If love didn’t exist
He described his poems as being very small. Years after his death (2000) he still…
Stuck while writing poetry
There comes a moment when you – the writer, the poet – will get to…
Farewell
Unlike many other Dutch poets, there is no online information available in English about the…
The world
A combination of contradictions forms the basis of the poem “The world” by Christina Rossetti…
Sail on, Sail on
Don’t confuse one Thomas with the other one. Thomas Moore (1779 – 1852) the writer,…
Denise Levertov’s secret
Denise Levertov (1923 – 1997) left us with some interesting and beautiful poems. Denise Levertov’s…
For tomorrow
“Voor de dag van morgen” is one of the many poems written by the Dutch…
Her life is a mystery, but her poems are not
Although there is little information about the life of Sappho, we still can read her…
Poem 54 – “I went to heaven”
What heaven could be like. Who’s never thought about that? Emily Dickinson did! She wrote…
Bombs
The Dutch poet Paul Rodenko was an important Dutch poet, writer and more. The inspiration…
You see, I love you
Herman Gorter (1864 – 1927) is one of the most important Dutch poets of the…
The Haunted Place
It is a good tradition during Halloween to do something with that which is ‘scary’.…
Poem 657 – “I dwell in Possibility”
Is Poem 657 – “I dwell in Possibility” a matter of ‘more than meets the…
There are no rules in art, according to Maxine Marie
It’s somewhat hard not to ask yourself what she does. Is she a poet, is…
The Blossom
Do not confuse William Blake’s poem (1757-1827) with the poem taken from William Shakespeare’s “Love’s…
She also wrote poetry herself
Sometimes the one who inspires you can do the same as you do. In this…
Dream Deferred
Originally Langston Hughes (1901 – 1967) named his poem “Harlem.” He would later change the…
Poem 280 – “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain”
There is a good chance that the 280th poem by Emily Dickinson is the first…
Elizabeth Bishop’s Map
The poem “The map” is part of Elizabeth Bishop’s poetry collection “North and South.” Let’s…
Slavery
The law to abolish slavery was passed the same year she passed away. She was…
(Allerliefste, ek stuur vir jou ‘n) Rooiborsduif
When Breyten Breytenbach’s poem first appeared on the website in October 2016, this article grew…
Sonnet 39 – Come Sleep! O Sleep
It’s one of the 108 sonnets that Philip Sidney (1554 – 1586) wrote during his…
The Blossom
For some people, this is a terrible poem. The poem “The Blossom” is not everyone’s…
Preludes
The poem “Preludes” by T.S. Eliot (1888 – 1965) is one of the most prominent…
I am not yours
In her poem “I am not yours” Sara Teasdale dives into love. Her poem speaks…
Before the World Was Made
How does a beautiful woman respond to her jealous lover? Read the poem “Before the…
The Garden
In her poem “The Garden” Hilda Doolittle (H.D.) writes about the wish to be as…
The nymph’s reply to the shepherd
The life of Sir Walter Raleigh (1554 – 1618) shows that you can combine exploration…
Sonnet 30
“Sonnet 30” written by Edmund Spenser (1552 – 1599) is often titled “Fire and Ice”…
Dream land
The contrast in the works of Christina Rossetti is impressive. At one side there are…
The hours rise
Dreaming is a state of mind when you can truly be free. This is what…
A daughter of Eve
“A daughter of Eve” was written by Christina Rosetti. She wrote this poem when she…
On being brought from AFRICA to AMERICA
A life-changing event can lead to a poem such as the one written by Phillis…
I’ve a pain in my head
Jane Austen has a certain mythical status. Her six novels are in the lists of…
A Child said , What is the grass?
When you read the poem “A Child said, What is the grass?” you may not…
Divinely superfluous beauty
It’s needless to say that the inspiration for the poem “Divinely superfluous beauty” by John…
A Thought of the Nile
There are a few rivers in the world that inspire people to write about. The…
About nightmares
Nightmares and poetry. They are a good combination. What better way to write about your…
Beer Street and Gin Lane
Did you know two famous engravings of the eighteenth century come with poems? These two…
She walks in beauty
There are many ways to describe true love or the things about this love that…
Time for a reboot
It’s time for a reboot! The Ministry of Poetic Affairs was having a break from…
Buffer or Later?
When you’re the proud owner of a website, you don’t want any hassle when it…
Sonnet 65
In “Sonnet 65” William Shakespeare doesn’t only bring forward the way someone can express love.…
Jabberwocky
“Jabberwocky” is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Caroll (1832 – 1898). This poem was…
My Shadow
It can happen: someone is more famous forever written word except poetry. This is true…
A hymn to the morning
She was considered to be one of a kind, during the time she lived. She…
Mont Ventoux
From time to time, The Ministry of Poetic Affairs translates some Dutch poems into English…
The Cold Heaven
Some poems start with an introduction, while others suddenly start. The poem written by William…
Stanzas for music
Music is of all ages. It’s true, music did change since the moment Lord Byron…
Song lyrics: “Time in a bottle”
Song texts as poetry. It’s possible. Rhyming is poetry (not always necessary). The words of…
