Poetry: Most Popular Articles
These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Poems for Mothers
A collection of classic poems about motherhood, by Anne Bradstreet, William Blake, Christina Rossetti, Edgar Allan Poe, Rudyard Kipling & Walt Whitman.
A collection of classic poems about motherhood, by Anne Bradstreet, William Blake, Christina Rossetti, Edgar Allan Poe, Rudyard Kipling & Walt Whitman.
Poems for Mothers: 'To My Mother' by Christina Rossetti (1842)
'To My Mother' by Christina Rossetti
'To My Mother' by Christina Rossetti
Spring Poems
A collection of poems for spring, including classics by Tu Fu, William Shakespeare, Thomas Carew, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, D.H. Lawrence & Gerard Manley Hopkins, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
A collection of poems for spring, including classics by Tu Fu, William Shakespeare, Thomas Carew, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, D.H. Lawrence & Gerard Manley Hopkins, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
Poems for Mothers: 'To My Mother' by Edgar Allan Poe
'To My Mother' by Edgar Allan Poe (1849)
'To My Mother' by Edgar Allan Poe (1849)
Poems of War
A collection of classic war poems, by Li Po, William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Stephen Crane, Walt Whitman, Thomas Hardy, Carl Sandburg, Wilfrid Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, William Butler Yeats & Thomas McGrath.
A collection of classic war poems, by Li Po, William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Stephen Crane, Walt Whitman, Thomas Hardy, Carl Sandburg, Wilfrid Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, William Butler Yeats & Thomas McGrath.
Poems for Mothers: 'Mother o' Mine' by Rudyard Kipling (1891)
'Mother o' Mine' by Rudyard Kipling
'Mother o' Mine' by Rudyard Kipling
Poems for Mothers: 'Before the Birth of One of Her Children' by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
'Before the Birth of One of Her Children' by Anne Bradstreet
'Before the Birth of One of Her Children' by Anne Bradstreet
Poems for Mothers: 'There was a Child went Forth' by Walt Whitman (1891)
'There was a Child went Forth' by Walt Whitman
'There was a Child went Forth' by Walt Whitman
Summer Poems
A collection of poems for summer, including an anonymous medieval lyric and classics by Thomas Nashe, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, John Greenleaf Whittier, John Clare, Amy Lowell & Gerard Manley Hopkins, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
A collection of poems for summer, including an anonymous medieval lyric and classics by Thomas Nashe, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, John Greenleaf Whittier, John Clare, Amy Lowell & Gerard Manley Hopkins, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
Poems for Mothers: 'The Little Boy Found' by William Blake (1791)
'The Little Boy Found' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1791)
'The Little Boy Found' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1791)
Poems for Mothers: 'Sonnets are full of love' by Christina Rossetti (1881)
'Sonnets are full of love' by Christina Rossetti
'Sonnets are full of love' by Christina Rossetti
Concrete Poetry/VisPo
A collection of poems in which the art is visual, and the typographical arrangement is as much a part of the poem's meaning as other more traditional poetic techniques -- including examples by Rinaldo Rasa, Alan Sondheim, Tree Riesener, and an anonymous Web poet.
A collection of poems in which the art is visual, and the typographical arrangement is as much a part of the poem's meaning as other more traditional poetic techniques -- including examples by Rinaldo Rasa, Alan Sondheim, Tree Riesener, and an anonymous Web poet.
Acrostic Poem
Acrostic poem defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Acrostic poem defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Poems for Peace
An anthology of poems for peace, gathered at About Poetry during the war in Iraq, as the necessary successor to our Poems After the Attack collection of 9.11.01 poems.
An anthology of poems for peace, gathered at About Poetry during the war in Iraq, as the necessary successor to our Poems After the Attack collection of 9.11.01 poems.
Poems of War: 'War Is Kind' by Stephen Crane (1899)
'War Is Kind' by Stephen Crane (1899)
'War Is Kind' by Stephen Crane (1899)
Love Poems: Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
Sonnet 43 from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
Sonnet 43 from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
Poems for Fathers
A collection of classic poems about fatherhood, by Robert Greene, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Rudyard Kipling & Gerard Manley Hopkins.
A collection of classic poems about fatherhood, by Robert Greene, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Rudyard Kipling & Gerard Manley Hopkins.
