Free Verse Poem Examples and Activities

What is Free Verse Poetry? What are some free verse poem examples and activities?

Free Verse poems do not have any specific pattern of arrangement of rhythm in terms of syllables, length, or rhyme scheme.

They are fun and flexible and often sound more conversational and natural than poems that have specific standards for rhyme scheme or syllable requirements.

Free verse poetry is excellent for beginners. Be sure to review a range of samples and models to get students inspired.

Allow students time to brainstorm independently and collectively.

Examples

Free verse poems can focus on a variety of topics. Many famous poets have used free verse poetry in order to communicate their thoughts and themes that have been very powerful in connecting with audiences. Here is an excerpt from one of Sylvia Plath’s poems, titled “Elm.”

“I know the bottom, she says. I know it with my great tap root:
It is what you fear.
I do not fear it: I have been there…
Love is a shadow.
How you lie and cry after it
Listen: these are its hooves: it has gone off, like a horse.”

As readers review Plath’s poem, it’s clear that there is no specific rhyme pattern or structure. This makes the poem free verse when compared to those that are more organized and adhere more readily to a certain rhyme scheme.

Instructional Uses and Strategies

Introducing students to poetry should always include free verse poetry.

Though reading rhyme schemes can make writing poems especially fun, free verse poetry can eliminate some of the worries and frustrations of figuring out the best rhymes and following more strict guidelines.

By introducing your students to free verse poems, you can help them see how each verse is important to the entire poem, but also that those verses can be constructed with flexibility.

Here are a few activities for working with free verse poetry in your classroom:

  1. Personal Poems: To begin, have students write a free verse poem about a specific memory. They can write their ideas, using figurative language and vivid imagery to help their readers imagine the experience. Encourage them to use a variety of line lengths and focus on telling the story of a memory, event, or something else of interest. The other part to love about this particular strategy is that as a classroom leader, you can learn a little about your students by giving them the freedom to write something personal!
  2. Newsletters: Free verse poetry can be a clever and engaging way to report out on what’s happening in your classroom. Students can write free verse poems to reflect on the month, their work, a special unit, a guest speaker, or anything else. This brings both color and voice to the student experience which can then be shared with parents and family members. Consider adding a “Feature Free Verse” to your next classroom newsletter!
  3. Ode Poem in Free Verse: Free verse poetry does not follow any specific rhyme scheme, so that makes these types of poems easier for learners to work with. Similarly, ode poems are also more loose in structure, but are focused on praise and celebration. Have students write an ode poem in a free verse structure that includes certain elements like onomatopoeia in order to bring that poem to life. By asking students to write about something they love and telling them to write these ideas in a free verse poem, they will likely get more practice than starting with a more structured poem. Use free verse poems to your advantage to engage all learners! Fantastic!

As with all poetry writing, it is important to encourage students to plan, write, and revise so that their poetry is engaging and meaningful! Have fun!

When you’re ready to get started, we have a wonderful selection of worksheets and a template that students can use to begin writing today. This will make implementation a breeze! Be free!

CCSS Standard
R.4, R.5, R.6, W.2

Free Verse Poem Activities (PDFs)