By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
For John Keats, ‘Poetry should be great and unobtrusive, a thing which enters into one’s soul.’ For James Elroy Flecker, ‘It is not the poet’s business to save man’s soul but to make it worth saving.’ Poetry and the soul have always been closely intertwined; so with that in mind, here are ten of the best poems about the soul and spirit.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
In a previous post, we offered five poems about writing poetry; now, it’s the turn of reading and books. Poets have often written about the act of reading books, so here are ten of the very best poems about books and reading.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
For Emily Dickinson, fame is a bee; William Shakespeare, in the opening words of Love’s Labour’s Lost, described it as the thing that ‘all hunt after in their lives’. Poets have often written about celebrity and being famous, so here are 10 of the best poems about fame, glory, and celebrity.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Previously we offered up ten classic poems of disappointment, which understandably aren’t the most uplifting poems ever written. Now, let’s turn to hope: poets can often be hopeful, revelling in the possibility that tomorrow may bring brighter and better days. Here are ten of the best poems about hope and hopefulness.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
In a previous post, we’ve gathered together ten of the very best poems about old age, but what about youth and youthfulness? Here’s our pick of ten of the greatest poems in the English language that celebrate or reflect upon youth and being young.