This policy explains what information Poetry Database collects when you visit poetrydatabase.com, how it is used, and the choices you have. We collect as little as we can, and we never sell your personal information.
Last updated: September 26, 2026
Who We Are
Poetry Database is an independent website based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Poetry Database, and “the site” means poetrydatabase.com. If you have a question about this policy or your information, you can reach us at hello [at] poetrydatabase.com.
Information We Collect
You can read everything on Poetry Database without creating an account or telling us who you are. The information we do collect falls into three groups.
The first is technical information sent by your browser whenever you visit a website: your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, the page you came from, and the date and time of your visit. Our web host records this in standard server logs, which we use to keep the site secure and working.
The second is usage information gathered by analytics tools, such as which pages are read, how long visitors stay and what they search for on the site. This is collected through cookies and similar technologies and is reported to us in aggregate, not as a record of any one person.
The third is anything you choose to send us, such as the contents of an email or, if comments are open on a page, your name, email address and comment. Comment email addresses are never shown publicly.
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small text files stored by your browser. We use cookies to understand how the site is used. We also use your browser’s local storage to remember simple preferences, such as whether you have turned on line numbers under a poem; that setting never leaves your device.
We use Google Analytics to measure traffic. Google Analytics sets cookies and collects information about your visit, which Google processes under its own privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy. You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, and you can block or delete cookies at any time in your browser settings. The site will still work if you do.
Advertising
Poetry Database is free to read and may be supported by advertising. Advertising partners, including Google, may use cookies and similar technologies to show ads based on your visits to this and other websites, and to measure how those ads perform. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to this site and other sites on the internet.
You can turn off personalized advertising from Google at adssettings.google.com, and opt out of interest-based ads from many other companies at optout.aboutads.info in the United States or youronlinechoices.eu in Europe. When we work with an advertising network, we will name it in this section and link to its privacy policy.
How We Use Information
We use the information above to run and secure the site, understand which poems and pages readers find useful, fix errors, improve our content, reply to messages and show advertising. We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not use it to make automated decisions about you.
Who We Share It With
We share information only with the service providers that help us run the site, such as our web host, our analytics provider and advertising partners, and only as needed for them to provide their services. We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, property or safety of the site, our readers or others. Some of these providers are based in the United States, so your information may be processed outside the country where you live.
How Long We Keep It
Server logs are kept for a limited period for security purposes and then deleted. Analytics data is kept according to the retention settings of our analytics provider. Emails and comments are kept for as long as they are useful to answer you or to display on the site, and you can ask us to delete them at any time.
Your Rights and Choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to object to or limit how it is used, and to withdraw consent. Residents of Canada have these rights under PIPEDA, residents of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom under the GDPR, and residents of California and several other US states under their state privacy laws, including the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for targeted advertising. To make a request, email us at [CONTACT EMAIL]. We will not treat you differently for exercising your rights.
Children’s Privacy
Poetry Database is a general reference site and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
Security and Other Websites
The site is served over an encrypted connection, and we take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold, though no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. Pages on Poetry Database may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please read their policies before sharing information with them.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as the site changes, for example when we add a newsletter or a new advertising partner. When we do, we will change the date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be noted on the site.