when you take pieces that you really like and combine them into a new whole!

Set the timer for 7 minutes.

Start writing!

Don’t think about it too much; just do it.

• Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 850 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

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Kelly Bennett

and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 850 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.