Short Poems

Our Short Poems Collection highlights the power of poetry through titles that make an impact in few words. These bite-sized selections offer a convenient starting place for readers new to analyzing poetry or anyone who appreciates short-form verse and its ability to move and inspire.

America

by Walt Whitman

Publication year 1888

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Nation, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Gratitude, Hope, Love, Equality, Place, Community

Tags Free Verse

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An American Sunrise

by Joy Harjo

Publication year 2017

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Race, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Politics & Government, Indigenous Identity

Tags Lyric Poem, US History, American Literature, Food, Race & Racism, World History

Joy Harjo is a seminal voice in the US poetry canon, and she has long been an advocate for Native American women in the literary world. Her work has merited tremendous acclaim, such as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas, the Josephine Miles Poetry Award, the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets, the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America, and the American... Read An American Sunrise Summary