Winter Poems
A collection of poems for winter, including classics by William Shakespeare, Thomas Campion, Robert Burns, Emily Dickinson & Robert Frost, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
A collection of poems for winter, including classics by William Shakespeare, Thomas Campion, Robert Burns, Emily Dickinson & Robert Frost, plus new poems from contemporary poets around the world.
Poems for Spring: 'Spring' (song from Love's Labors Lost) by William Shakespeare (1598)
'Spring' (song from Love's Labors Lost) by William Shakespeare (1598)
'Spring' (song from Love's Labors Lost) by William Shakespeare (1598)
HipHop, PerfPo, SpokenWd, Slam
Definitions of 'open mic,' 'poetry slam,' 'spoken word,' 'performance poetry,' 'poetry,' 'hiphop' & 'rap' from Eman, 16-year-old poet & host of two weekly open mics. 'If you’re looking for the definitions of the New Poetry from the younger generation, she’s the one to ask.'
Definitions of 'open mic,' 'poetry slam,' 'spoken word,' 'performance poetry,' 'poetry,' 'hiphop' & 'rap' from Eman, 16-year-old poet & host of two weekly open mics. 'If you’re looking for the definitions of the New Poetry from the younger generation, she’s the one to ask.'
How to Unblock!
A list of suggestions to get you writing poems again when you're blocked. About Poetry Guide Bob Holman has lots of ways to unblock, tap your poetic springs, get the poems flowing, write first time, every time.
A list of suggestions to get you writing poems again when you're blocked. About Poetry Guide Bob Holman has lots of ways to unblock, tap your poetic springs, get the poems flowing, write first time, every time.
Locate the text of a poem
A simple step-by-step outline of how to find the text of a poem on the Net when you can only remember one line.
A simple step-by-step outline of how to find the text of a poem on the Net when you can only remember one line.
Love Poems: Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Poems for Spring: 'A Spring View' by Tu Fu (c. 750)
'A Spring View' by Tu Fu (c. 750)
'A Spring View' by Tu Fu (c. 750)
Poems After the Attack
An anthology of poems written during the 'War on Terrorism' after the September 11, 2001 attack on America, from poets around the Net & in the About Poetry Forum.
An anthology of poems written during the 'War on Terrorism' after the September 11, 2001 attack on America, from poets around the Net & in the About Poetry Forum.
Poems for Spring: 'A Prayer in Spring' by Robert Frost (1915)
'A Prayer in Spring' by Robert Frost (1915)
'A Prayer in Spring' by Robert Frost (1915)
Love Poems
A collection of classic love poems by Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, John Donne, Anne Bradstreet, Andrew Marvell, Robert Burns, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Elizabeth Barrett Browning & William Butler Yeats.
A collection of classic love poems by Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, John Donne, Anne Bradstreet, Andrew Marvell, Robert Burns, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Elizabeth Barrett Browning & William Butler Yeats.
A Glossary of Poetic Forms
Poetic forms briefly defined.
Poetic forms briefly defined.
Pablo Neruda
A reference page on Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973), Nobel laureate, diplomat, exile & returned native son of Chile, most respected & beloved Latin American poet, often called “the people’s poet.”
A reference page on Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973), Nobel laureate, diplomat, exile & returned native son of Chile, most respected & beloved Latin American poet, often called “the people’s poet.”
Spring Poems: 'Spring, the Sweet Spring' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
'Spring, the Sweet Spring' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
'Spring, the Sweet Spring' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
A Guide to "The Second Coming"
Notes on context, form and content, commentary and quotations on William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming” (1920).
Notes on context, form and content, commentary and quotations on William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming” (1920).
Poets Laureate of the U.S.A.
A Net-annotated list of all the poets who have served the U.S. Library of Congress as Consultant (the old title) or Poet Laureate Consultant (the new title).
A Net-annotated list of all the poets who have served the U.S. Library of Congress as Consultant (the old title) or Poet Laureate Consultant (the new title).
