Mementos, 1 by W. D. Snodgrass
William DeWitt (W. D.) Snodgrass’s personal piece ‘Mementos, 1’ is about the discovery of an old photograph of the speaker’s divorced wife and the stream of memories that came with it.
Complaint by James Wright
‘Complaint’ is one of the early poems of James Wright with a conventional form and meter. This poem is about a rural folk’s dissatisfaction with her dead wife’s absence.
The Wedding by Moniza Alvi
‘The Wedding’ by Moniza Alvi depicts a wedding ceremony and a bride’s apprehensive approach to her new home in England and her new English family.
The Pride of Lions by Joanna Preston
‘The Pride of Lions’ by Joanna Preston describes what happens after a speaker’s husband is transformed into a lion. It presents a message about what relationships require in order to be successful.
The Laboratory by Robert Browning
‘The Laboratory’ is one of Browning’s most popular dramatic monologues in which we discover the evil schemings of a spurned wife, plotting the demise of her rival.
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.
The Mill by Edwin Arlington Robinson
‘The Mill’ by Edwin Arlington Robinson describes a dark night in the life of a miller’s wife as she waits for her husband to return.
Marrysong by Dennis Scott
‘Marrysong’ by Dennis Scott describes the relationship between a husband and wife whose relationship is constantly shifting.
To an army wife, in Sardis by Sappho
‘To an army wife, in Sardis’ by Sappho describes the power that the thing one loves has over the forward momentum of one’s life and the world at large.
The Housewife by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman
‘The Housewife’ by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman describes the day to day life of a housewife and the circular, unchanging elements of that life.
To the Young Wife by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman
‘To the Young Wife’ by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman is a short piece about the choices made by women and how one is to lead her best life.
The Fisherman Mourned by His Wife by Patrick Fernando
‘The Fisherman Mourned by His Wife’ tells the story of a marriage between a fisherman and his wife and how she and her children mourn his passing.
Stabat Mater by Sam Hunt
‘Stabat Mater’ by Sam Hunt is commentary on the complexities of time that can take a person from weak and timid, to strong and capable, and back to weak and timid.
O What Is That Sound by W.H. Auden
‘O What Is That Sound’ by W.H Auden is a tragic poem reminiscing the trauma that many individuals endure during times of war.
Her Husband by Ted Hughes
Ted Hughes’ poem ‘Her Husband’ is a spiteful poem reflecting on the paradoxical situation many married couples often face; being in a marriage with another person but having lost all love and compassion between each other.
The Stone Age by Kamala Das
In ‘The Stone Age’ by Kamala Das, a frustrated speaker blames her husband for ruining her life by his unappeasable lust. This poem is addressed to the husband in a satirical manner.
Home Burial by Robert Frost
‘Home Burial’ by Robert Frost is an incredibly sad poem. Frost depicts a mother grieving for her deceased son and her broader conflicts with her husband.