Random poem generator
Find a poem by chance, or narrow the draw by poet and length.
Output · 0 poems
Live APINo matching results. Try fewer filters.
- Source
- PoetryDB
- Pick
- 1–8
Related tools
This random poem generator pulls from PoetryDB. Draw a poem from anywhere, stay with one poet, or ask for an exact length such as a 14-line sonnet. Each result shows the title, the poet and the full text as PoetryDB stores it.
How to use the random poem generator
- Set the How many slider to draw up to eight poems.
- Type an Author, such as Emily Dickinson, or leave it blank.
- Enter a Line count, such as 14, to match a poem length.
- Click Generate, or Regenerate for different poems.
Where the poems come from
PoetryDB is a free API of poems, mostly older English-language verse from poets like Emily Dickinson and William Shakespeare. The collection leans toward classic work that is out of copyright, so living poets are rare here.
How the filters behave
Author keeps the draw inside one poet's work. Type the name the way PoetryDB lists it, for example Emily Dickinson or William Shakespeare.
Line count is an exact match, not a range. Enter 14 and you get 14-line poems, which is a quick way to find sonnets. Enter 4 for a quatrain. Author and Line count work together too, so Emily Dickinson with 8 lines draws only her 8-line poems. If a combination returns nothing, that poet has no poem of exactly that length in the collection.
Ways to use a random poem
- Read one aloud at the start of a class or writing group.
- Draw a poem and write a response that starts with its first line.
- Learn one short poem a week, using Line count to keep it manageable.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the poems come from?
PoetryDB, a free collection of mostly classic English-language poetry.
Can I set a range of lengths?
No. Line count matches one exact number. Leave it blank for any length.
Can I reuse the poems?
Most are old enough to be in the public domain in many countries, but copyright rules differ, so check before you publish one.
Built and maintained by Bipul Kumar. Found a wrong number or a broken result? Tell me and I'll fix it.