napo 2025 prep: ideas for themes, goals, reading for inspiration

 

last year was my first napo ever, and the first time i started to take my poetry seriously. and in a span of one year, my style has developed so much and i’ve gotten better. this year i can’t wait for april to come. i’m thinking that my poetry this napo will be focused on themes of growth and love, with a cottagecore aesthetic.

these are some ideas i think my poetry will explore (feel free to use these as inspiration!):

- compare abstract emotions to tangible nature imagery, how nature reflects humanity more than humans themselves, humanizing natural elements

- how love flourishes throughout the seasons, passage of time, how different animals and birds express love, what growth means for love

- the act of writing and why it’s so important, reflections on how my poetry has grown in the past year, how my poetry mirrors my life, how our writing helps us grow

- describing nature using original, weird comparisons

- family and ancestry, what growing teaches us about family, foods that hold symbolic significance, connections to our past

in between preparing for my o level examinations that start on 25th april, i still plan to have a good poetry month this year because it means something for me. because of the exams, my poetry might also touch on  themes like ambition, the need for success. my goals will be:

- write a poem a day, but it’s okay if i don’t manage thirty whole poems

- create a few pretty graphics to go along with the poems, write one or two visual poems

- try out new styles, and experiment even if i’ve found my own style

for inspiration this year, i will read anne sexton, ted hughes and try to find new poets who write about nature. and of course, i will obsessively follow the poetry of my favourite poets on young writer society during napo.

i wish you all a very happy and growth-filled national poetry month!