Poetry Toys

Often we just need to play. Here’s a list of a few places that might get your words moving in new directions!

(The Library of) Babel :: A place that may bring you new word combinations.
Babelfish :: A translation “machine.” Try translating from language to language for new ideas.
Erasures :: “Erasure is a process by which you can take any text and from it, create a poem.”
Free Rice :: Play vocabulary games: learn new words, feed the world.
Language is a Virus :: “Widgets to Cure Writer’s Block.” (That’s what they say. We don’t really believe in “block.” But we do believe in play.)
Mondo Facto :: An education site with quite a few word tools.
Phrase Finder :: Just as it says.
Project Gutenberg :: A super resource for “found poetry” or fuel for “erasure” poetry.
Robopoem :: Wonder what your last poem sounds like re-mixed to rhyme in meter? This bot can tell you.
Shadow Poetry — Resources :: An online community with a nice set of tools, assessable.
The Free Dictionary :: Just as it says.
Virtual Salt / Rhetorical Devices :: Not sure what “aporia” means? This site will help you.
Visuwords :: A fun place to play if you need a word or two or just want to fiddle around.
Wordle :: We’re betting you know what a Wordle is, but if not, check it out.

Want to see a long, long list of other resources, many of them “serious”? Go to the textetc.com “Poetry Resources Page” where you’ll find much, much more.

Special thanks to Angie Werren who shared her list with us. We’ve added a few more, and would be happy to add your online tools, too. Just send us a note to info (at) bigtentpoetry (dot) org. (And if you find a link that’s broken, let us know that, too.)