Looking for inspiration in others’ work is a time-honored tradition. Every week, the Ringing of the Bards Poetry Carnival is hosted at a different blog around the net. You can always find out who is hosting by visiting Ringing of the Bards. If you want to get a full dose of poetic inspiration, volunteer to host a poetry carnival of your own!

Poetry Thursday gives you a new writing prompt every week. Just check their writing prompt on the front page (the totally optional idea), write your poem, then post the url to it in a comment at Poetry Thursday. Check back on Thursday to see what everyone else did with the same thoughts.

Sometimes all you need is a great first line. One that leaves you hanging. One that makes you think. One that puzzles you. Taking off from a first line as a writing prompt can be a great way to feed your muse something a little different than her usual diet. Here’s a snack tray of first lines for your muse to nosh on.

my father was never in the picture

four years after the day you told me

your breath is always

it was only a red jacket but

opening like the petals of

there is no strength in having

Have fun – and share! If you use one of these first lines to start a poem of your own, post a link back to us in a comment so others can see what you’ve done!