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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.

Publication year 2016Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Animals

Publication year 1950Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: GuiltTags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Post-War Era, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust

Publication year 1995Genre Poem, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Space & The UniverseTags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Spoken Word Poetry, Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War, Grief / Death, American Literature

Publication year 1960Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Race / Racism, African American Literature

Publication year 2004Genre Play, FictionTags Lyric Poem, Satire, Politics / Government, Restoration, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

John Dryden’s “Absalom and Achitophel” was first published in 1681, in direct response to a political crisis faced by King Charles II from 1679 to 1681. In what became known as the “Exclusion Crisis,” the king’s opponents in Parliament tried to exclude Charles’s brother James from the succession on the grounds that he was a Roman Catholic. “Absalom and Achitophel” is a satiric narrative poem in which Dryden uses a biblical allegory to discuss the... Read Absalom and Achitophel Summary


Publication year 1922Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Lyric Poem

Publication year 1914Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: ObjectsTags Modernism, American Literature

Publication year 1896Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Lyric Poem

Publication year 1807Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period

Publication year 1928Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: LonelinessTags Lyric Poem, Depression / Suicide

Publication year 1975Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 1985Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Publication year 1999Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: AnimalsTags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Animals, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Latin American Literature

Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1991Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: FathersTags Lyric Poem, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Parenting, American Literature

Among Peter Meinke’s most anthologized poems, “Advice to My Son” is best known for its humorous, ironic tone and contemporary interpretation of traditional rhyme structure. First published in 1964 in The Antioch Review, the poem was anthologized in the volume Liquid Paper: New and Selected Poems (1991), published by the Pittsburgh Press. According to Meinke, he had little idea that the poem would so deeply resonate with readers when he first wrote it as a... Read Advice to My Son Summary


Publication year 1962Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: War, Identity: Language, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, History: African , Afro-Caribbean Literature

Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, Auto/Biographical Fiction, American Literature

Publication year 2015Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: ColonialismTags Immigration / Refugee

Genre Novel, FictionTags Science / Nature, Modernism, American Literature

Publication year 2020Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, American Literature

Publication year 1860Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Free verse

Publication year 1300Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Middle Eastern Literature

Publication year 1913Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Humor, Grief / Death, British Literature, Victorian Period

Publication year 1909Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: AnimalsTags Lyric Poem

Publication year 2004Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Lyric Poem, Philosophy, Mythology, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2002Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Lyric Poem

Publication year 1933Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: GuiltTags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Modernism

Publication year 1899Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Lyric Poem, Existentialism, Realism

Publication year 1921Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, Race / Racism

Publication year 1888Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality, Natural World: Place, Society: CommunityTags Free verse

Publication year 1998Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2017Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Black Lives Matter, African American Literature

Publication year 1893Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: NationTags Lyric Poem, Inspirational, American Literature

Publication year 1972Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Publication year 1964Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & AngerTags Black Arts Movement, Race / Racism

Publication year 2019Genre Poem, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: IndigenousTags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., American Literature, Food, Race / Racism, History: World

Joy Harjo is a seminal voice in the US poetry canon, and she has long been an advocate for Native American women in the literary world. Her work has merited tremendous acclaim, such as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas, the Josephine Miles Poetry Award, the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets, the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America, and the American... Read An American Sunrise Summary


Publication year 1949Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: MarriageTags Lyric Poem, Free verse, Relationships

Publication year 1895Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Poetry: Dramatic Poem

Publication year 1865Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, Realism, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Transcendentalism

Publication year 2009Genre Poem, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: RaceTags Inspirational, Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist whose career spanned over 50 years. She published seven autobiographies, several books of poetry, and three essay collections and wrote plays, movies, and television shows. Her widely acclaimed work has received numerous awards, and Angelou has received over 50 honorary degrees. Her best known work is her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing, which focuses on her childhood up to the... Read And Still I Rise Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Lyric Poem

Publication year 2006Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Lyric Poem, Animals, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Humor, Classic Fiction

Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Classical Period, Education, Education, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: NationTags Social Justice, Race / Racism

Publication year 1987Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: CommunityTags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Gothic Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction

The last poem Edgar Allan Poe—infamous poet and fiction author of the macabre—completed during his tumultuous life, “Annabel Lee,” was first published in the New York Tribune in 1849, two days after Poe’s death. Displaying the melodic lyricism, gothic overtones, and memorable imagery which informed so much of Poe’s work, “Annabel Lee” is considered one of the defining entries in his canon, and a classic of 19th century American poetry.The poem concerns the death of... Read Annabel Lee Summary


Publication year 1884Genre Poem, FictionTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Gender / Feminism, American Literature