4 Poems to Fire Up Their Creativity

Often times, our Writing with Design Twitter feed is full of teachers sharing some amazing photos. In classrooms all over the country, there’s a whole lot of creativity going on! Nurturing that spark can be so essential. And in a way, every time we share a new short story or a new poem with our students, we’re opening that same door into a universe of ideas. So here’s 4 poems that stretch creativity to their limits, and each one is sure to get your students excited about doing the same.

“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll

Best known for his novels involving Alice in Wonderland, Carroll also knew a thing or two about poetry. As a poem, this one is completely creative and filled with neologisms that play off the natural sounds in the English language.

“A Vast Confusion” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

A luminary of the 1950s Beat Generation of poets, Ferlinghetti’s poetry is filled with interesting beauty. This one brings the reader through the “subways of the sea” and back again in time for morning.

"Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

It’s said that when Coleridge wrote “Kubla Khan” he had been napping after a long read. Suddenly, this poem came to him in a flash. Dense, rich, and full of hidden meaning, it’s true intent has alluded scholars of literature for decades.

"Prelude" by Tomas Transtromer

This poems comes from a contemporary poet known for his command of expression. It also brings to light the disparate avenues that poets can take when combining visual imagery with lyrical content in an absolutely creative way.

“And in a way, every time we share a new short story or a new poem with our students, we’re opening that same door into a universe of ideas.”

Interested in learning more about Writing with Design? Get in touch!