To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. We would sit down, and think which way To walk, and pass our long love’s day. Thou by the Indian…
Category: Poem Analysis
Lights Out
Lights Out by Edward Thomas I have come to the borders of sleep, The unfathomable deep Forest where all must lose Their way, however straight, Or winding, soon or late; They cannot choose. Many a road and track That, since the…
One Art
One Art by Elizabeth Bishop The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door…
The Lamb
The Lamb by William Blake Little Lamb who made thee Dost thou know who made thee Gave thee life & bid thee feed. By the stream & o’er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing wooly bright; Gave thee…
The Tyger
The Tyger by William Blake Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies. Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings…
My Papa’s Waltz
My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother’s…
Acquainted with the Night
Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. I have out walked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane.…
A Psalm of Life
A Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest!…
God’s Grandeur
God’s Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now…
Pied Beauty
Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins Glory be to God for dappled things – For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings; Landscape plotted and pieced –…
My Shadow
My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the…
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne As virtuous men pass mildly away, And whisper to their souls to go, Whilst some of their sad friends do say The breath goes now, and some say, No: So let us melt,…
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear I The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five-pound note. The Owl looked up…
A Poison Tree
A Poison Tree by William Blake I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I waterd it in fears,…
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that…
Little Bo-Peep
Little Bo-Peep by Mother Goose Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can’t tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they’ll come home, Bringing their tails behind them. Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them…
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields by John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are…
Song of the Witches: Double, Double Toil and Trouble
Song of the Witches: “Double, Double Toil and Trouble” by William Shakespeare (From Macbeth) Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog,…
Ode on a Grecian Urn
Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness, Thou foster-child of silence and slow time, Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: What leaf-fring’d legend haunts about…
Sonnet 73
Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare That time of year thou may’st in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.…