Poems

Explore a growing archive of the world’s greatest poems, from the classical to the modern age. Each poem is presented in its original text, paired with thoughtful analysis and historical context. Whether you’re rediscovering the familiar or reading a timeless voice for the first time, these works reveal how poetry captures what endures in language — feeling, memory, and the shape of thought.

A Red, Red Rose

Explore Robert Burns’s A Red, Red Rose, a timeless love poem blending folk charm and lyrical beauty in an ode to enduring affection.

In Flanders Fields

Explore John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields,” the 1915 World War I poem that inspired the red poppy as a lasting symbol of remembrance.

The Flea

John Donne’s “The Flea” turns a biting insect into a daring metaphor for love and seduction, blending wit, irony, and metaphysical depth.

To His Coy Mistress

Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” transforms seduction into philosophy, urging lovers to seize life before time and death prevail.

The Ballad of the Oysterman

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.’s “The Ballad of the Oysterman” tells a haunting tale of love, jealousy, and loss along a moonlit river.

A Bird Came Down the Walk

Explore Emily Dickinson’s “A Bird Came Down the Walk”, a lyric about observation, nature, and the delicate interplay between humans and the natural world.

The Soul Selects Her Own Society

Explore Emily Dickinson’s “The Soul Selects Her Own Society”, a meditation on autonomy, personal choice, and the sovereignty of the inner life.

Lines Written in Early Spring

Explore Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring”, a reflective poem on nature, human folly, and moral insight. Discover its meaning, themes, and beauty.

My Heart Leaps Up

Explore Wordsworth’s “My Heart Leaps Up”, a short poem celebrating the joy of nature, continuity from childhood to adulthood, and the enduring power of wonder.