August 2025 Writing Prompt
August 2025 Writing Prompt
Write a poem inspired by or using at least one of the following alliterative lines:
• “final summer as something feral” • “grabbing fistfuls of gladiolus” • “August as an afterthought”
Keep the alliteration going and learn more about this poetic device below!
Alliteration is a literary/poetic device in which several words that are close together start with the same sound (usually a consonant):
“the leaping lemur stopped to lick the lonely lemon”
“shells shine like stars on the shimmering shore”
“the moon rose like a marble, rolled its milky beams across the river”
Why should I use alliteration? • To set the mood of your piece. For example, a harsh “st” sound can enhance a menacing atmosphere while a soft “w” or “m” might set a soothing or romantic mood. • To create rhythm and/or emphasis. The sound repetition sets the pace, adds lyricism, and generally makes a piece more memorable. • For spoken fun. For spoken word poets who want to add more rhythm and emphasis to their spoken poems AND for poetry readers who like to read poems out loud (hi!). Alliteration’s musicality also makes poems easier to memorize.
How to use alliteration? • Create lyrical poetry. Give your poem extra musciality by pairing with other devices, such as internal/end rhyme and repetition. • Commit! Use it throughout the piece, not just in a line or two. • Be subtle or emphatic or something in between. Alliteration doesn’t have to be as intense as my examples above. See the first poem below for an example of 2-to-3-word alliterations used throughout a poem.
Examples:
“I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” by Kevin Young