Concrete Poems: 'Rain Song' by Ruth Nott
'Rain Song' by Ruth Nott
'Rain Song' by Ruth Nott
Concrete Poems: 'comet' by Tree Riesener
'comet' by Tree Riesener
'comet' by Tree Riesener
Poems of War: 'St. Crispin's Day speech,' from Henry V (1599) by William Shakespeare
'St. Crispin's Day speech,' from Henry V (1599) by William Shakespeare
'St. Crispin's Day speech,' from Henry V (1599) by William Shakespeare
Poems for Spring: 'A little madness in the Spring' (#1333) by Emily Dickinson
'A little madness in the Spring' (#1333) by Emily Dickinson
'A little madness in the Spring' (#1333) by Emily Dickinson
Poems for Spring: 'To Spring' by William Blake (1783)
'To Spring' by William Blake (1783)
'To Spring' by William Blake (1783)
Poems for Spring: 'A light exists in spring' (#812) by Emily Dickinson
'A light exists in spring' (#812) by Emily Dickinson
'A light exists in spring' (#812) by Emily Dickinson
Poems for Spring: 'Lines Written in Early Spring' by William Wordsworth (1798)
'Lines Written in Early Spring' by William Wordsworth (1798)
'Lines Written in Early Spring' by William Wordsworth (1798)
Poems for Spring: 'The Spring' by Thomas Carew (1640)
'The Spring' by Thomas Carew (1640)
'The Spring' by Thomas Carew (1640)
A Guide to Blake's "The Tyger"
Notes on context, form and content, commentary and quotations on William Blake's poem "The Tyger" from Songs of Experience (1794).
Notes on context, form and content, commentary and quotations on William Blake's poem "The Tyger" from Songs of Experience (1794).
Sonnet
The sonnet defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The sonnet defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
"The Road Not Taken" Guide
Notes on form and content, commentary and annotations on Robert Frost's beloved but "tricky" poem, "The Road Not Taken" (published in his 1920 collection, Mountain Interval).
Notes on form and content, commentary and annotations on Robert Frost's beloved but "tricky" poem, "The Road Not Taken" (published in his 1920 collection, Mountain Interval).
Poems of War: 'Iron' (1916) & 'Grass' (1918) by Carl Sandburg
'Iron' (1916) & 'Grass' (1918) by Carl Sandburg
'Iron' (1916) & 'Grass' (1918) by Carl Sandburg
Langston Hughes
A reference page on Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), unofficial poet laureate of Black American life & culture, radical democrat at the center of the Harlem Renaissance.
A reference page on Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), unofficial poet laureate of Black American life & culture, radical democrat at the center of the Harlem Renaissance.
Summer Poems: 'Summer' by John Clare (1865)
'Summer' by John Clare (1865)
'Summer' by John Clare (1865)
Poems of War: 'Nefarious War' by Li Po (c. 750)
'Nefarious War,' by Li Po (c. 750)
'Nefarious War,' by Li Po (c. 750)
Memorize a poem
You memorize because you have to, the poem was written for you & you must make it your own, step-by-step you learn it by heart...
You memorize because you have to, the poem was written for you & you must make it your own, step-by-step you learn it by heart...
Poems for Spring: 'Spring Quiet' by Christina Rossetti (1847)
'Spring Quiet' by Christina Rossetti (1847)
'Spring Quiet' by Christina Rossetti (1847)
Halloween Poems: The Witches' Spell from Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Witches' Spell from Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606)
The Witches' Spell from Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606)
Summer Poems: 'A something in a summer's day' (#122) by Emily Dickinson
'A something in a summer's day' (#122) by Emily Dickinson
'A something in a summer's day' (#122) by Emily Dickinson
Poems of War: 'Aftermath' by Siegfried Sassoon (1919)
'Aftermath' by Siegfried Sassoon (1919)
'Aftermath' by Siegfried Sassoon (1919)
Library: Wordsworth Poems
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by William Wordsworth, in chronological order.
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by William Wordsworth, in chronological order.
Winter Poems: 'Dust of Snow' and 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' by Robert Frost
'Dust of Snow' and 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' by Robert Frost (1923)
'Dust of Snow' and 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' by Robert Frost (1923)
Summer Poems: 'Summer' by Amy Lowell (1912)
'Summer' by Amy Lowell (1912)
'Summer' by Amy Lowell (1912)
Poems of War: 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1854)
'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1854)
'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1854)
Love Poems: Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Limerick
The limerick defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The limerick defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Concrete Poems: 'The Bird' and 'The Quill' by Ernesto Santiago
'The Bird' and 'The Quill' by Ernesto Santiago
'The Bird' and 'The Quill' by Ernesto Santiago
Library: Frost Poems
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by Robert Frost, in chronological order.
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by Robert Frost, in chronological order.
Edgar Allan Poe
A reference page on Edgar Allan Poe, American Romantic poet, balladeer, journalist and inventor of the modern detective story and horror tale.
