How to Write a Free Verse Poem: Writing Poetry Without Fixed Form

Hey fellow writers!

Welcome back to our April poetry series in celebration of National Poetry Month! Earlier this month, we kicked things off with a look at one poetic style. Today, we’re diving into one of the most flexible and expressive forms: Free Verse Poetry.

What Is Free Verse?

Free verse poetry breaks away from traditional forms. It doesn’t rely on rhyme schemes or meter. Instead, it embraces the natural flow of speech and lets the writer’s voice, rhythm, and imagery do the heavy lifting.

Poets like Walt Whitman and William Carlos Williams mastered this form, using it to explore big ideas with emotional honesty and vivid detail.

Example: From “This Is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams:

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox...

This simple moment becomes poetic not because of rhyme or structure, but because of how the lines break and the intimacy of the voice.

Tips to Write Free Verse

- Start with a moment or emotion. What do you want your reader to see or feel?

- Use vivid, sensory language. Let your poem be a picture in words.

- Play with line breaks. The way your lines fall on the page can shape meaning.

- Read it out loud. The rhythm of free verse comes from the way it sounds.

Example:

In Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, lines stretch out like waves, full of breath and motion:

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”

Writing Prompt

Write a free verse poem about a personal turning point—a moment that changed you, even in a small way. Forget the rules. Just let the emotion lead the way, and don’t worry about rhyme or rhythm. Follow the sound and shape of your thoughts.

Keep practicing your poetry this month, and don’t forget to share your work with us!

Happy Writing!

From IABX

***Source: writers.com