A Fairy Tale
by Amy Lowell
A Fairy Tale, as the title of Amy Lowell’s work invokes, is something that nearly everyone can relate to. A
A Hot Noon in Malabar
by Kamala Das
The poem, ‘A Hot Noon in Malabar’, is taken from the collection of poems titled ‘Summer in Calcutta” (1965). It
A Lake and a Fairy Boat
by Thomas Hood
‘A Lake And A Fairy Boat’ by Thomas Hood is a three-stanza poem that utilizes rhyme scheme, verb choices, and
A little Dog that wags his tail
by Emily Dickinson
In ‘A little Dog that wags his tail’ Emily Dickinson explores themes of human nature, the purpose of life, and freedom. She compares animals, cats and dogs, to adults and children.
A little Dog that wags his tail
And knows no other joy
Of such a little Dog am I
Reminded by a Boy
A Poem For My Librarian, Mrs. Long
by Nikki Giovanni
‘A Poem For My Librarian, Mrs. Long’ is a delightful homage to the librarian who introduced Nikki Giovanni to the
A Sad Child
by Margaret Atwood
What is it about sorrow that so well captures the minds of so many poets, or that takes over the
a song in the front yard
by Gwendolyn Brooks
‘a song in the front yard’ by Gwendolyn Brooks is a well-known poem about a young speaker’s interest in the darker side of life.
A Stone is Nobody’s
by Russell Edson
‘A Stone is Nobody’s’ by Russell Edson is a memorable poem. It uses a stone, and a man’s capture of it, to describe a troubling mother/son relationship.
A Wise Old Owl
by Anonymous
‘A Wise Old Owl’ is an English nursery rhyme. It depicts the qualities an owl has that make him wise and worthy of admiration.
Abuelito Who
by Sandra Cisneros
‘Abuelito Who’ by Sandra Cisneros is a powerful poem about the importance of family. The poem conveys the ways that illness and change within the family dynamic can have on a child.
Acrostic
by Lewis Carroll
‘Acrostic’ by Lewis Carroll is an acrostic poem. The poet talks about three “little maidens” in the poem and how
Adolescence
by W.H. Auden
‘Adolescence’ by W.H. Auden is an interesting and complex poem. In it, the speaker analyzes and describes the life and experiences of a young man.
Alice the Camel
by Anonymous
‘Alice the Camel’ is a fun nursery rhyme and counting song. It describes Alice the camel and depicts her losing humps through the six stanzas until a surprising punchline ends the song.
Alice the camel has five humps.
Alice the camel has five humps.
Alice the camel has five humps.
So go, Alice, go!
Alone
by Edgar Allan Poe
‘Alone’ by Edgar Allan Poe demonstrates the poet’s best verse. Here, the tormented mind of the literary genius is unveiled and readers get a glimpse into his abrupt and troubled life.
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.
Among School Children
by William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats wrote this poem, ‘Among School Children,’ most probably in 1926 after his visit in that year to a progressive convent school at Waterfront, St. Otteran’s School.
An Advancement of Learning
by Seamus Heaney
In ‘An Advancement of Learning’, a boy is faced with a rat, and through confronting it he addresses his fear and returns more confident.
Animal Fair
by Anonymous
‘Animal Fair’ is a fun nursery rhyme that describes the actions of a monkey and an elephant, which ends with a cliffhanger.
Another Reluctance
by Annie Finch
‘Another Reluctance’ by Annie Finch is a beautiful short poem about a childhood experience. The speaker describes waiting for and watching chestnuts fall.
At Last We Killed The Roaches
by Lucille Clifton
‘At Last We Killed The Roaches’ by Lucille Clifton is a thoughtful poem about an experience in a speaker’s childhood with roaches. Read a complete summary and analysis of the poem.
At The Border, 1979
by Choman Hardi
At The Border, 1979 does not use a lot of imagery and poetic language and instead adopts an almost prose-like
Auguries of Innocence
by William Blake
‘Auguries of Innocence’ by William Blake is a poem from his notebook, known as the Pickering Manuscript. This poem by presenting a series of paradoxical ideas revolves around the theme of innocence vs experience.
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
Babies
by Alice Fulton
‘Babies’ by Alice Fulton describes the different ways that children and adults understand the world. The latter’s perspective is informed by years of conflict, lies that can’t be apologized for, and the realization that some parts of one’s life are so important that you only get one shot at them.
Barbed Wire
by Henry Taylor
‘Barbed Wire’ is a poem about the tragic death of a horse on a summer afternoon. This piece explores the quick, sudden death of the horse.
Barbie Doll
by Marge Piercy
‘Barbie Doll’ by Marge Piercy was inspired by the traditional girl’s toy, the Barbie Doll. It explores themes of feminism and expectations.
Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face
by Jack Prelutsky
‘Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face’ is a childish tale that provides an example of why being grateful for the current state of things can be a grand thing.
Begotten
by Andrew Hudgins
‘Begotten’ appears in the American poet Andrew Hudgins’ poetry collection The Glass Hammer: A Southern Childhood (1994). This poem is about a child finding his resemblance to the other members of his family.
Being Brave at Night
by Edgar Guest
‘Being Brave at Night’ is written by the American poet Edgar Albert Guest and it was published in his poetry collection Rhymes of Childhood. The speaker of this piece talks about how he is not afraid of anything that comes across to terrify him at night.
Bells for John Whiteside’s Daughter
by John Crowe Ransom
‘Bells for John Whiteside’s Daughter’ by John Crowe Ransom is an elegy for Whiteside’s daughter, a young girl who passed away suddenly. It’s unclear why she died, but, the speaker spends the bass majority of this poem depicting her lively and playful life.