A reference page on Edgar Allan Poe, American Romantic poet, balladeer, journalist and inventor of the modern detective story and horror tale.
Index of Poems - Alphabetical by Poet Name
Index by poet's name of the poems published at the About Poetry Web site.
Index by poet's name of the poems published at the About Poetry Web site.
Get started submitting
A simple step-by-step outline to help you manage the process of submitting your poems for publication.
A simple step-by-step outline to help you manage the process of submitting your poems for publication.
Villanelle
The villanelle defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The villanelle defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Books about poetry
When you want to think about poetry's place in human culture & history, or you want to write some poetry of your own & know what you are doing, you'll find useful starting points & rich ideas in these books about poetry recommended by your guides.
When you want to think about poetry's place in human culture & history, or you want to write some poetry of your own & know what you are doing, you'll find useful starting points & rich ideas in these books about poetry recommended by your guides.
Poems of War: 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' by William Butler Yeats (1928)
'On Being Asked for a War Poem' by William Butler Yeats (1928)
'On Being Asked for a War Poem' by William Butler Yeats (1928)
Poems for Peace: 'A Poem for Peace in Two Voices'
Penn Kemp's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Penn Kemp's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Concrete Poems: 'SnakeShapePoema' by Rinaldo Rasa
'SnakeShapePoema' by Rinaldo Rasa
'SnakeShapePoema' by Rinaldo Rasa
Poems for Spring: Sonnet 98 by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 98 - 'From you have I been absent in the spring' by William Shakespeare (1609)
Sonnet 98 - 'From you have I been absent in the spring' by William Shakespeare (1609)
The Beat Goes On: Ferlinghetti
Victor Infante interviews Ferlinghetti on the Poet as Outsider: 'Poetry is news, and it's important when it articulates a new vision of reality or an old vision in a surprising way. When it subverts the dominant paradigm.'
Victor Infante interviews Ferlinghetti on the Poet as Outsider: 'Poetry is news, and it's important when it articulates a new vision of reality or an old vision in a surprising way. When it subverts the dominant paradigm.'
William Blake
A reference page on William Blake, visionary poet and artist who created his own mythology, wrote epics and children's rhymes, and made illustrated books that are admired icons centuries after his death.
A reference page on William Blake, visionary poet and artist who created his own mythology, wrote epics and children's rhymes, and made illustrated books that are admired icons centuries after his death.
Poems for Spring: 'Spring' by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1918)
'Spring' by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1918)
'Spring' by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1918)
Put together a manuscript
A simple step-by-step outline to help you gather your poems in manuscript form for submission to publishers or publication contests.
A simple step-by-step outline to help you gather your poems in manuscript form for submission to publishers or publication contests.
Poems for Spring: 'Spring Carol' by Robert Louis Stevenson (1918)
'Spring Carol' by Robert Louis Stevenson (1918)
'Spring Carol' by Robert Louis Stevenson (1918)
Phillis Wheatley
A brief profile of Phillis Wheatley, African slave, African American poet from the colonial/Revolutionary War period... the original voice of the Other on US shores.
A brief profile of Phillis Wheatley, African slave, African American poet from the colonial/Revolutionary War period... the original voice of the Other on US shores.
The Worst Poem of All Time
We invite you to partake in what we consider the absolute freefall of the bottomless barrel, the worst poem of all time: William Topaz McGonagall’s “The Tay Bridge Disaster.”
We invite you to partake in what we consider the absolute freefall of the bottomless barrel, the worst poem of all time: William Topaz McGonagall’s “The Tay Bridge Disaster.”
Haiku
Haiku defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Haiku defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
SemiCento, A Stitched-Together Poem
When the Frankfurt Buchmesse turns fifty, and Bob Holman is commissioned to write the occasional verse, voila! -- a SemiCento... the poem gathers poets from all cultures and times to say Happy Birthday, What Is a Poem?
When the Frankfurt Buchmesse turns fifty, and Bob Holman is commissioned to write the occasional verse, voila! -- a SemiCento... the poem gathers poets from all cultures and times to say Happy Birthday, What Is a Poem?
Robert Frost
A reference page on Robert Frost, celebrated American poet whose work is rooted in New England farm life, combining a modernist sensibility and sense of language in traditional verse forms.
