I heard a Fly buzz – when I died
by Emily Dickinson
‘I heard a Fly Buzz – when I died’ by Emily Dickinson is an unforgettable depiction of the moments before death. The speaker emphasizes the stillness of the room and the movements of a single fly.
Amethyst Beads
by Eavan Boland
‘Amethyst Beads’ by Eavan Boland alludes to Greek mythology and the suffering of a child, Persephone, after she was separated from her mother, Demeter.
An awful Tempest mashed the air
by Emily Dickinson
‘An awful Tempest mashed the air’ by Emily Dickinson personifies a storm. The speaker follows it from its beginning to end and depicts how nature is influenced.
Darkness and Light
by Stephen Spender
‘Darkness and Light’ by Stephen Spender is a complex, abstract poem in which a speaker battles with two sides of himself.
Divorce
by Jackie Kay
‘Divorce’ by Jackie Kay is about parent-child relationships and how children are impacted by adults’ issues. The speaker is a teenager who is struggling to contend with her parent’s relationship with one another.
Got You
by Jackie Kay
‘Got You’ by Jackie Kay is an interesting poem about sibling jealousy and the strength of sisterhood. The speaker is a discouraged child who believes her sister is superior to her in every way.
Hard Rock Returns to Prison
by Etheridge Knight
‘Hard Rock Returns to Prison’ is an allegory of oppression and forced submission of Black inmates in America.
Holy Sonnet II
by John Donne
‘Holy Sonnet II’ by John Donne is the second in a series of religious sonnets that Donne is well-known for. This poem is directed to God and explores a speaker’s concerns about their fate.
Holy Sonnet IX
by John Donne
‘Holy Sonnet IX’ by John Donne, also known by its first line ‘If poisonous minerals, and if that tree’ is one of several “Holy Sonnets” the poet composed during his lifetime. This particular poem focuses on a dispute between the speaker and God.
Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience)
by William Blake
‘Holy Thursday’ by William Blake depicts the poor children of London attending church on Holy Thursday. Specifically, Blake describes their songs, appearance, and how their existence challenges the message the church is trying to convey.
Homecoming: Anse La Raye
by Derek Walcott
‘Homecoming: Anse La Raye’ by Derek Walcott is a complex and interesting poem about when a homecoming doesn’t feel like coming home. It is rich with allusions and connections to Walcott’s real-life experience.
I cautious, scanned my little life
by Emily Dickinson
‘I cautious, scanned my little life’ by Emily Dickinson is a clever, metaphorical poem that addresses change and one’s legacy. The poet struggles to understand her changed attitude towards her literary accomplishments after a period of time has elapsed.
I dreaded that first Robin
by Emily Dickinson
’I dreaded that first Robin’ by Emily Dickinson is a surprising poem about nature. The speaker confesses to an unusual opinion about the season throughout the lines.
If those I loved were lost
by Emily Dickinson
‘If those I loved were lost’ by Emily Dickinson is a complex poem. It uses allusions to describe how the poet, or at least her speaker, would react to the loss of loved ones.
Inspection
by Wilfred Owen
Wilfred Owen’s poem ‘Inspection’ was drafted at a military hospital Craiglockhart in August 1917, and completed in September, under the influence of wartime poet Siegfried Sassoon. In it, Owen writes about the loss and cheapness of life through war.
It was not Death, for I stood up
by Emily Dickinson
‘It was not Death, for I stood up’ by Emily Dickinson is a thoughtful poem about understanding depression. Specifically, the speaker is interested in understanding herself.
Love Nest
by Jackie Kay
‘Love Nest’ by Jackie Kay depicts the difficulties that same-sex couples face and society’s cruel infiltrates their relationships and homes. The poet uses a skillful, multilayered extended metaphor in this piece.
My Grandmother
by Jackie Kay
‘My Grandmother’ by Jackie Kay depicts the poet’s understanding of her grandmother. The includes a juxtaposition between her positive and negative qualities.
No Less
by Alice B. Fogel
No Less by Alice B. Fogel discusses the strange impact decisions and memories can have on a person. While some
November Graveyard
by Sylvia Plath
‘November Graveyard’ by Sylvia Plath describes a cemetery in November. She discusses her views on the afterlife and what the graveyard truly symbolizes.
On the Beach at Fontana
by James Joyce
‘On the Beach at Fontana’ by James Joyce is a poem about paternal love and protectiveness. Read the poem with, a summary and complete analysis.
One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted
by Emily Dickinson
‘One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted’ by Emily Dickinson explores the nature of the human mind. She presents the reader with images of mental and physical threats and how they can be confronted.
Plague
by Jackie Kay
‘Plague’ by Jackie Kay is a poem about death, specifically about the plague in London and how a mother is forced to contend with the knowledge that both her sons are going to die.
Renouncement
by Alice Meynell
‘Renouncement’ by Alice Meynell is a passionate poem in which the speaker fights to fend off thoughts of the person she loves. She refuses to allow herself to think about this person during the day.
Rhyme of the Dead Self
by A.R.D. Fairburn
‘Rhyme of the Dead Self’ by A.R.D. Fairburn is a captivating poem in which the poet speaks about youth and coming of age through images of violence and religion.
She rose to His Requirement—dropt
by Emily Dickinson
‘She rose to His Requirement – dropt’ by Emily Dickinson speaks to the lack of freedom and respect women had in Dickinson’s time. It emphasizes the confining nature of marriage and society’s expectations for a married woman.
Sheep In Fog
by Sylvia Plath
The poem ‘Sheep In Fog’ describes Sylvia Plath’s feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, helplessness, and depression.
The Conway Stewart
by Seamus Heaney
‘The Conway Stewart’ by Seamus Heaney describes a pen the speaker received in his youth and how it symbolized his family and his new life.
The Night After You Lose Your Job
by Debora Kuan
‘The Night After You Lose Your Job’ by Debora Kuan is a highly relatable poem that takes place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and features a mother struggling to make ends meet.
The Revenant
by Billy Collins
In the poem, ‘The Revenant’, Billy Collins channels the spirit of a deceased dog and subverts the accepted relationship of man and his best friend.