Stream of Consciousness

Let's start by free associating with conscious word choices. Take out a piece of paper. Number it to twenty. Clear your mind of all thought. One way to do this is to stare at one object for an extended period of time. You can also close your mind and picture one image. Then, write down whatever words come to mind. Do this as quickly as possible.

Circle four of these words, and begin your poem with whatever these words might be. For example, "The lark is tall and grey." (Obviously, add connecting words as needed).

For extra fun, start free associating with one big concept word like "desperation."

Tip: A good way to reign in the amount of raw feeling that may come out of this activity is to give the work a form. For example, I find writing a Haiku or a Rondel to be a helpful way to get started.