Choose the subject of your catalogue poem. This can be anything: a person, place, inanimate object or even the experiences of a particular day. Ideally, the subject should be something the writer can or has observed directly so the writing is coming from a place of first-hand perception.
Brainstorm a list of adjectives which paint a picture of your poem's subject in your own words. Although this is usually a starting point, this list can be considered a catalogue poem in and of itself.
Use the adjectives list created in Step 2 to flesh out the body of your catalogue poem. You can incorporate them into longer descriptive phrases, complete sentences or to serve as a reference to help you set the mood of the overall poem.
Put your poem together. The most important rule of the catalogue poem is that everything within it should somehow tie back into its subject. For example, if your poem is about a car, you can write about how riding or driving in it makes you feel, its color or size or how it looks in the sunlight.
Edit the poem. Elaborate on certain phrases, and/or remove extraneous ones. If you have written the poem as an assignment, make sure it meets the guidelines your instructor outlined. Work with it as much or as little as you want until you're happy with the final product.