5 Tips for Writing a Poem About Dreams

Did you know that there are famous books (like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein) that are based on dreams? The stories in our dreams are the ways we tell ourselves our true feelings and emotions, which is why they make great starting points for writing poems. Here are some tips to get you started writing a poem about a dream you had.
 

1. Story. Dreams are stories that our minds create. Some of the most elaborate ones have a beginning, middle and end, as well as a conflict and resolution, but lots of times we get dropped into dreams in the middle of the action and wake up before things start making sense. Contemplating the most dramatic part of a dream, and how you might have gotten to that point and what could happen next, makes a great premise for a poem.
2. Expand. In dreams, our emotions can be magnified,so that we feel very strongly about particular actions that we carry out. Try to remember what emotions you felt during a dream you had and why you felt this way. Honing in on a specific feeling and then expanding on it when writing a poem helps to make it strong and flow easily.
3. Detail. In dreams, we tend to focus on certain details in our surroundings, such as specific shapes or colors. Even though these details might seem strange when we think back on them, they make great ideas for poems. Some of the best poems are simple, and are about one object. Showing attention to detail is a great skill for any writer to have.
4. Who. Which people from your life were in your dream? Why were they there? How was their dream-self similar to or different from the way they are in real life? Poems can be written about people we know, and how they have made an impact on our lives. Since our dreams tell us how we truly feel about things, including people we know, it can be very informative to write a poem about what interactions you had with other people in your dream.
5. You. Who are you when you are dreaming? Often in dreams, we are exaggerated forms of ourselves, or we are who we truly wish to be. Writing a poem about the person you are in your dreams, and comparing that person to who you are in real life can help you turn into the type of person you truly want to be.