Seeds to Sow
Seeds to Sow
The Riddle Poem
The Riddle Poem
I start as nothing, yet I hold all.
I vanish, yet I leave my call.
I grow where placed, but not alone.
Find me hidden in this poem.
A riddle is a secret waiting to be unlocked. A poem is a door waiting to be opened. This challenge asks you to write a poem that is, itself, a riddle—something that conceals and reveals at the same time.
Your poem must describe something without ever naming it. It must guide the reader toward discovery, but never hand them the answer outright.
Your words will plant seeds—clues, images, sensations—that the reader must gather, piece together, and ultimately reap the meaning you’ve sown.
Your poem must describe something without stating what it is.
Use sensory details, movement, and metaphor to hint at the answer.
Leave room for interpretation. A good riddle allows for multiple guesses before the "aha" moment.
The title can be a hint, a misdirection, or part of the puzzle.
Consider rhythm, rhyme, or playful repetition to mimic traditional riddle structures.
What common thing can you make feel mysterious and unknowable?
How can you mislead the reader without making the riddle impossible?
What small clue or twist at the end will make the answer click into place?
Old English & Irish Riddles – Poetic descriptions that dance around their meaning.
James Joyce's Wordplay – Layers of meaning hidden in language, waiting to be unearthed.
Emily Dickinson’s Obscure Metaphors – Poems that resist easy understanding, requiring patience and discovery.