Short Poems

Our Short Poems Collection highlights the power of poetry through titles that make an impact in few words. These bite-sized selections offer a convenient starting place for readers new to analyzing poetry or anyone who appreciates short-form verse and its ability to move and inspire.

jasper texas 1998

by Lucille Clifton

Publication year 1998

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Black Lives Matter, History: U.S., African American Literature

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Jazz Fantasia

by Carl Sandburg

Publication year 1922

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Lyric Poem, Jazz Age

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Jerusalem

by Naomi Shihab Nye

Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Lyric Poem

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Joy in the Woods

by Claude McKay

Publication year 1922

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Economics, Society: Class

Tags Harlem Renaissance

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juxtaposing the black boy & the bullet

by Danez Smith

Publication year 2014

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race

Tags Grief / Death, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

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Kindness

by Naomi Shihab Nye

Publication year 1980

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Lyric Poem

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Kissing in Vietnamese

by Ocean Vuong

Publication year 2014

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Immigration / Refugee, Vietnam War

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Knock Knock

by Daniel Beaty

Publication year 2013

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Family

Tags Race / Racism

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Knoxville, Tennessee

by Nikki Giovanni

Publication year 1968

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Lyric Poem, Food, Religion / Spirituality, African American Literature

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Kubla Khan

by Samuel Coleridge

Publication year 1816

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Education, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

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Lady Lazarus

by Sylvia Plath

Publication year 1965

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Education, Education, American Literature, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction

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Lament

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Publication year 1923

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Free verse, Grief / Death

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La Migra

by Pat Mora

Publication year 1995

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Immigration / Refugee

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Languages

by Carl Sandburg

Publication year 1916

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Science / Nature, Modernism

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Learning to Read

by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Publication year 1872

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., Race / Racism

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Leda and the Swan

by William Butler Yeats

Publication year 1924

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War

Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality

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Let Evening Come

by Jane Kenyon

Publication year 1990

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Place

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature

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Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years From Now

by Matthew Olzmann

Publication year 2017

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Joy

Tags Climate Change

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Life

by Naomi Long Madgett

Publication year 1993

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

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