Ma Rainey by Sterling A. Brown
This heartfelt Sterling A. Brown poem is all about the famous 20th-century blues artist Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, also known as the “Mother of the Blues.”
Venus of the Louvre by Emma Lazarus
‘Venus of the Louvre’ by Emma Lazarus describes the sights seen and emotions experienced by a narrator who is visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
Walking by Thomas Traherne
‘Walking’ by Thomas Traherne describes the joy and knowledge to be gained through the routine of walking and observing the world with one’s thoughts.
Lines Written in Kensington Gardens by Matthew Arnold
‘Lines Written in Kensington Gardens’ describes a speaker’s experience within the confines of Kensington Gardens in London, England.
Weariness by Eva Gore-Booth
‘Weariness’ by Eva Gore-Booth describes a world weary speaker who is tired of living amongst the constant chatter of her everyday life.
Faith Healing by Philip Larkin
‘Faith Healing’ by Philip Larkin is a thoughtful poem that depicts a group of women and focuses on their emotional experiences.
Lament by Hermann Hesse
‘Lament’ by Hermann Hesse describes the mental and emotional state of a speaker who is unable to settle on one way of being.
The Great Lover by Rupert Brooke
‘The Great Lover’ by Rupert Brooke contains a speaker’s profession of love for his past partners and a wide range of objects and experiences.
The Ghost by Sara Teasdale
‘The Ghost’ by Sara Teasdale describes a speaker’s unwelcome experience after reuniting with two ex-lovers in a city she used to know.
Nutting by William Wordsworth
‘Nutting’ by William Wordsworth describes a speaker’s boyhood journey into the woods and the resulting pleasure and rage he experiences.
Journey by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Journey’ by Edna St. Vincent Millay describes a speaker’s desire to live a life experienced on an open path, and filled with natural wonder.
The Circus Animals’ Desertion by W.B. Yeats
‘The Circus Animals’ Desertion’ by W.B. Yeats describes moments of Yeats’ own experience when he struggled to find a theme to write on.
The Vast Hour by Genevieve Taggard
‘The Vast Hour’ by Genevieve Taggard describes the changes that come over the world as day gives way to a sightless and soundless night.
Recognition by Carol Ann Duffy
‘Recognition’ by Carol Ann Duffy describes the regrets one woman has for the way her life has progressed and the person she has become.
Cetacean by Peter Reading
‘Cetacean’ by Peter Reading describes a speaker’s whale watching experience and the overall grace of the blue whales he observed.
Church Going by Philip Larkin
‘Church Going’ by Philip Larkin is a thought-provoking poem about relgion and history. The speaker decides that no matter what churches represent, they should be perserved.