Essays on Poetry

Havisham 'Havisham' is a poem by Carol Anne Duffy about Charles Dickens' character, Estella Havisham. The poem is set in a ruined mansion, where the main character lives with her daughter Estella. She's a rich spinster who was jilted at the altar, and wears her wedding dress for the rest of...

The twentieth-century American poet Robert Frost's poem, "Mending Wall," first appeared in his second collection, North of Boston, in 1914. Since its publication, it has become one of the most widely-anthologized poems in modern literature. In addition to its timeless beauty, it also has a profound message about the nature...

Auden uses several literary devices to position the poem as a satire. This satire is not just a poem about the man who died, but it is also a commentary on contemporary society. In this poem analysis, we will discuss how Auden positioned the poem as a satire and an...

Dylan Thomas' poem "Fern Hill" In "Fern Hill," Dylan Thomas uses his childhood memories to explore the theme of the journey from innocence to experience. This theme is based on William Blake's division of the world into experience and innocence, and it is reinforced through Wordsworth's idea of double consciousness. The...

This article examines Billy Collins poem Introduction to Poetry, Wallace Stevens influence, and how to adapt to the way your poem takes shape. It also touches on the importance of a light switch and metaphors of a room. And, lastly, it examines some of the most common...

If you have been pondering the beauty and meaning of a century quilt, you are not alone. Millions of Americans have chosen to create these works of art. There are a variety of techniques that you can use to enhance the beauty of your quilt. These techniques include Structure, Tone, and...

Maya Angelou's Third Volume of Poetry: And Still I Rise Maya Angelou's third volume of poetry, And Still I Rise, was published in 1978 by Random House. It came during a particularly prolific period in Angelou's life. She had already written three autobiographies and two previous poetry collections. She wrote about...

"The Emperor of Ice-Cream" is a poem by Wallace Stevens from his first collection of poetry, Harmonium. It was published in 1922, and is now public domain. The poem has been translated into several languages, and has become a classic in poetry. The poem contains many metaphors that are a...

Gwendolyn Brooks and We Real Cool Gwendolyn Brooks wrote the poem We Real Cool in 1959 and published it in 1960 in her collection The Bean Eaters. The poem has been reprinted and featured on broadsides and is widely studied in literature classes. Read the poem below...

Marvell's Style and Metaphysical Wit Marvell's style is a combination of the traditional neoclassical tradition and metaphysical wit. He often infused familiar forms with conceits, reflections, and analogies that reflect larger questions about life. In this vein, he was described by T.S. Eliot as a "witter" and a "witterish genius." Metaphysical Wit Andrew...

A Place to Stand follows the path of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca from his childhood abandonment on a New Mexico ranch to his incarceration in the United States federal prison system. Although illiterate at the time of his arrest, he learned to read and write in order to survive his...

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is an historical fiction novel that is set during World War II. Set in France, the novel follows two sisters who try to resist German occupation. Their struggles are both inspiring and heartbreaking. The novel was published by St. Martin's Press...