A reference page on Robert Frost, celebrated American poet whose work is rooted in New England farm life, combining a modernist sensibility and sense of language in traditional verse forms.
Abecedarian Poem
Abecedarian poem defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Abecedarian poem defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Poems of War: 'Look Down, Fair Moon' & 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd' by Walt Whitman (1900)
'Look Down, Fair Moon' & 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd' by Walt Whitman (1900)
'Look Down, Fair Moon' & 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd' by Walt Whitman (1900)
'When You Are Old' by William Butler Yeats
'When You Are Old' by William Butler Yeats (1893)
'When You Are Old' by William Butler Yeats (1893)
Love Poems: Sonnet 14 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
Sonnet 14 from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
Sonnet 14 from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1850)
'The Lamb' by William Blake
'The Lamb' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1789)
'The Lamb' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1789)
On Poems in Competition
Our friend Kurt Heintz has some sage advice for the poet who asked this question: 'What is the reliability of the hundreds of poetry contests being run on the Net? Is it prudent to submit manuscripts to them?'
Our friend Kurt Heintz has some sage advice for the poet who asked this question: 'What is the reliability of the hundreds of poetry contests being run on the Net? Is it prudent to submit manuscripts to them?'
Poems of War: 'In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'' & 'The Man He Killed' by Thomas Hardy (1915)
'In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'' & 'The Man He Killed' by Thomas Hardy (1915)
'In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'' & 'The Man He Killed' by Thomas Hardy (1915)
Love Poems: 'To My Dear and Loving Husband' by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
'To My Dear and Loving Husband' by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
'To My Dear and Loving Husband' by Anne Bradstreet (1678)
'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost
'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost (1920)
'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost (1920)
Jupiter Hammon
A profile of Jupiter Hammon, actually the first African-American poet whose work was published, despite the often repeated claim that it was Phillis Wheatley, by George Wallace
A profile of Jupiter Hammon, actually the first African-American poet whose work was published, despite the often repeated claim that it was Phillis Wheatley, by George Wallace
Walt Whitman
A reference page on Walt Whitman, quintessential American poet who sang of individual freedom, democracy & the brotherhood of man in the many editions of his compendious masterpiece, Leaves of Grass.
A reference page on Walt Whitman, quintessential American poet who sang of individual freedom, democracy & the brotherhood of man in the many editions of his compendious masterpiece, Leaves of Grass.
Sestina
The sestina defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The sestina defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Pantoum
The pantoum defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The pantoum defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Li Po
Li 'Wiseguy' Po, out of the T'ang Dynasty, the maestro himself. Author of 100,000 poems, all of them better than anything youÂ’ll ever write, he died jumping into the moon (late, drunk, in canoe, caught sight of the moonÂ’s refection, plop).
Li 'Wiseguy' Po, out of the T'ang Dynasty, the maestro himself. Author of 100,000 poems, all of them better than anything youÂ’ll ever write, he died jumping into the moon (late, drunk, in canoe, caught sight of the moonÂ’s refection, plop).
William Wordsworth
A reference page on British Romantic poet William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850), whose theory of poetry began the Romantic movement in English poetry at the end of the 18th century, and whose poems immortalize the sublime landscapes of his beloved Lake District.
A reference page on British Romantic poet William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850), whose theory of poetry began the Romantic movement in English poetry at the end of the 18th century, and whose poems immortalize the sublime landscapes of his beloved Lake District.
Poems of War: 'Dulce et Decorum Est' by Wilfrid Owen (1917)
'Dulce et Decorum Est' by Wilfrid Owen (1917)
'Dulce et Decorum Est' by Wilfrid Owen (1917)
'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats
'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats (1920)
'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats (1920)
Poems for Spring: 'The Flower Garden' by Wayne Jarus
'The Flower Garden' by Wayne Jarus
'The Flower Garden' by Wayne Jarus
Emily Dickinson
A reference page on Emily Dickinson, reclusive 19th century poet who became known as the 'Belle of Amherst' and an iconic influence on American poetry after the posthumous publication of her work.
A reference page on Emily Dickinson, reclusive 19th century poet who became known as the 'Belle of Amherst' and an iconic influence on American poetry after the posthumous publication of her work.
