Pied Beauty
Pied Beauty Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) Overview All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small! This is about the only hymn I remember from my days at a Church of England primary school, but what a belter. No, I am not looking back on a missed opportunity of becoming a choir singing sensation. […]
The Bat
The Bat Ruth Pitter (1897-1992) Overview Batman has got a lot to answer for really. Fancy getting the whole world to think of bats as some sort of scary monsters! What an outrage. We should probably put some blame on Bram Stoker as well. This poem is about the poetic voice’s preconceptions about bats as […]
Ants (from Dryades)
Ants (from Dryades) William Diaper (1685 -1717) Overview Aren’t ants smashing? Yes, yes, they are! This poem is an ode to ants and asks us to appreciate our little six legged troopers. The poem shows us that they are not just industrious little buggers, but humanises them and asks us to think of their cleverness, […]
The Fly
Little Fly William Blake (1757-1827) Overview Bloody flies, always sitting on our food and making irritating buzzing noises. Squashing or swatting one of these buggers is normally one of the happiest moments of our lives, making us feel like untapped ninja talent, but Blake spoils all this by getting philsophical about it. This poem is […]
Golden Slumbers
Golden Slumbers Thomas Dekker (1598-1632) Overview This is getting easier. Believe it or not, this is a lullaby designed to send a little baby off to the land of nod. It is about one person (mother or father) dealing with all the worries of another so they can be truly relaxed and serene. Context Unfortunately, […]
I Grieve, And Dare Not Show My Discontent
I Grieve, And Dare Not Show My Discontent Sir John Suckling (1609-1642) Overview This poem is about someone having to hide their true emotions, as Queen Elizabeth hides her unhappiness at being unable to marry a potential suitor. However, can also be perceived to be more generally about someone in a role of great responsibility […]
A Mind Content
A Mind Content Robert Greene (1560-1592) Overview Do you have worries? Things that keep you awake at night? Of course you do; exams are coming up oh so quickly! Sorry, shouldn’t joke as I’m sure you’re already irritable and liable to lash out given the slightest provocation. This poem sings the praises of a life […]
Sonnet 18 (Shakespeare)
Sonnet 18 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Overview First of all, this is one of the most celebrated and oft quoted poems in the world. Personally, I think the sentiment is a bit much, but sweet as well I suppose. This is a celebration of a girl’s beauty through comparison with the Summer, a reflection on mortality […]
Spring, the Sweet Spring
Spring, the Sweet Spring Thomas Nashe (1567-1601) Overview This is about praising the beauty and life that Spring produces (if you live in a country without seasons… Uganda… be aware that the English Spring is the time trees blossom, lambs are born and everything starts to warm up). However, it is also praising some of […]
The Ruined Maid
The Ruined Maid Thomas Hardy (1840-1920) Overview This poem is ahead of its time and presents quite an empowering message about the way women are judged. Two old acquaintances, who knew each other from earlier days on a farm, have a chance meeting in town. The first speaker is amazed by the changed that has […]