Hi there fellow poets and writers
Reconnect with your childlike sense of awe and wonder at the sight of rainbows with these prompts and exercises, suitable for both beginner and more experienced poets. Use them to warm up your creative muscles or as prompts to inspire new poems.
If you would prefer to go offline with these prompts, download and save or print the PDF at the bottom of the page.
Happy Writing! Love, Kim
1.) Write the next line of poetry …
a) Where did the rainbow go? …
b) Red and yellow it glows …
c) Oh rainbow, I wish …
2.) Rhyme Practice
Write down 5-7 words that rhyme with “bow” (as in rainbow). Now choose 3 of these words, add the word rainbow, and make 1-2 lines of poetry BUT you can only add prepositions or articles to create your lines. No other words are allowed!
3.) Ekphrastic Practice
Look at the photo of a rainbow below (taken by me a few days ago!). Write down 5 verbs that come to mind. Now take 1 of those verbs and use it as the first word in a poetic line.
4.) Creative brainstorming
Jot down answers to these creative questions (move on to the next question if nothing springs to mind):
- a) What animal lives at the end of a rainbow?
- b) What is its name?
- c) If you could lick a rainbow, what flavour would it be?
- d) If you could hitch a ride on a rainbow, where would it take you?
- e) If you could step inside a rainbow, how would it feel on your skin?
5.) Write a stanza or full poem
Take 1 of your ideas from the above questions and develop it into a 4-line stanza. Or, use the idea to craft a new poem or story.
Download a printable version of the prompts here:
Kim T. Harrison 