✏️ 50 MORE Metaphorical Writing Prompts (+ Graphic Organizer)
How is inspiration like a spark? How is memory like a dusty attic?
Check out a poem I just published from a college poetry class.
💡 Inspiration is a spark. Consider inspiration as the beginning of a powerful idea. Describe the moment the spark appears and the kind of fire it ignites.
Creating Metaphors
In February 2011, my poetry professor invited his longtime poet friend Sam Green for a special poetry reading and in-class workshop. Nearly fifteen years later, that short visit remains one of my most cherished college memories.
Green has lived off grid on Waldron Island in Washington since 1982. He and his wife Sally run Brooding Heron Press, crafting beautifully hand printed poetry collections. He talked to our class about calligraphy and how deep poems can feature simple, logical structures. For just a second, poetry and philosophy crossed paths.
I remember watching Green in the liminal moments. He acted like a fish desperate to return to water. Between activities, he constantly scribbled and scrawled on scrap paper. During class he explained his written fidgeting: metaphor creation.
I later learned the activity itself is standard fare for creative writing workshops: Fold a paper then list concrete and abstract nouns. Throw in adjectives for good measure. Green explained how this simple scribbling kept his creativity fresh with new and unlikely comparisons. This left a deep impression.
In Spring 2011, as graduation sat three months away, I would have never predicted entering teaching two years later. As an English teacher, creativity remains both an ideal and limiting constraint for many.
(Someday I should sit down and write about my weird teaching backstory: How my mom made me promise never to follow her footsteps.)
After some years teaching, memories of this visit pushed me to search out metaphorical writing prompts for the classroom. If I only had some example or model prompts, that workshop would have helped with the rest. But year after year, even Google searches fell short. Most yielded the standard metaphor creation activity rather than questions as models.
In Spring 2024, as LLMs entered the news cycled, I experimented with Chat GPT. Could AI create the model prompts I so craved? In a word—and only five minutes—yes. AI did in five minutes what searching off and on for five years had not. I published the results below.
Since April 2024, I’ve experimented with these questions in the classroom. And with mixed results. Some eighth graders took the metaphors and ran with them. Others… didn’t. So after experimenting with a matching graphic organizer, I noticed the idea click for many. This deserves its own post.
(This graphic organizer is far from complete. I realize it needs extra prompting, but until I practice with it soon, I’m not sure quite where.)
Last month I sat down with Gemini and tried to recreate GPT’s initial results. So far I’ve ran five or six different trials, aiming to create a small catalogue of examples. Below I’m publishing the first fifty unique results. I won’t lie: I learned a lotta new things this time around. This also deserves its own post.
In the meantime, until I feel ready to share other lists and teaching templates, I wanted to share those first fifty unique results. Below I’ve likewise included a link to the 100 I’ve released so far (in Google Docs). Since creating unique results stands as a problem, I may release 100+ themed results in the future.
Disclaimer: These fifty unique results aren’t necessarily the best. In my first trial, where did ten sets of twenty, the sheer number forced some entertaining options. But some 75 of 200 results included duplicates, so there’s that. Secondary problems. Again, this deserves its own post.
50 MORE Metaphorical Writing Prompts
1. Fear is a locked door. Imagine it’s a door you’ve been avoiding. Describe the door, what’s behind it, and why you are afraid to open it.
2. Grief is a heavy anchor. Consider how it keeps a person from moving forward. Describe the anchor’s weight and the sea floor where it’s lodged.
3. Memory is a dusty attic. Explore what forgotten items you might find there. Describe a single object and the specific memory it holds.
4. Anger is a volcano. Think of how it builds beneath the surface. Describe the rumbling, the smoke, and the eventual eruption.
5. Joy is a butterfly. Imagine it fluttering just out of reach. Describe its colors, its flight, and how you might try to catch it.
6. Hope is a single candle flame. Consider how it can be fragile but still provide light. Describe what’s around the flame and what it illuminates.
7. A lie is a tangled web. Explore how it grows and ensnares people. Describe a single thread and the insects caught in it.
8. Truth is a sharp knife. Think about how it can be both painful and useful. Describe the knife’s handle, its blade, and its purpose.
9. Wisdom is a deep well. Imagine the knowledge you could draw from it. Describe the water’s surface and what you see reflected in it.
10. Love is a garden. Consider what it takes to make it grow. Describe the soil, the types of flowers, and any weeds you find there.
11. Kindness is a warm blanket. Explore how it can comfort and protect someone. Describe the blanket’s texture and the feeling of wrapping it around you.
12. Failure is a locked chest. Reflect on what treasures might be hidden inside. Describe the chest’s exterior and the key that opens it.
13. Curiosity is a compass. Think about where it leads you. Describe its needle, the cardinal directions, and the strange lands it points toward.
14. A secret is a sealed letter. Consider who wrote it and who it’s for. Describe the paper’s texture and the ink’s color on the envelope.
15. A relationship is a bridge. Imagine the distance it spans and the people who cross it. Describe the bridge’s construction and its destination.
16. Time is a river. Explore its constant, unstoppable flow. Describe a specific moment you’re floating in and the banks you pass.
