Read simile poems, such as "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes or "Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns. Reading simile poems can show you how famous authors and poets effectively used the simile in their work, as well as give you ideas for your simile poem. Many famous poets, such as Carl Sandburg and Sylvia Plath, use similes in their poems, but simile poems can also be found in Internet poetry databases such as Poem Hunter. Highlight or write down favorite similes or ones that are particularly striking.
Choose a topic. It helps to pick a familiar topic, such as a hobby, interest, a family member, or familiar surroundings, to provide the body of the simile poem. Pick a rich and varied topic for more simile options, such as Egyptian history or the city of Dallas, or for a challenge, pick an unassuming object, such as a chair or family heirloom.
Create five to seven simile descriptions of the topic by picking out different traits. For example, if you were to write about a relative, the traits may be hair, skin, voice, eyes, friendliness and face. After writing down the traits, put a "like" or "as" after the trait and compare it to another object. For example, the relative could have "hair like chocolate" or "eyes like rocky crags." Be creative, and allow yourself to explore creating different similes. The best similes are original creations that evoke the reader's senses.
Write the body of the poem. Use the simile descriptions to provide the body of the poem. There are no rules for creating the poem--it can be metered, have rhythm or rhymes, or be without rhyme and follow unconventional poetic structure. It could have a simile on every line, or only one or two in the entire poem. It may help to use a famous simile poem as a guide for writing the poem, but isn't necessary. Let the writing of the poem flow naturally, and avoid stopping to change lines or revise; you can do this after writing the entire simile poem.
Revise. If you can, allow yourself a few days before revising the simile poem. This way you can view the poem in a different light, and ways to improve the simile poem will be more obvious to you after a waiting period. Read the poem aloud and notice if you stumble over any phrases. Look for ways to make the poem tighter and smoother, and reword cliches into more original phrases. Find a friend or family member to look at the poem after the initial revision to suggest more ways for improvement.