Done is a Battell on the Dragon Blak by William Dunbar
‘Done is a Battell on the Dragon Blak’ by William Dunbar is a medieval Easter poem of Scottish roots. It tells of Christ’s victory over Satan by his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
i thank You God for most this amazing by E.E. Cummings
‘i thank You God for most this amazing’ by E.E. Cummings is addressed to God and expresses a speaker’s thanks for being allowed to exist in the world.
My God! O Let Me Call Thee Mine! by Anne Brontë
‘My God! O Let Me Call Thee Mine!’ by Anne Brontë is a prayer that takes the form of a poem. In it, the speaker makes their requests known to God, while reverencing him.
Rubaiyat XII: A Book of Verses underneath the Bough by Omar Khayyam
Quatrain XII from Edward FitzGerald’s famous translation, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, describes how “Wilderness” transforms into “Paradise” with love, poetry, and wine.
The Bear by Galway Kinnell
‘The Bear’ by Galway Kinnell is an unforgettable poem that details the physical struggle between a hunter and a bear he’s pursuing as well as the hunter’s spiritual transformation.
Christ of Everywhere by Henry Van Dyke
‘Christ of Everywhere’ by Henry Van Dyke is a poem about the presence of Christ in all living things. Throughout this piece, Van Dyke uses simple and relatable language that allows all readers to connect with his words.
When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted by Rudyard Kipling
Published in 1922, Kipling’s ‘When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted’ describes the “last” painting of mother earth and how it will be painted by the “good” people. No matter how this world ends, there will always be a new beginning, a new painting to admire.
Flash Crimson by Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg’s ‘Flash Crimson’ is an emotionally charged, devotional poem where a speaker is eager to ask God for more hardships. It deals with the themes of devotion, morality, legacy, and the afterlife.
Waking from Sleep by Robert Bly
Robert Bly’s ‘Waking from Sleep’ is a symbolic poem about the awakening from the deep slumber of ignorance and thralldom. It evokes the imagery of a “harbor at dawn” in order to present this theme.
The Flower by Robert Creeley
In ‘The Flower,’ Robert Creeley meditates upon a full-blooded flower and tries to fill his soul with its spiritual energy. He creates a contrast between awakening and ignorance through the image of the “patient flower.”
I Know a Man by Robert Creeley
Creeley’s ‘I Know a Man’ is about the growing darkness gnawing at the human soul, affecting its light and diminishing its inherent goodness. This poem hints at the condition of humankind in modern times.
The Death of Fred Clifton by Lucille Clifton
This poem is about the death of Lucille Clifton’s husband, Fred James Clifton, who passed away on 11 October 1984 at the age of 49. It evokes the spirit of Fred and describes his discovery of something new.
Prayers of Steel by Carl Sandburg
‘Prayers of Steel’ by Carl Sandburg is an original poem. In it, the poet focuses on the imagined dreams of steel.
Unholy Sonnet 13 by Mark Jarman
‘Unholy Sonnet 13’ appears in the modern American poet Mark Jarman’s award-winning poetry collection Questions for Ecclesiastes (1997). This sonnet is about a matured speaker’s belief in God and the miraculous beauty of nature.
Green Grow the Rushes, O
Read ‘Green Grow the Rushes, O’, with a complete analysis and summary of the song/poem.
As from a Quiver of Arrows by Carl Phillips
‘As from a Quiver of Arrows’ by Carl Phillips is a thoughtful piece that presents readers with numerous questions around the rituals of death and loss.
To Look at Any Thing by John Moffitt
‘To Look at Any Thing’ by John Moffitt highlights the importance of long observation in seeing beyond the superficial to a deeper reality.
Question by May Swenson
‘Question’ is a poem written in the form of an interrogation. Throughout this piece, May Swenson asks how she could hide her soul after the body dies.
Echoes of Cloncurry by Juliette A. H. Cavendish
‘Echoes of Cloncurry’ by Juliette A. H. Cavendish is a thoughtful poem about Cloncurry, Australia, and its entrancing past and present.
10 Touching Poems about Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ remained the inspiration to several poets from as early as the middle age to modern times. The list explores ten different ways to explore Christ in poetic form.
Sonnet 146 by William Shakespeare
‘Sonnet 146,’ also known as ‘Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,’ addresses the state of the speaker’s soul. He admonishes it for allowing him to worry about earthly pleasures.
To God by Ivor Gurney
‘To God’ is a poem of the early twentieth century. It expresses the plight of the poet persona as he laments to God about his mental illness.
Virtue by George Herbert
‘Virtue’ is one of George Herbert’s spiritual poems stressing the need of keeping a virtuous soul. Herbert creates a contrast between earthly things and a virtuous soul to make his point.
Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo
Have you ever wondered how graciously an eagle floats in the sky by making circular movements? In ‘Eagle Poem,’ Joy Harjo depicts how it is similar to the cycle of life.
Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore
‘Unending Love’ is a beautiful love poem written by the maestro and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, popularly known as the “Gurudev” of Bengali poetry. This poem taps on the themes of spiritual love and immortality.
The Force of Prayer; Or, the Founding of Bolton Priory by William Wordsworth
Willam Wordsworth’s ‘The Force of Prayer; Or, the Founding of Bolton Priory’ depicts the tragic death of a young man and the creation of a priory in his honor.
Obituary by A.K. Ramanujan
‘Obituary’ by A.K. Ramanujan explores the universal toll a parent’s passing can have on a child and all the ways that their memory remains even after their death.
Poem in October by Dylan Thomas
‘Poem in October’ tells of a speaker’s journey out of autumn and up a hill to reclaim childhood joy, the summer season and his spirituality.
Redemption by George Herbert
‘Redemption’ by George Herbert speaks on one man’s long journey to find God amongst the secular, and therefore the ability to start a new life.