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.
Publication year 1756
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Lyric Poem, Natural Disaster, French Literature
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Poverty, American Literature
Publication year 1915
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Lyric Poem, Philosophy, Education, Education, American Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1922
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1951
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Harlem Renaissance, Education, Education
Publication year 1945
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Birth
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity
Tags Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1883
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Lyric Poem
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Mythology, Narrative / Epic Poem, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
The Theogony is an epic poem by the archaic Greek poet Hesiod. It is both a theogony—or account of the origins of the gods—and a cosmogony, an explanation of the origins of the universe. At just over a thousand lines in length, the Theogony is among the earliest surviving works of Greek literature, dating to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. It is an epic poem, a genre defined by its meter (dactylic... Read Theogony Summary
Publication year 1961
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Satire, Religion / Spirituality, Post Modernism
Publication year 1929
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2006
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Free verse, Southern Literature
Publication year 1871
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Animals
Tags Children's Literature
Publication year 1955
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Surrealism
Publication year 1961
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Relationships
Publication year 1999
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships
Publication year 1599
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Pastoralism, Renaissance, Education, Education, British Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1757
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 1594
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Elizabethan Era, Narrative / Epic Poem, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Education, Education, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
“The Rape of Lucrece,” written by William Shakespeare, was originally published in 1594 by Richard Field. This poem comes early in Shakespeare’s canon, with its original publication near the end of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, shortly after Taming of the Shrew and around the time of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream. As a companion piece to “Venus and Adonis,” Shakespeare dedicates “The Rape of Lucrece” to the Earl of Southampton, Henry Wriothesley, his patron. It went... Read The Rape of Lucrece Summary
Publication year 1712
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Arts / Culture, Class, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction
“The Rape of the Lock” is a mock-epic poem written by Alexander Pope. A mock-epic poem is equal in length to a traditional epic but takes a satirical tone rather than a serious one. The poem was originally published in 1712 and contained only two cantos. Pope, wanting to further expand its epic format, rewrote the poem several times and finally published a five-canto version in 1717. This version is the version we read today... Read The Rape of the Lock Summary