Poetry: Perseverance

This thematic Collection highlights poems centered on the experiences of perseverance and determination. These titles examine the human drive to overcome personal and social obstacles, such as racism. Representing hundreds of years of literary history, the Collection includes works by authors such as John Donne, Maya Angelou, Walt Whitman, and Kwame Alexander.

Publication year 2019

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Children's Literature, History: African , Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Race / Racism

“The Undefeated” (2019) is a free verse children’s poem by poet and novelist Kwame Alexander. The poem, published as a picture book, celebrates Black Americans, highlighting the struggles the Black community has endured and overcome throughout America’s history, with particular attention on great figures from history, including artists, athletes, and civil rights activists. While the poem’s target audience is children, Alexander and the book’s illustrator, Kadir Nelson, address serious topics like slavery and police brutality... Read The Undefeated Summary


Publication year 1919

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Social Justice


Publication year 1969

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Animals

Tags Free verse


Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Immigration / Refugee, History: Asian


Publication year 1963

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 1973

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Animals, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2000

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature


Publication year 1896

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Flora/plants, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Relationships


Publication year 2014

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement


Publication year 1648

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 1917

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Imagist poetry


Publication year 1992

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Lyric Poem, Humor, Holidays & Occasions, Relationships


Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Mythology, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1935

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Free verse, American Literature


Publication year 1960

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Black Arts Movement, Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, Food, Education, Education, African American Literature, History: World

Gwendolyn Brooks stands among the foremost American poets of the 20th century. A master of poetic form and portraiture, she explored black life in Chicago, where she lived for the majority of her life. The poem “We Real Cool,” Brooks’s most famous work, appeared in her 1960 collection The Bean Eaters.As a fledgling writer, Brooks combined early influences from the literary era of modernism, defined by poets like Ezra Pound, Wallace Stevens, T.S. Eliot, and... Read We Real Cool Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, American Literature, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 1673

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation

Tags Lyric Poem, Disability, Metaphysical, Education, Education, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Holidays & Occasions, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.


Publication year 1987

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2019

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Narrative / Epic Poem