In English We Say… In Poetry We Say: Writing Prompts to Turn Everyday Speech into Poetic Expression

If you’ve been spending time on poetry TikTok or Instagram lately, you’ve probably come across this trend: poets reading lines that begin with “In English we say…” and then answering with something more lyrical: “In poetry we say…”

This “In English we say / In Poetry we say” trend has been circulating on social media for quite some time now, with poets like Whitney Hanson and others turning ordinary expressions into emotional, soul-stirring moments. It’s a fascinating way to present poetry, by transforming everyday language into something full of feeling.

The contrast is what makes it powerful: In English we say something simple and literal, but in poetry we say something that reveals the emotion hiding underneath.

In this post, I’ve gathered a series of poetic writing prompts to help you try this trending style for yourself. Use them to spark new ideas, inspire your next poem, or add depth to the way you express ordinary thoughts.

Why Poets Love This Trend

The “In English we say… In Poetry we say…” format has taken off for a reason, especially in writing circles. Why? Because, it is a way of adding feeling and deep expression to everyday statements.

One thing about poetry is that it transforms the obvious into something deeper, and this trend highlights that. In case you haven’t seen this trend yet, this is an example:

In English we say: "I’m tired"
In Poetry we say: “My bones hum the song of sleep.”

Now, let’s get straight to our prompts.

The Poetry Prompts

To make things easier, these creative poetry prompts have been grouped according to their topics and themes.

Love, Heartbreak & Healing

1. In English we say “I still care, even though you don’t.” In poetry we say…
2. In English we say “I loved you more than you knew.” In poetry we say…
3. In English we say “We grew apart.” In poetry we say…
4. In English we say “I should’ve left sooner.” In poetry we say…
5. In English we say “You were never mine.” In poetry we say…
6. In English we say “I forgive you.” In poetry we say…
7. In English we say “I wish we never met.” In poetry we say…
8. In English we say “You stopped trying.” In poetry we say…
9. In English we say “I still think about you.” In poetry we say…
10. In English we say “You made me feel like nothing.” In poetry we say…
11. In English we say “We wanted different things.” In poetry we say…
12. In English we say “I thought love would be enough.” In poetry we say…
13. In English we say “You left me with the most painful goodbye.” In poetry we say…
14. In English we say “It still hurts when I say your name.” In poetry we say…
15. In English we say “I wish we met later in life.” In poetry we say…

Self-Love & Growth

1. In English we say “I’m not who I used to be.”
2. In English we say “This is how far I’ve come, and I am proud.”
3. In English we say “I’m starting over.”
4. In English we say “I’m still growing.”
5. In English we say “I’m giving myself all the good things I didn’t give before”
6. In English we say “I’ love my broken self.”
7. In English we say “This is what peace feels like.”
8. In English we say “I’m not ashamed of who I was.”
9. In English we say “I’m choosing myself this time.”
10. In English we say “I’m proud of my scars.”
11. In English we say “I’m taking my time to learn myself.”
12. In English we say “I’ve stopped apologising for being me.”

Nature

1. In English we say “The seasons are changing.”
2. In English we say “It’s raining again.”
3. In English we say “The sun feels different today.”
4. In English we say “The flowers bloomed early this year.”
5. In English we say “The stars look beautiful tonight.”
6. In English we say “The air feels different tonight.”
7. In English we say “The rain smells like childhood.”
8. In English we say “The morning feels new again.”
9. In English we say “The world is quieter at dawn.”

Friendship & Human Connection

1. In English we say “We’ve stopped calling each other.”
2. In English we say “You are my safe place.”
3. In English we say “We laughed until we cried.”
4. In English we say “You always showed up.”
5. In English we say “Some people stay in your heart, not your life.”
6. In English we say “I’ll always wish you well.”
7. In English we say “We never took a photo that day.”
8. In English we say “Thank you for staying.”
9. In English we say “I miss how things used to be.”
10. In English we say “You always understand.”
11. In English we say “We don’t talk like we used to.”
12. In English we say “I’m grateful for you.”
13. In English we say “You’ve always been home.”
14. In English we say “You taught me what loyalty means.”

Family, Home and Nostalgia

1. In English we say “I miss my mother.”
2. In English we say “My father tried his best.”
3. In English we say “We don’t say ‘I love you’ in this house.”
4. In English we say “I grew up too fast.”
5. In English we say “I want to go back home”.
6. In English we say “We never talked about feelings.”
7. In English we say “I’m still healing my inner child.”
8. In English we say “I still hear her voice in my head.”
9. In English we say “He taught me how to be brave.”
10. In English we say “Home doesn’t feel the same.”
11. In English we say “I wish I called more often.”
12. In English we say “The house feels smaller now.”
13. In English we say “We used to eat dinner together.”
14. In English we say “I miss the noise.”
15. In English we say “They did their best.”
16. In English we say “I finally understand my parents.”

Letting Go, Change & Moving On

1. In English we say “I don’t need closure anymore.”
2. In English we say “Some things aren’t meant to stay.”
3. In English we say “Not everything needs an ending.”
4. In English we say “I’m done chasing.”
5. In English we say “I’ve made peace with it.”
6. In English we say “It’s okay to move on.”
7. In English we say “The past can rest now.”
8. In English we say “I’m finally free.”

Romantic Love

1. In English we say “You looked beautiful tonight.”
2. In English we say “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
3. In English we say “I’m falling for you.”
4. In English we say “You make everything feel lighter.”
5. In English we say “I can’t imagine my life without you.”
6. In English we say “You feel like home.”
7. In English we say “I didn’t expect to love you this much.”
8. In English we say “You make ordinary things feel magical.”
9. In English we say “You make me want to be better.”
10. In English we say “I could listen to you forever.”
11. In English we say “I don’t want this night to end.”
12. In English we say “I keep finding you in my dreams.”
13. In English we say “You’re my favourite part of the day.”
14. In English we say “I knew it was you.”
15. In English we say “You still make my heart race.”
16. In English we say “You make me forget everything else.”
17. In English we say “I love how you look at me.”
18. In English we say “You make me feel safe.”
19. In English we say “I’ve loved you for a long time.”
20. In English we say “You bring out the best in me.”
21. In English we say “You make me believe in love again.”
22. In English we say “You’re my favourite memory already.”
23. In English we say “You’re the reason I smile differently now.”
24. In English we say “On the first day I met you, you felt familiar.”
25. In English we say “You make forever sound possible.”
26. In English we say “You’re my favourite hello.”
27. In English we say “I’ll love you for a lifetime.”
28. In English we say “You make me feel seen.”
29. In English we say “I don’t want to love anyone the way I love you.”

I hope these writing prompts for poetry give you all the inspiration you need. This trend naturally nudges you to notice more, say things less literally and let imagery and metaphors carry the feeling. Happy writing!

And if you’re drawn to writing about unrequited love, I have a blog post that shares creative poetry prompts on that theme you can try. Happy writing!