Consolidation by Jean Bleakney
Jean Bleakney’s ‘Consolidation’ is a deeply personal poem about the act of rearranging the cowry shells that the speaker and her children gathered in the past.
Love Among the Ruins by Robert Browning
‘Love Among the Ruins’ by Robert Browning is a Victorian, dramatic poem that uses the metaphor of a destroyed city to speak on love and nature.
Out to Tender by Jean Bleakney
‘Out to Tender’ explores the uneasiness felt by many during the 1994 ceasefire in Northern Ireland and expresses their fear and doubt.
First News from Villafranca by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
‘First News from Villafranca’ is a protest poem written in reaction to the Villafranca Armistice (11 July 1859) between Emperors Napoleon III of France and Francis Joseph I of Austria.
Ragged Island by Edna St. Vincent Millay
‘Ragged Island’ by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a personal poem about Millay’s days spent on Ragged Island off the coast of Maine. It explores the peace of mind the place was able to bring out in her.
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 Storm-Wind by William Barnes
‘The Storm-Wind’ by William Barnes contrasts peace and danger with images of home and a terrifying storm. The poem emphasizes how much easier it is to appreciate the safety of home when the conditions outside are so inhospitable.
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.
29 April 1989 by Sujata Bhatt
‘29 April 1989’ by Sujata Bhatt is a sweet, little piece about a mother’s sudden found pleasure in nature’s soggy musicality.
I did not reach Thee
‘I did not reach Thee’ by Emily Dickinson is a complex poem about a speaker’s journey through life. She expresses both optimism and hesitation in the face of her death and attempts to reach God.
A Murmur in the Trees— to note
‘A Murmur in the Trees— to note’ by Emily Dickinson is a poem about nature’s magic. It includes mysterious images of fairy men, glowing lights in the woods, and the murmuring of trees.
A Brave and Startling Truth by Maya Angelou
‘A Brave and Startling Truth’ by Maya Angelou is a commonly quoted poem about humanity’s future. The poet alludes to the “truth” that humanity will arrive at when “we” realize we are the one true wonder of the world.
Earth Voices by Bliss Carman
‘Earth Voices’ by Bliss Carman is a clever poem that utilizes personification in order to convey the perspective of the sun, the wind, and the rain.
The Poet by Paul Laurence Dunbar
‘The Poet’ by Paul Laurence Dunbar depicts how the poet saw himself and the elements of his work that gained popularity during his lifetime.
Politics by William Butler Yeats
‘Politics’ by William Butler Yeats is the last lyric poem Yeats wrote. It alludes to wars around the world including World War II which was to begin the year after this poem was written.
Silent Poem by Robert Francis
‘Silent Poem’ by Robert Francis is a poem dedicated to the “silent things” one finds in nature and on a rural farm. It is composed of a series of compound words.
Gale in April by Robinson Jeffers
‘Gale in April’ by Robinson Jeffers was inspired by a storm that Jeffers observed in April while living on the Pacific coast.
A Thank-Offering by Ella Higginson
‘A Thank-Offering’ by Ella Higginson is addressed to God. It outlines all the beautiful sights and sounds in a speaker’s everyday life and thanks to God for creating them.
Yet Do I Marvel by Countee Cullen
‘Yet Do I Marvel’ by Countee Cullen is a poem about faith. No matter the darkness the speaker sees in the world, he maintains his faith in his own role in God’s plan.
To a Stranger by Walt Whitman
‘To a Stranger’ by Walt Whitman describes a connection the speaker feels to a stranger they pass on the street.
Night Journey by Theodore Roethke
‘Night Journey’ by Theodore Roethke is a thoughtful, fairly simple poem about the American countryside. He spends the lines admiring the landscapes one can see by train at night.
A Simile for Her Smile by Richard Wilbur
‘A Simile for Her Smile,’ written by the American poet Richard Wilbur, is a poem about finding the right simile for a loved one’s smile. It appears in Wilbur’s second collection of poetry, Ceremony, and Other Poems (1950).
Piazza di Spagna, Early Morning by Richard Wilbur
Published in Wilbur’s award-winning collection Things of This World (1956), ‘Piazza di Spagna, Early Morning’ is about a girl dancing on a serene, lonely morning at the famous Spanish square.
Spirits of the Dead by Edgar Allan Poe
‘Spirits of the Dead’ by Edgar Allan Poe is a beautiful poem that describes life and death. Specifically, the poet dwells on what it means to move from one world to the next.
Mid-August at Sourdough Mountain Lookout by Gary Snyder
‘Mid-August at Sourdough Mountain Lookout’ by Gary Snyder is a beautiful two-stanza poem. In it, the speaker conveys descriptions from the top of Sourdough Mountain.
Stars by Sara Teasdale
‘Stars’ by Sara Teasdale is a beautiful and easy-to-read poem. In it, Teasdale spends five stanzas describing and appreciating the stars in the sky.
On the one-ton temple bell by Taniguchi Buson
‘On the one-ton temple bell’ by Taniguchi Buson is a beautiful haiku. It describes a moonmoth sleeping on a temple bell.
After the Winter by Claude McKay
‘After the Winter’ by Claude McKay is a thoughtful and beautiful poem. Its speaker looks towards the future and considers the ideal life he’ll live with his partner.
My Garden — like the Beach
‘My Garden — like the Beach’ by Emily Dickinson is a beautiful, short poem. It compares the speaker’s garden to the beach and the summer to the sea. Read the full poem, with a complete analysis.
The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
‘The Peace of Wild Things’ by Wendell Berry is a popular poem about the natural world. The speaker spends the lines relishing in the freedom they experience in the woods.