watch the clock ticking
unpick the locks
unravel the chains
and break free!
Escape the everyday with playing cards designed to challenge, inspire and amuse.
You can use the cards as writing prompts or to play games with friends or own your own.
Choose between the Alchemist’s Retort poetry game or Poet Up poetry prompts (or download both) and get ready to write!
Print & Play Instructions
Once you’ve dowloaded your playing cards, it’s time to print them on 250 GSM cardboard and then cut them out. We’re going old-fashioned here with the safety scissors and all.
When you’ve made your cards, shuffle them into a deck and play! Alone or with friends, you choose.
Alchemist’s Retort Instructions
See the instruction card in the downloaded deck for information on how to play the Alchemist’s Retort.
Poet Up Instructions
If playing with friends, choose a card at random from the deck and then take it in turns to answer the question on the card.
If you’re playing on your own, use your card as a writing prompt. Record your observations and see how they, and you, change over time.
Share the poems you write on socials using the hashtags, #circusofsimiles and #printandplaypoetry.