I keep a notebook and jot down images, phrases, and elements I encounter on a given day. They can be anything, whether they’re as memorable as a car on fire on the side of the road or as mundane as the wind blowing through the leaves of a maple tree.
On the following morning, I type up three or four fragments that resonate with me. They don’t have to be related, at least at first; in fact, it’s better if they don’t connect.
From there, the work of writing begins: I spend some time stringing them together, even if I don’t understand how the pieces connect initially. I find it’s better to let the music and motion of the poem direct the writing process as opposed to muscling meaning onto the blank page.
Adam Clay for Poets & Writers
A variation for me: After going out for a run, pick 3 things and write them down in a log entry. Experiment with ways to bring them together into a poem or a lyric essay.