My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun
by Emily Dickinson
‘My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun’ by Emily Dickinson is a complex, metaphorical poem. The poet depicts a woman who is under a man’s control and sleeps like a load gun.
A Mark of Resistance
by Adrienne Rich
‘A Mark of Resistance’ by Adrienne Rich is a poem about individual resistance. The poet voices her solidarity with those who face discrimination from society.
A still— Volcano —Life
by Emily Dickinson
‘A still— Volcano —Life’ by Emily Dickinson is an unforgettable poem that uses an extended metaphor to describe the life of the poet. She compares herself to a volcano that erupts under the cover of darkness.
A Wounded Deer—leaps highest
by Emily Dickinson
‘A Wounded Deer—leaps highest’ by Emily Dickinson is a highly relatable poem that speaks about the difference between what someone or something looks like and the truth. She uses the examples of a fatally wounded deer and someone dying of tuberculosis.
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.
Archaic Torso of Apollo
by Rainer Maria Rilke
‘Archaic Torso of Apollo’ by Rainer Maria Rilke details the remaining beauty and power of a damage sculpture missing its head and legs.
Be Strong
by Maltbie D. Babcock
‘Be Strong’ by Maltbie D. Babcock describes a certain way of living in the world in which one faces down all their troubles bravely.
Boots
by Rudyard Kipling
‘Boots’ by Rudyard Kipling is a memorable poem. In it, Kipling uses repetition to emphasize the struggle of soldiers on a forced march.
Buzzard
by Gillian Clarke
‘Buzzard’ by Gillian Clarke is a poem about lost hopes, dreams, and opportunities revisited, using the metaphor of a buzzard and its skeleton.
Caged Bird
by Maya Angelou
‘Caged Bird’, or ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ as the poem is sometimes referred to, by Maya Angelou, is arguably one of the most moving and eye-opening poems ever written.
Courage
by Anna Akhmatova
‘Courage’ by Anna Akhmatova is a passionate poem about courage in the face of war. Specifically, Akhmatova was writing about World War II.
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.
Don’t Quit
by Edgar Guest
‘Don’t Quit’ by Edgar Albert Guest is a simple poem about facing the difficulties in one’s life and persevering through them.
Epilogue
by Robert Browning
‘Epilogue’ is a perfect bid-adieu poem to leave behind amidst a great body of poetic works if one is as great a poet as Victorian-era maestro Robert Browning.
Fee-fi-fo-fum
by Anonymous
‘Fee-fi-fo-fum’ is a well-known chant from the story of “Jack the Giant Killer.” Dating back to at least the early 1700s, the compelling and entertaining story tells of a young boy’s daring feats and his bravery.
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.
Freedom
by Rabindranath Tagore
‘Freedom’ by Rabindranath Tagore is a powerful and effective poem about freedom. The speaker spends the seventeen lines of the poem describing the kind of freedom he hopes his country will find.
Good Timber
by Douglas Malloch
‘Good Timber’ by Douglas Malloch describes the way that trees of good timber and strong men are formed through hardship and struggle.
Growing Old
by Matthew Arnold
‘Growing Old’ is about the reality of aging and how ones youthful expectations will not be fulfilled as one’s body losing beauty and strength.
Heart, we will forget him! By Emily Dickinson
by Emily Dickinson
‘Heart, we will forget him!’ by Emily Dickinson is a keen observation of the aftermath of a powerful love affair and how it will, or will not, be “forgotten.”
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.
i am water
by Rupi Kaur
‘i am water’ by Rupi Kaur is a thoughtful poem that uses water as a metaphor. The speaker sees their soft and tough qualities.
I can wade Grief-
by Emily Dickinson
‘I can wade Grief-‘ by Emily Dickinson is a fairly simple poem about strength in the face of sorrow. The speaker describes the detrimental effect of happiness during a period of struggle.
I like to see it lap the Miles
by Emily Dickinson
‘I like to see it lap the Miles’ by Emily Dickinson is a thoughtful poem. It explores themes of industrialization, power, and human ingenuity.
I Saw in Louisiana A Live-Oak Growing
by Walt Whitman
‘I Saw in Louisiana A Live-Oak Growing’ by Walt Whitman describes a solitary oak tree that is thriving without companionship or support.
Lineage
by Margaret Walker
‘Lineage’ by Margaret Walker describes the strength of a speaker’s enslaved female ancestors and how they suffered for that strength.
Meeting Point
by Louis MacNeice
‘Meeting Point’ by Louis MacNiece is an eight-stanza poem that uses structure, rhyme, and metaphor to reveal the life cycle of a relationship.