Category: Poem Analysis

The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog By Rudyard Kipling There is sorrow enough in the natural way From men and women to fill our day; And when we are certain of sorrow in store, Why do we always arrange for more?…

A Late Walk

A Late Walk By Robert Frost When I go up through the mowing field, The headless aftermath, Smooth-laid like thatch with the heavy dew, Half closes the garden path. And when I come to the garden ground, The whir of…

Brahma

Brahma By Ralph Waldo Emerson If the red slayer think he slays, Or if the slain think he is slain, They know not well the subtle ways I keep, and pass, and turn again. Far or forgot to me is…

Marking Time

Marking Time By Owen Sheers That mark upon your back is finally fading in the way our memory will, of that night our lust wouldn’t wait for bed so laid us out upon the floor instead where we worked up…

Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle Nursery Rhyme Yankee Doodle went to town, Riding on a pony. He stuck a feather in his cap. And called it macaroni. Yankee Doodle, Fa, So, La. Yankee Doodle Dandy. Yankee Doodle, Fa, So, La. Buttermilk and Brandy.…

Ride A Cock Horse to Banbury Cross

Ride A Cock Horse to Banbury Cross Nursery Rhyme by Mother Goose Ride a cockhorse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music…

Monday’s Child

Monday’s Child Nursery Rhyme Monday’s child is fair of face Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has far to go, Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child works hard for a…

No Coward Soul is Mine

No Coward Soul is Mine By Emily Bronte No Coward Soul is Mine No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere I see Heaven’s glories shine And Faith shines equal arming me from Fear O God within my breast Almighty ever-present…

The Heart of a Woman

 The Heart of a Woman By Georgia Douglas Johnson The heart of a woman goes forth with the dawn, As a lone bird, soft winging, so restlessly on, Afar o’er life’s turrets and vales does it roam In the wake…

Fame is a Bee

Fame is a Bee By Emily Dickinson Fame is a bee. It has a song— It has a sting— Ah, too, it has a wing. Summary of Fame is a Bee Popularity of “Fame is a Bee”: Published in 1999…

The Soul Selects Her Own Society

 The Soul Selects Her Own Society By Emily Dickinson The Soul selects her own Society — Then — shuts the Door — To her divine Majority — Present no more — Unmoved — she notes the Chariots — pausing —…

The Sky Is Low, The Clouds Are Mean

The Sky Is Low, The Clouds Are Mean By Emily Dickinson The Sky is low — the Clouds are mean. A Travelling Flake of Snow Across a Barn or through a Rut Debates if it will go — A Narrow…

Loving You Less Than Life, a Little Less

Loving You Less Than Life, a Little Less By Edna St. Vincent Millay Loving you less than life, a little less Than bitter-sweet upon a broken wall Or brush-wood smoke in autumn, I confess I cannot swear I love you…

Fog

Fog by Carl Sandburg The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. Summary of Fog Popularity of “Fog”: Composed by a popular American imagist poet, Carl Sandburg,…

She Was a Phantom of Delight

She Was a Phantom of Delight by William Wordsworth  She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleamed upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment’s ornament; Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair; Like Twilight’s,…

Cutting Loose

Cutting Loose by William Stafford Sometimes from sorrow, for no reason, you sing. For no reason, you accept the way of being lost, cutting loose from all else and electing a world where you go where you want to. Arbitrary,…

Sonnet 145

Sonnet 145 by William Shakespeare Those lips that Love’s own hand did make Breathed forth the sound that said ‘I hate,’ To me that languish’d for her sake: But when she saw my woeful state, Straight in her heart did…

The Bells

The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe I. Hear the sledges with the bells— Silver bells! What a world of merriment their melody foretells! How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night! While the stars that oversprinkle All…

Woman Work

Woman Work  by Maya Angelou I’ve got the children to tend The clothes to mend The floor to mop The food to shop Then the chicken to fry The baby to dry I got company to feed The garden to…

How I Discovered Poetry

How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson It was like soul-kissing, the way the words filled my mouth as Mrs. Purdy read from her desk. All the other kids zoned an hour ahead to 3:15, but Mrs. Purdy and I…