Summer Poems: 'The Schoolboy' by William Blake (from Songs of Experience, 1794)
'The Schoolboy' by William Blake (from Songs of Experience, 1794)
'The Schoolboy' by William Blake (from Songs of Experience, 1794)
The InterBoard Poetry Competition: How It Works
The About Poetry Forum is one of six original online poetry forums participating in the InterBoard Poetry Competition, founded in 2000. This page is a reference summary of the rules, with links to the IBPC home site, participating boards, and background information on the IBPC judges.
The About Poetry Forum is one of six original online poetry forums participating in the InterBoard Poetry Competition, founded in 2000. This page is a reference summary of the rules, with links to the IBPC home site, participating boards, and background information on the IBPC judges.
Poems from Poetry Africa 2003
Poems gathered by Bob Holman at the 2003 Poetry Africa festival, by Akeem Lasisi, Timothy Wangusa, Lesego Rampolokeng, Lebogang Mashile & Abdallah Zrika
Poems gathered by Bob Holman at the 2003 Poetry Africa festival, by Akeem Lasisi, Timothy Wangusa, Lesego Rampolokeng, Lebogang Mashile & Abdallah Zrika
Poems for Spring: 'The Enkindled Spring' by D.H. Lawrence (1916)
'The Enkindled Spring' by D.H. Lawrence (1916)
'The Enkindled Spring' by D.H. Lawrence (1916)
Halloween Poems
A collection of classic Halloween poems, including a selection from Shakespeare's Macbeth, the traditional ballad 'Tam Lin' & poems by Lord Brooke Fulke Greville, Robert Herrick, Robert Burns, George Gordon Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe & Christina Rossetti.
A collection of classic Halloween poems, including a selection from Shakespeare's Macbeth, the traditional ballad 'Tam Lin' & poems by Lord Brooke Fulke Greville, Robert Herrick, Robert Burns, George Gordon Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe & Christina Rossetti.
Poems of War: 'Mother and Poet' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1862)
'Mother and Poet' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1862)
'Mother and Poet' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1862)
Love Poems: 'A Valediction Forbidding Mourning' by John Donne (1633)
'A Valediction Forbidding Mourning' by John Donne (1633)
'A Valediction Forbidding Mourning' by John Donne (1633)
American Epic Poems...
We proclaimed Frank Stanford’s The Battlefield Where the Moon Says I Love You, 'the great US epic of the last half of the 20th century' and were immediately accosted: 'It’s the ONLY epic poem!' Wrong!, we said. Here are more epics, recommended by your Poetry Guides.
We proclaimed Frank Stanford’s The Battlefield Where the Moon Says I Love You, 'the great US epic of the last half of the 20th century' and were immediately accosted: 'It’s the ONLY epic poem!' Wrong!, we said. Here are more epics, recommended by your Poetry Guides.
Sylvia Plath
A reference page on Sylvia Plath, brilliant young confessional poet who committed suicide at the age of 30 amid the upheaval of her failed marriage to Ted Hughes, and became a poetic & feminist icon after her death.
A reference page on Sylvia Plath, brilliant young confessional poet who committed suicide at the age of 30 amid the upheaval of her failed marriage to Ted Hughes, and became a poetic & feminist icon after her death.
Library: Yeats Poems
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by William Butler Yeats, in chronological order.
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by William Butler Yeats, in chronological order.
Love Poems: 'Aedh wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' by William Butler Yeats (1899)
'Aedh wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' by William Butler Yeats (1899)
'Aedh wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' by William Butler Yeats (1899)
Karawane, by Laura Winton
Laura Winton (aka Fluffy Singler) has a passion for experimental literature in performance that led her to found Karawane, Or the Temporary Death of the Bruitist -- a zine dedicated to work that brings together text and performance & named after a dada sound poem.
Laura Winton (aka Fluffy Singler) has a passion for experimental literature in performance that led her to found Karawane, Or the Temporary Death of the Bruitist -- a zine dedicated to work that brings together text and performance & named after a dada sound poem.
Poems for Fathers: 'If' by Rudyard Kipling (1910)
'If' by Rudyard Kipling
'If' by Rudyard Kipling
InterBoard Poetry Competition Winners, 2008 Archive
Archive of the winning poems in the monthly InterBoard Poetry Competition in 2008, posted at About Poetry.
Archive of the winning poems in the monthly InterBoard Poetry Competition in 2008, posted at About Poetry.