17. Loneliness is an empty room. Consider the echoes it creates. Describe the room’s walls, the silence, and the single object within it.
18. An idea is a seed. Reflect on the conditions needed for it to sprout. Describe the seed’s appearance and the plant it grows into.
19. Courage is a strong tree. Think about what forces it can withstand. Describe its roots, its branches, and the wind that tries to break it.
20. A dream is a ship. Imagine where it can take you. Describe its sails, its destination, and the sea it sails upon.
21. A habit is a worn path. Consider how easy it is to follow. Describe the path’s surface, the twists and turns, and the destination it leads to.
22. Patience is a fishing line. Explore what it takes to reel in a catch. Describe the line’s tension and the elusive thing on the other end.
23. Insecurity is a shifting shadow. Think of how it follows you and changes shape. Describe its size, its movement, and the light that creates it.
24. Inspiration is a lightning strike. Reflect on the sudden and powerful feeling. Describe the sky, the sound, and the momentary burst of light.
25. Success is a mountain peak. Consider the long journey to reach the top. Describe the view from the summit and the clouds below.
26. Sarcasm is a poison dart. Imagine its quick, stinging effect. Describe the dart’s tip, the subtle way it’s launched, and the wound it leaves.
27. Knowledge is a library. Explore the different rooms and the books within them. Describe a single book and the information it contains.
28. Regret is a ghost. Think about how it haunts and follows you. Describe its form, its mournful sound, and the place it appears.
29. A commitment is a chain. Consider how it can be both a burden and a bond. Describe its links, its weight, and what it connects you to.
30. Stress is a tangled knot. Reflect on what it’s made of and how it tightens. Describe a single thread, the knots within it, and how you try to untangle it.
31. Identity is a mosaic. Explore how many pieces make up the whole picture. Describe a few of the shards, their colors, and the image they form.
32. Embarrassment is a spotlight. Think about how it makes you feel exposed. Describe the blinding light and the crowd you feel is watching.
33. Trust is a glass statue. Consider how fragile it is. Describe the statue’s clear surface and the single crack that appears within it.
34. Jealousy is a festering wound. Reflect on how it spreads and poisons you. Describe its painful surface and the medicine you try to apply.
35. The future is an unwritten page. Imagine what words you will write on it. Describe the blank paper’s texture and the pen you hold in your hand.
36. Silence is a thick wall. Explore how it can be both comforting and isolating. Describe the wall’s material and what it keeps out or holds in.
37. An apology is a torn page. Reflect on the words that were once there. Describe the ripped edges and what you would write in its place.
38. Doubt is a dense fog. Consider how it distorts what you see. Describe the fog’s clammy feeling and the familiar shapes it obscures.
39. Forgiveness is a broken chain. Think about the feeling of being set free. Describe the severed links and the space that opens up between them.
40. Judgment is a mirror. Explore how it reflects both the viewer and the viewed. Describe the mirror’s surface and the reflection that looks back at you.
41. A memory is a photograph. Think about the details you remember. Describe the photo’s faded colors and the specific moment it captures.
42. A promise is a handshake. Reflect on the sincerity of the grip. Describe the warmth of the hands and the firmness of the connection.
43. A rumor is a wildfire. Consider how quickly it spreads. Describe the first spark, the dry brush, and the towering flames.
44. Freedom is a wide-open field. Explore the sensation of running through it. Describe the grass under your feet and the wind in your hair.
45. A voice is an instrument. Reflect on its tone and rhythm. Describe its unique sound and the music it creates.
46. Courage is a shield. Imagine what blows it can deflect. Describe the shield’s material and the emblem painted on its face.
47. A challenge is a closed door. Think about what you need to do to open it. Describe the door’s material, its doorknob, and the feeling of turning it.
48. Happiness is a warm fire. Consider how it keeps you cozy and safe. Describe the crackling logs and the feeling of the heat on your face.
49. A mistake is a footprint in the sand. Explore how the tide eventually washes it away. Describe the shape of the print and the waves that erase it.
50. Your legacy is a monument. Think about what you want it to look like. Describe its size, its material, and the words carved into its base.
Resources
🎁 New to the blog? Check out my recent starter pack as well as a Google Drive Folder with FREE classroom resources! Also, The Honest School Times has your schooling satire.
⏰ Recent Posts
The Art of the Reading Guide (9/27/2025)
Teach Computer Literacy Before AI (9/13/2025)
The Mysterious Disappearing Analogy Book (9/7/2025)
Templates for Teaching Quotations (8/30/2025)
The Joy of Teaching Siblings (8/24/2025)
How Google Forms Simplifies Data Collection (8/10/2025)
Back to School Night (8/3/2025)
33 Big Ideas to Start Your School Year (7/23/2025)
Teach Computers Before AI: A Sketch (7/21/2025)
Creative Writing Doesn’t Exist (7/17/2025)
How to Teach with Student Writing (6/25/2025)
Practice Writing Rules by Breaking Them (6/21/2025)
🏆 Fan Favorites
✏️ Teach Writing Tomorrow
📓 Other Writing Tricks