To Byron
John Keats was one of the leading figures of the Romantic era. He wrote a poem like it was a letter. Since this was Keats, it wasn’t a letter. It was more than a poem either…
There is a gentle thought
Let’s not confuse “There is a gentle thought” with another poem by Dante Alighieri entitled “Love and the gentle heart.” It’s not easy to confuse them, based on the titles...
I live, I die, I burn, I drown
This is a translated version of the poem written by Louise Labé.
At peace
This is the translation of the poem “En paz” by Amado Nero.
Love and the gentle heart
Dante Alighieri is well-known for his “La Divina Commedia.” During his life, he wrote more. This is the poem “Love and the gentle heart.”
Lolotte, who attires my hair
There are many reasons to write poetry. Love is one of these reasons. When it concerns a lost love, it can lead to poems such as “Lolotte, who attires my hair,” written by Jessie Redmon Fauset.
Grotesque
“Grotesque” is about the inevitability of death. In the same way, it’s a poem that is sort-off obstinant when it comes to good in life. An interesting poem was written by Amy Lowell (1874 – 1925).
Song
Love can be overwhelming. That’s what Allen Ginsberg stressed out in the poem “Song.” A poem about his deepest feelings on how much weight this can be for the heart.
Clown’s houses
Many poets find their inspirations in other art forms. The poem “Clown’s houses” is inspired by the French surrealism. This poem written by Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell DBE was first...
Remember Me
The poem “Remember me” by David Harkins is a good example of how something beautiful can be misused by others. Read more about this poem and something negative that is...
We wear the mask
This poem is still the subject of debate long after Dunbar wrote this poem. What exactly is that mask that the poet is talking about? (more…)
I cry
Being alone isn’t for everyone. There are those moments when you’re confronted with strong emotions. On the other hand, there is a great way to hide your emotions from others. So, you only cry when you’re alone. That is what this poem by Tupac is about.
A vision
The poetry written by Oscar Wilde is still greatly appreciated by many people. His work is often quoted or used in other works. Long after his death in 1900, this...
To be in love
The variety of poems dealing with one of the strongest emotions there is, love, is very wide. Gwendolyn Brooks also touched this subject with her poem “To be in love.”...
Sonnet to Chillon
Not everyone has visited the Château de Chilon or Castle Chilon. There might be more people who are familiar with the poem The prisoner of Chilon, about the Genovois monk...
The battle hymn of the republic
If we decide that a song text is a poem, then there would be no problem for this “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” written by Julia Ward Howe This is one of the most patriotic anthems there is. Let’s consider it as a song and a poem. There is a good reason to treat it as a poem!
Sea Shell
Poetry doesn’t always need to rhyme. Some poets swear this is never supposed to be. Others do believe a poem should rhyme. Whatever your opinion might be on this, the poem “Sea Shell” is an example of poetry that doesn’t rhyme. This is free verse and there is nothing wrong with this poetic expression!
Fairy-land
A magical place or landscape, where fairies live. With a sense of drama. That is the setting that Edgar Allan Poe offered in the poem “Fairy-land.”
Romance
Never for a moment believe that all the poetry that Edgar Allan Poe left us is about mystery or mystical occurrences. The poem “Romance” proofs that Poe was a versatile writer. But altogether, it’s still Poe and there is a twist to this poem.
Poem 158 – “Dying! Dying in the night”
Poem 158 – “Dying! Dying in the night” is an answer to another poem. A poem was written by William Blake (1757 – 1827). It shows that Dickinson was not blind when it came to the works of other writers and poets.
To you
Sometimes it doesn’t take that many words to come up with a good poem. A poem that will be read long after you’re dead. The American poet Walt Whitman proved this with the poem “To you.” Another fine example of free verse.
Poem 2 – “There is another sky”
Although she never included titles in her poems, this one is known as Poem 2 – “There is another sky.” This poem is an outcry by Emily Dickinson, to convince her brother to move back to the town she lived in. Or is it?
All lovely things
The beautiful things in life are endless. Conrad Aiken wrote about this in the poem “All lovely things.” Just like many of the other poems written by this American poet, it was inspired by Symbolism.
Desespoir
A poem written by Oscar Wilde.
Kisses
The poem Kisses was written by Arthur Symons.
I live, I die, I burn, I drown
The poem “I live, I die, I burn, I drown” is truly magnificent. It’s also a great example of how the credits for one poem can go to the translator of the original poem. Delmira Augustini didn’t write the poem herself, she only translated the French poem “Je vis, je meurs, je me brule et me noye”, written by Louise Labé.
Pictures of home
Remember the house you grew up in? The house that has played such an important role in your life? Where you were supposed to feel safe? This is what Julie...
La Vie antérieure
Charles Baudelaire left us so many beautiful poems. This architect of modern-day French literature is one of the many poets from French history. His poem La Vie antérieure isn’t as...
Ode to Pity
She was the occasional poet. But when she wrote poetry, it was beautiful poems. “Ode to Pity” is such a poem, written by Jane Austen (1775 – 1817). At the time she wrote this poem, she was just a teenager.
Poem 249 – “Wild Nights – Wild Nights!”
The poem holds no title, but we know this poem as “Wild Nights – Wild Nights!” It’s a poem written by Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) and it’s probably one of the most discussed poems she wrote. Why is that?
In a wood
The artistic movement Romanticism also left its marks in poetry. Poets such as Thomas Hardy did everything to follow the principles of Romanticism. The poem “In a wood” is one...
Don’t tell the world that you’re waiting for me
A strong believer in political freedom for woman and involved with the Charist movement. In the seventy years of her life, Eliza Cook (1818-1889) was actively trying to change the world she lived in. Her poem Don’t tell the world that you’re waiting for me is her wish for her loved one not to tell the world about the waiting.
An Eastern Ballad
Don’t confuse eastern with Easter! This is the poem written by Allan Ginsberg about his fascination for the moon and the sea.
The song of the morning light (AANPASSEN)
It’s time for another translation of a Dutch poem. This time the translation of the poem Het lied van het morgenlicht is turned into The song of the morning light....
Stanzas
Under the pen name Ellis Bell, she wrote a novel and poems in the nineteenth century, including the famous book “Wuthering heights.” Today we know that Ellis bell was the pen name for one of the Brontë sisters: Emily Brontë. This poem was first published in 1846 and there is still a lot of debate about this poem.
My last dance
It’s always hard to top something that you’ve written before. But how about those works you’ve written before you wrote another masterpiece? Julia Ward Howe (1819 – 1910) wrote a beautiful poem “My last dance before she wrote the iconic “Battle hymn for the republic.”
It’s almost spring
It’s March 2017 and it’s almost time to greet Spring if you live in the northern part of the world. Just a few more days until this new season begins....
I think of you
You probably have heard of the name Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Mostly just the last part of his name, Goethe. He was a German writer and statesman. He is also...
I Hear America Singing
Let’s not confuse the title of this poem with a political slogan, shall we? This is about the poem “I Hear America singing”, written by Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892). It’s an entirely different poem or title than the political slogan “Make America great again.” But, what is the poem of Whitman about?
On the longing of the wind
Is the poem written by Floris Brown a love poem or is it about music? You decide what to do with the poem “On the longing of the wind.”
Homeless
The Dutch poet Jan Jacob Slauerhoff (published his work as J. Slauerhoff) died a long time ago. His legacy still is very important to the Dutch language when it comes...
