Olds's poem is about a marriage and the effect it has on the couple's child. Write a poem about your parents. Or, if you are unable to express how you feel about your own parents, write a poem that explores the parent-child relationship in either its ideal state or in the context of what you have observed in other families.

Research the rate of divorce in the United States during the past twenty years. Does the rate seem to be increasing or is it holding steady? If it has changed, what factors might be responsible for that change?

Poetry should create images and pictures in the reader's mind. Draw or illustrate one of the images her poem creates.

Artists are often inspired by poets to create art. For instance, William Blake was inspired by John Milton's poetry to create illustrations of the...