How do you…
- ride a bike
- bury a pet
- plant a tree
- plant your feet
- recover from a broken heart
- listen to the ocean
- clear your memories
- communicate with an enemy
- explain your beliefs
- spell the past
Write a poem with a particular audience in mind using an instruction manual format and tone for guidance. Feel free to use any of the suggestions listed or invent one of your own, or explore a topic you have been mulling over recently.
As an extra challenge, use the instruction manual form to provide direction on how to handle something abstract in a concrete way.
Feel free to include a few imperative sentences and an oxymoron or two.
Here are a couple of “How to” poems from Zingara Poetry Review for inspiration:
“How to Baptize a Child in Philadelphia, PA” by Mike Zimmerman
The Zingara Project 