Poems for Peace: 'Hands on a Gun'
Rochelle Mass' contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Rochelle Mass' contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
William Butler Yeats
A reference page on mystical/historical Irish poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939), a towering figure in 20th century literature in English, master of traditional verse forms and at the same time idol of the modernist poets who followed him.
A reference page on mystical/historical Irish poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939), a towering figure in 20th century literature in English, master of traditional verse forms and at the same time idol of the modernist poets who followed him.
'Song of Myself' by Walt Whitman
'Song of Myself' by Walt Whitman (from Leaves of Grass, 1900)
'Song of Myself' by Walt Whitman (from Leaves of Grass, 1900)
Fibonacci Poems
All you need to know about Fibonacci poems, a new math-based poetic form that is proliferating on the Internet, by Georgia Luna Smith Faust.
All you need to know about Fibonacci poems, a new math-based poetic form that is proliferating on the Internet, by Georgia Luna Smith Faust.
Poems for Spring: 'Spring' by Dorothea Grossman
'Spring' by Dorothea Grossman
'Spring' by Dorothea Grossman
Poems of War: from 'Remembering That Island' by Thomas McGrath (1972)
from 'Remembering That Island' by Thomas McGrath (1972)
from 'Remembering That Island' by Thomas McGrath (1972)
Collections of Love Poems
Anthologies and single poet collections of love poetry, classic and contemporary, from ancient and modern cultures all over the world, selected by your guides.
Anthologies and single poet collections of love poetry, classic and contemporary, from ancient and modern cultures all over the world, selected by your guides.
Poems for Spring: 'Spring' by Bill Vartnaw
'Spring' by Bill Vartnaw
'Spring' by Bill Vartnaw
Summer Poems: 'Fair Summer Droops' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
'Fair Summer Droops' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
'Fair Summer Droops' from Summer's Last Will and Testament, by Thomas Nashe (1600)
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth (1804)
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth (1804)
Winter Poems: 'Blow, blow thou winter wind' from As You Like It by William Shakespeare
'Blow, blow thou winter wind' from As You Like It by William Shakespeare
'Blow, blow thou winter wind' from As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Concrete Poems: 'Subject: skyscraper-no' & 'Don't Get Me Started' by Alan Sondheim
'Subject: skyscraper-no' & 'Don't Get Me Started' by Alan Sondheim
'Subject: skyscraper-no' & 'Don't Get Me Started' by Alan Sondheim
Poems for Fathers: 'Anecdote for Fathers' by William Wordsworth (1798)
'Anecdote for Fathers' by William Wordsworth
'Anecdote for Fathers' by William Wordsworth
Poetry Picks: Best Books 2006
2006, Good Year, Poetry... Poetry Guide Bob Holman shines his spotlight back across the year to find the best poetry books published in 2006.
2006, Good Year, Poetry... Poetry Guide Bob Holman shines his spotlight back across the year to find the best poetry books published in 2006.
Poems for Peace: 'A Poem Against War'
Karen Karpowich's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Karen Karpowich's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
In Memory of Gwendolyn Brooks
Patricia Smith and Quraysh Ali Lansana remember Gwendolyn Brooks in two poems and an overheard conversation.
Patricia Smith and Quraysh Ali Lansana remember Gwendolyn Brooks in two poems and an overheard conversation.
Poems for Spring: 'Young Lambs' by John Clare (1920)
'Young Lambs' by John Clare (1920)
'Young Lambs' by John Clare (1920)
Summer Poems: 'The Barefoot Boy' by John Greenleaf Whittier (1855)
'The Barefoot Boy' by John Greenleaf Whittier (1855)
'The Barefoot Boy' by John Greenleaf Whittier (1855)
Library: E.B. Browning Poems
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in chronological order.
Our library of poem texts – selected poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in chronological order.
A Thank You Poem from Against All Odds - Poetry - 2/8/2000
Asante, written by Ann Biersteker for the poets who shared their work at the Against All Odds Conference in Asmara, Eritrea, from your About.com guides, Bob Holman & Margery Snyder.
Asante, written by Ann Biersteker for the poets who shared their work at the Against All Odds Conference in Asmara, Eritrea, from your About.com guides, Bob Holman & Margery Snyder.
Summer Poems: 'Sumer Is Icumen In' (traditional English round, c. 1250)
'Sumer Is Icumen In' (traditional English round, c. 1250)
'Sumer Is Icumen In' (traditional English round, c. 1250)
'Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey' by William Wordsworth
'Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey' by William Wordsworth (1798)
'Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey' by William Wordsworth (1798)
Concrete Poems: 'A Scrolly'
A self-propelled moving image poem, legible only on a computer... Hold down your scroll down button, and read new now!
