An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Writing Poetry

Have you always wanted to write poetry but didn’t know where to start? Then this is the course for you!

Would you like to be able to write a poem for a special occasion? Or use poetry to tell your life story/lived experience?

This 5-week beginner’s course is aimed at anyone who is poetry curious – no previous knowledge of any form of creative writing is needed and all the writing prompts and activities will be carefully selected to ensure that the class is truly accessible with the focus on encouragement and success.

By the end of the 5-weeks, you will have tried your hand at a wide range of poetic form and shared your work and creative journey in a safe and supportive environment.

WEEK 1

Using poetic forms that are already possibly familiar to us, this session will focus on the Haiku, the Tanka and the Limerick. We will also explore what is a rhyming scheme and look at meter and rhythm.

WEEK 2

Using writing prompts to inspire us, we will try our hand at a range of poetic prompts, discover what’s available online and talk about what prompts work for us.

WEEK 3

Poetry as autobiography – how to use our lived experience to inform our poetry.

WEEK 4

Learning how to write a villanelle – using traditional poetic forms to inspire our own writing.

WEEK 5

From births to funerals (and everything in between) – how to write a poem for a special occasion.

All sessions will be supported by a relevant PowerPoint presentation, handouts and a short poem or extract from a contemporary poet to inspire our writing.

There will also be ample opportunity for you to share your work with the group.

Tutor Cathi Rae is a widely published poet, spoken word artist, multiple poetry slam winner and workshop facilitator. Her work has appeared in journals, online magazines, poetry anthologies and art exhibitions. Cathi has performed throughout the UK at poetry events, festivals and arts events, and has been described as a spoken word icon! She has an MA in Creative Writing and PhD in Poetry from the University of Leicester.

Participants must be aged 18+.

A notebook and pen will be provided.

This 5-week course runs on Thursday evenings, 6pm - 8pm, starting on 25 September and ending on 23 October 2025.

If the course/workshop you’d like to book is sold out, we do operate a waiting list - simply contact our box office team on / and ask to be added to the waiting list. We’ll then contact you if a place becomes available, with absolutely no obligation to accept it if you’ve made other plans!

Please ensure that you agree to our updatedTERMS & CONDITIONS before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable in some circumstances.

We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome - just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email, pop in or call, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road. The closest public car park
for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort Hall).