5 Tips for Writing a Poem About Friends/Family

Your family and friends are the people closest to you — the ones who love you no matter what and who always have your back. They influence your life every day, so why not write a poem in their honor:  how do they inspire you? How have they helped shape who you are? Here are some tips to get you started. Don't forget to check out poetry about friends and family by other Power Poets.

1. Timeline. Reach back and try to create a timeline of your relationship. If your poem is about a friend, write about when you met and how you became friends. If you’re writing about your family, write about the first memory you have of them. It’s cool to make this timeline and see what impact they’ve made in your life.
2. The Good. Think about one of your favorite memories of them. Try to set the scene—where were you and what were you doing? Why does this memory stand out to you? Do you have people in your life who have become your chosen family? Put those emotions into the poem.
3. The Bad. You know that every day is not a (good) day at the beach. We’ve all had fights with our friends and family. Write about a rough patch you went through with them and reflect on how you got through it (or didn’t). How did this experience affect you?
4. Personality. Write down a list of personality traits of the person your poem is about and then expand on it. Has their personality changed over time? Do you share similar traits or are you polar opposites? Think about how your traits affect your relationship.
5. Share. Give a copy of your poem to the person you wrote it about, so they can know how much they mean to you. Who knows, they might be inspired to write a poem about you, too! Remember to share your poem on PowerPoetry.org    

Hear more on the topic of friendship and relationships from The Jed Foundation, a trusted partner working to promote mental and emotional health.