an afternoon nap
by Arthur Yap
‘an afternoon nap’ by Arthur Yap explores the lacunae in the modern education system and how it results in anxiety and stress in students.
Sunday
by Gillian Clarke
‘Sunday’ by Gillian Clarke was inspired by the poet’s personal experience of attempting to enjoy a Sunday morning but then being reminded of all the suffering that’s going on in the world.
The Nightingale
by Philip Sidney
‘The Nightingale’ is a unique love-lyric that exploits the classical myth of Philomel to morph the personal rue of a lovelorn heart into a superb piece of poetry.
Go to Ahmedabad
by Sujata Bhatt
‘Go to Ahmedabad’ shows the psychological struggle of an immigrant dealing with disturbing past events and contemporary issues with newly developed views.
The Hand That Signed the Paper
by Dylan Thomas
‘The Hands that Signed the Paper’ is a war protest poem that derides the appalling apathy and ruthlessness of the rulers toward ordinary citizens.
The Almond Trees
by Derek Walcott
‘The Almond Trees’ By Derek Walcott is a confessional poem about identity, history, and cultural identity.
Opportunity
by Edward Rowland Sill
‘Opportunity’ by Edward Rowland Sill is a narrative poem that describes an imagined or real battle and a unique opportunity that presents itself.
3 November 1984
by Sujata Bhatt
In ‘3 November 1984,’ Indian-English poet Sujata Bhatt shows how history plays a vital role in the process of writing poetry, and their interconnectedness.
A Character
by William Wordsworth
‘A Character’ by William Wordsworth speaks on the moral character of a segment of mankind in relation to the feelings he has for the intended listener.
A Conceit
by Maya Angelou
The speaker in ‘A Conceit’ by Maya Angelou indicates she is interested in a relationship that is real and tangible. This is not something she’s willing to back down from.
A Jet Ring Sent
by John Donne
‘A Jet Ring Sent’ by John Donne describes how a speaker’s beloved returned his promise ring. The speaker meditates on the nature of their relationship and how it is symbolized by the black ring.
A Love by the Sea
by William Ernest Henley
‘A Love by the Sea’ is a summary of one man’s emotions surrounding the loss of a powerful love and his eventual farewell to that love.
A Question
by Robert Frost
Frost’s ‘A Question’ is a powerfully emotional poem. In it, the poet paints a picture of suffering, pointing to the fact that life itself is filled with scars of the soul and body.
A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London
by Dylan Thomas
‘A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London’ by Dylan Thomas tells of a speaker’s inability to comprehend great losses.
A Stopwatch and an Ordnance Map
by Stephen Spender
‘A Stopwatch and an Ordnance Map’ by Stephen Spender explores the Spanish Civil War through the lyrical depiction of one man’s death. It is marked by a stopwatch, the olive trees, and the continued conflict around him.
A Thousand Martyrs
by Aphra Behn
‘A Thousand Martyrs’ by Aphra Behn is a powerful exploration of faith, persecution, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
And Soul
by Eavan Boland
‘And Soul’ by Eavan Boland is a poem about death and a body’s dissolution into the elements that it is made up of. The poet emphasizes the connection between a human being made nearly entirely of water and a city that’s drenched by a particularly rainy summer season.
Animal Tranquility and Decay
by William Wordsworth
This fascinating poem, ‘Animal Tranquility and Decay,’ by William Wordsworth depicts an old man who walks in peace and tranquility. He seems to walk aloof from the cares and concerns of this world.
Anorexic
by Eavan Boland
‘Anorexic’ by Eavan Boland conveys the mindset of a woman determined to destroy her physical body through starvation and filled with hatred for her sinful past, as according to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve.
Arabic
by Naomi Shihab Nye
‘Arabic’, a thoughtful poem by Naomi Shihab Nye appears in Red Suitcase: Poems (1994). This poem features a speaker’s forgetfulness concerning her mother tongue (Arabic) and culture.
Ashes of Life
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
‘Ashes of Life’ tells of a speaker who has lost all touch with her own ambitions and is stuck within the monotonous rut of everyday life.
Autumn Song
by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
‘Autumn Song’ by Dante Gabriel Rossetti describes the pains experienced by nature at the end of autumn and how these pains are translated to humankind.
Autumn Valentine
by Dorothy Parker
‘Autumn Valentine’ by Dorothy Parker reveals two moments in the scope of the narrator’s pain — one when the pain was new and one when it had endured for a time in the shadows.
Ballad of Birmingham
by Dudley Randall
Ballad of Birmingham’ by Dudley Randall is a moving narrative of the last moments of a little girl murdered in a church bombing.
Blackberrying
by Sylvia Plath
‘Blackberrying’ by Sylvia Plath explores decaying and flourishing life and human mortality. It was published in 1971 in Crossing the Water, after the poet’s death.
Break of Day
by John Donne
‘Break of Day’ by John Donne is an aubade told from a female perspective. It conveys a woman’s understanding of her relationship with a busy lover.
Contusion
by Sylvia Plath
‘Contusion’ by Sylvia Plath is a memorable, short poem about death and a loss of passion or meaning in one’s life. It is a dramatic monologue written 12 days before the poet’s death.
Crow Sickened
by Ted Hughes
‘Crow Sickened’ is a brilliant example of Hughes’ playful style, in which Crow attempts to work out the cause of his misery.
Dark August
by Derek Walcott
‘Dark August’ by Derek Walcott describes the dark life a speaker is forced to live when someone he depends on abandons him.