A self-propelled moving image poem, legible only on a computer... Hold down your scroll down button, and read new now!
Willie Perdomo: “Crazy Bunch Barbecue”
we have always known how to curse / and bless the dead / but now we know how to talk in silence... This is definitely / for the brothers / who ain't here...
we have always known how to curse / and bless the dead / but now we know how to talk in silence... This is definitely / for the brothers / who ain't here...
The World Is Too Much With Us by William Wordsworth
“The World Is Too Much With Us” by William Wordsworth (1806)
“The World Is Too Much With Us” by William Wordsworth (1806)
Richard Eberhart
A reference page on Richard Eberhart (1904 - 2005), prize-winning poet, laureate, teacher and mentor to generations of poets.
A reference page on Richard Eberhart (1904 - 2005), prize-winning poet, laureate, teacher and mentor to generations of poets.
Poems for Peace: 'Peace Prayer'
Richard Burley's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Richard Burley's contribution to the About Poetry anthology of peace poems
Poems for Fathers: 'The Child Is Father To the Man' by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1918)
'The Child Is Father To the Man' by Gerard Manley Hopkins
'The Child Is Father To the Man' by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Philip Larkin
A reference page on Philip Larkin (1922 - 1985), Britain’s hard-edged, unsparing common-language poet of everyday life & death.
A reference page on Philip Larkin (1922 - 1985), Britain’s hard-edged, unsparing common-language poet of everyday life & death.
Winter Poems: 'There's a certain slant of light' (#258) by Emily Dickinson
'There's a certain slant of light' (#258) by Emily Dickinson
'There's a certain slant of light' (#258) by Emily Dickinson
Piñero & the Poet’s Life
Michael Salinger talks with Dahveed Ben Israel of the Last Poets after a screening of this yearÂ’s poetic biopic, Pinero, fertile ground for a conversation about the poetÂ’s lifestyle, the relation between suffering and creativity, poetic communities and the artsÂ’ affirmation of life.
Michael Salinger talks with Dahveed Ben Israel of the Last Poets after a screening of this yearÂ’s poetic biopic, Pinero, fertile ground for a conversation about the poetÂ’s lifestyle, the relation between suffering and creativity, poetic communities and the artsÂ’ affirmation of life.
The Bad Poetry Seminar
There is a Bad Poetry Explosion, and you can be part of it! Join Sparrow's Bad Poetry Seminar at About Poetry.
There is a Bad Poetry Explosion, and you can be part of it! Join Sparrow's Bad Poetry Seminar at About Poetry.
Library: Poe Poems
Our library of poem texts -- selected poems by Edgar Allan Poe, in chronological order.
Our library of poem texts -- selected poems by Edgar Allan Poe, in chronological order.
Poems for Fathers: 'The Little Boy Lost' by William Blake (1791)
'The Little Boy Lost' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1791)
'The Little Boy Lost' by William Blake (from Songs of Innocence, 1791)
Winter Poems: 'Winter in Maine on Rte 113' & 'Silent Solstice (Winter Becomes Maine)' by Denis Dunn
'Winter in Maine on Rte 113' & 'Silent Solstice (Winter Becomes Maine)' by Denis Dunn
'Winter in Maine on Rte 113' & 'Silent Solstice (Winter Becomes Maine)' by Denis Dunn
Terza Rima
Terza rima defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
Terza rima defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
An Open Letter to Any Would-Be Terrorists from Naomi Shihab Nye
Find another way to live. Don't expect others to be like you. Read Rumi. Read Arabic poetry. Poetry humanizes us in a way that news, or even religion, has a harder time doing...
Find another way to live. Don't expect others to be like you. Read Rumi. Read Arabic poetry. Poetry humanizes us in a way that news, or even religion, has a harder time doing...
Youth Speaks
James Kass talks about reading, writing, hearing and performing poetry with teenagers in Youth Speaks (the project he founded with the tagline 'the next generation can speak for itself') and the National Youth Poetry Slam.
James Kass talks about reading, writing, hearing and performing poetry with teenagers in Youth Speaks (the project he founded with the tagline 'the next generation can speak for itself') and the National Youth Poetry Slam.