Poetry

"An Old Woman" by Arun Kolatkar depicts an encounter with an impoverished elderly woman who clings to a tourist, seeking alms. The poem critiques societal neglect of the elderly and marginalized,...

"The Pedlar's Caravan" by William Brighty Rands is a poem that vividly depicts the speaker's fascination with the nomadic life of a pedlar, who is possibly a Romany Gypsy. The speaker admires the...

Eleanor Farjeon's poem "Cat!" humorously depicts the personality and behavior of a cat through vivid imagery and playful language. It captures the cat's independence, grace, and occasional aloofness,...

"Get Up and Bar the Door" humorously depicts the stubbornness of a wife and husband. The wife is hardworking and busy, while the husband is simply giving her orders. When a wind blows the door open,...

The poem "The Witch of Glentow" by James Stoddard Moore describes an old woman who mysteriously settles by the riverfront in Glentow, arousing suspicion among villagers. After being denied a meal,...

In "This is the Dark Time, My Love," Martin Carter explores themes of oppression and resistance. The poem reflects on a period of political turmoil, highlighting the struggles and suffering of the...

Edwin Brock's poem "Five Ways to Kill a Man" critiques humanity's historical and modern methods of violence. Through five stanzas, Brock enumerates progressively efficient ways to kill, from...

The ballad "Edward, Edward" describes a conversation between a mother and her son. He admits to her that he has killed his father, after first saying that he killed his hawk and his horse, and says...

In Leonard Clark's poem "Owls," Clark describes owls in negative terms, highlighting all the reasons that he dislikes them. He uses metaphor to compare owls to ghosts and personifies the owls by...

The poem "Dreaming the Unicorn" by Tony Mitton features six verses with an irregular rhyme scheme, depicting the poet's dream of encountering a unicorn in a serene forest. The unicorn symbolizes...

The poem "Grandfather" by Jayanta Mahapatra centers on the speaker reading his grandfather's diary and reflecting on his life. The speaker asks questions he never had the chance to ask in person,...

The poem "Wander-thirst" by Gerald Gould captures the poet's insatiable desire to explore the world. He feels compelled to say goodbye to home and loved ones, guided by the sun, sea, and stars. This...

Sitanshu Yashashchandra's poem "Drought" explores the devastating impact of a severe drought on the speaker, their family, and community. The poem vividly describes how animals, humans, and the...

"Meeting at an Airport" by Taha Muhammad Ali is a free verse poem that narrates a reunion between two people who haven't seen each other in years. The poem highlights how the same question, asked...

The first stanza introduces the main theme within the poem, namely, the speaker's thoughts on his existence within cottage while it rains. The second stanza mixes the imagination with memories. The...

"In the Park" by Gwen Harwood depicts a young mother overwhelmed by her role, sitting with her four children. Her appearance reflects her sacrifices, and a chance encounter with a former lover...

The poem "Icarus Again" by Alan Devenish draws parallels between a school science experiment and the myth of Icarus. It highlights Icarus' tragic story of ignoring his father's warnings and flying...

The poem “The Wind Our Enemy” by Anne Marriott presents the Great Depression in Canada in vivid reality. It focuses on the farmers of the prairie and the drought and dust and wind against which they...

Fleur Adcock's poem "For Heidi With Blue Hair" depicts Heidi's defiance against school norms by dyeing her hair blue, leading to conflict with the headmistress. Her father supports her, highlighting...