Have you found yourself keeping a journal during lockdown? Or are you wondering how to process the history that you are living through? One day in the future our experiences during this pandemic will appear in the history books.
In this video and resources, poet Clare Mulley shows you how to turn your very own living history into poetry. All you need is a pen and some paper. If you've written anything in a journal or diary recently, bring that along too.
Clare shares three different ways to write your own history with this introductory video and tips for writing.
What to do
- Get a pen and paper
- Download the worksheets linked below
- Watch the video for some tips from Clare.

Worksheets Menu
Prose poetry
Download prose poem tips
Prose poems are a great way to start writing as you can use paragraphs and sentences to tell a story and it doesn't need to rhyme. This is a great worksheet for getting your ideas flowing onto paper.
Haiku
Download haiku poem tips
This worksheet looks at the short Japanese form of poetry known as the Haiku. Clare compares the poem to taking a photograph and shows you how to use Haikus to share your views on the world.
Villanelle
Download villanelle poem tips
These poems have a fun and challenging structure, repeating words in a particular order. Professional poets love to have a go at writing a villanelle, so why don't you give it a go too!