Snowflake by William Baer
‘Snowflake,’ a sonnet by William Baer, beautifully captures the journey of a flake of snow from being a vapor to landing on a girl’s “unkissed lips.”
Expostulation and Reply by William Wordsworth
‘Expostulation and Reply’ a ballad, written by William Wordsworth, tells the story of Matthew, dissuading the speaker (William) from idling away his precious time in “wise passiveness” or simply daydreaming.
In the Light of the Moon by Delmira Agustini
‘In the Light of the Moon’ by Delmira Agustini explores the power of the moon. The speaker is drawn to the moon due to its white innocence and its power to soothe her soul.
July in Washington by Robert Lowell
Robert Lowell’s poem ‘July in Washington’ shows both sides of a coin, the coin being America. Lowell inserts different expressions and comparisons to make his stand clear to readers.
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.
Notice by Robert Lowell
A thought-provoking piece from Robert Lowell’s incredible array of poetry, ‘Notice’ harks for capturing each and every moment of our lives, be it repeated or unbearable. We have to draw inspiration from tiny details in our lives.
On My Boat on Lake Cayuga by William Cole
William Cole’s ‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ is a light verse poem that presents a contrast between the sounds of a traditional boat and modern four-wheelers.
Chinoiseries by Amy Lowell
Amy Lowell’s ‘Chinoiseries’ is an ekphrastic poem depicting the engravings on chinoiserie pottery. Lowell’s speaker gets lost in the art as if it is the eyes of her loved one.
When green buds hang in the elm by A. E. Housman
A. E. Housman’s poem ‘When green buds hang in the elm’ is about a speaker’s attachment to nature and how it reminds him of his own mortality. It appears in the poetry collection Last Poems (1922).
Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter by Robert Bly
Robert Bly’s ‘Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter’ is about a speaker who meditates upon snowy nature while driving to a town to mail his letter. It is filled with rich imagery and striking symbolism.
A Dream by William Blake
‘A Dream’ by William Blake paints a compassionate and thoughtful picture of the natural world through the personified story of an ant.
Chord by W.S. Merwin
W.S. Merwin’s ‘Chord’ depicts the life and death of John Keats in parallel to the cutting of Sandalwood trees in Hawaii. It centers on the theme of exploitation vs. inspiration.
Song by Robert Hass
Robert Hass’s ‘Song’ is filled with the colors of autumn. It is about a pensive speaker’s afternoon cooking session.
Morning Poem by Mary Oliver
‘Morning Poem’ by Mary Oliver uses the dawn of a new day to speak of hope and new beginnings, offering an optimistic message.
Mountain Life by Henrik Ibsen
‘Mountain Life’ by Henrik Ibsen describes a paradise separate from the outside world and that plays host to isolated, peace loving farmers.
Sea of Death by Thomas Hood
‘Sea of Death’ by Thomas Hood describes the nature of the sea of death as seen through the eyes of an observer, anchored in a boat.
Sweet Rose of Virtue by William Dunbar
‘Sweet Rose of Virtue’ by William Dunbar describes the changed feelings of a speaker who no longer understands a woman he used to love.
Magdalen Walks by Oscar Wilde
‘Magdalen Walks’ by Oscar Wilde describes the coming of spring and the vibrant, continually moving elements which herald its arrival.
Stings by Sylvia Plath
‘Stings’ by Sylvia Plath is a complex poem that uses bees as a metaphor. It describes the changes a speaker goes through as she considers the role of a queen bee in a hive.
Sabbath Morning at Sea by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
‘Sabbath Morning at Sea’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning describes the experiences of a speaker trapped on board a ship at sea.
Song of the Flower by Kahlil Gibran
‘Song of the Flower’ by Khalil Gibran describes what the life of a flower involves, from sunrises and weddings to perpetual optimism.
Natural Daintiness by Salman Khan
‘Natural Daintiness’ by Salman Khan describes a “verdurous environment” in which a speaker is living a moment of pristine peace.
Summer Past by John Gray
‘Summer Past’ by John Gray describes a past summer which contained elements much treasured by the speaker for their divine and natural beauty.
Sheltered Garden by H. D. (Hilda Doolittle)
‘Sheltered Garden’ by H.D. describes the sheltered life led by the speaker and how she is looking for a world which is more “wind-tortured” and real.
Willow Poem by William Carlos Williams
‘Willow Poem’ by William Carlos Williams describes the life cycle of a willow tree that is surprised by the coming of winter.
God’s World by Edna St. Vincent Millay
‘God’s World’ by Edna St. Vincent Millay describes the wonders of nature and the value a speaker places on the sights she observes.
Sympathy by Edith Franklin Wyatt
‘Sympathy’ describes a speaker’s expanding view of the world and how a new ability to see has brought her closer to civilization.
Mad Song by William Blake
‘Mad Song’ by William Blake describes the intense madness a speaker feels and the frantic pain that accompanies the dawning of a new day.
Coming by Philip Larkin
‘Coming’ by Philip Larkin is about spring and how emotional its arrival can be. The peace, joy, and promise of spring rub off on Larkin’s speaker in a wonderful way.
Drifting Flowers of the Sea by Sadakichi Hartmann
‘Drifting Flowers of the Sea’ by Sadakichi Hartmann describes the presence of white flowers and their relation to perseverance and unspoken dreams.