NativeUK Logo NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
August 18th • Art & Expression

Bad Poetry Day

Celebrated on the 18th of August, Bad Poetry Day encourages people to write terrible, low-quality poems. The day is designed to relieve the pressure of perfectionism, proving that the creative process should be fun, even if the result is a disaster.

A typewriter with messy paper

Speaking Discussion

  • What is the difference between bad art and no art at all? Which is better for the soul?
  • Why are we so afraid of making mistakes when we try something new (like a new language or a new hobby)?
  • Who decides what is good or bad art? Is it the experts, the public, or the creator?
  • Do you think AI-generated poetry is better than bad human poetry? Why or why not?
  • How does a perfectionist attitude prevent us from truly enjoying our lives?
  • If you had to write a poem right now about a piece of burnt toast, what would the first line be?

Activity 1: The terrible Workshop

The Task: You are a Creative Writing Teacher. You need to convince your class that failure is the best teacher.

"The cat sat on the mat,
It was quite fat,
It wore a hat,
And that was that."

analyse this bad poem. What makes it hilariously bad?

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "I think society is too/not enough focused on perfection because..."
  • "A creative hobby that I enjoy (even if I'm bad at it) is..."
  • "In my opinion, the best thing about making a mistake is..."