Poetry themes

Poetry

Sample poems for every occasion, newest first. 67 poems.

  • Soil, Soiled, Sold

    January 2023

    ‘Give me a subject’, I said. ‘What about councils with the power to ‘de-green’ sites and create the potential to impose inappropriate development and all that it entails,’…

  • Micro Assay

    February 2021

    Neologism – Lock-down. It becomes increasingly noticeable how much our senses have been deprived, because noises, smells, sounds of nature are being cloaked by the fabric of climate…

  • The Painting

    February 2021

    A beautiful tree stands outside the artist’s house and sheds its leaves each autumn. A circular rug full of colour forms beneath it. This is my tribute to…

  • It was So Good to Meet You

    February 2020

    We may meet someone, by chance, and we feel that they would have made a wonderful life-long friend, had we met them sooner. Time is running out to…

  • Abandoned Churchyard

    January 2020

    The hymns fell silent in the nineteen-fifties, / As silent as the stones that rest here now, / The population and the prayers are etched / On land…

  • New Year 2020

    January 2020

    > Have a very happy new year. May it bring you health, peace, happiness, and moments of joy to treasure. May you have the skill to sail the…

  • Chasing Rainbows

    May 2019

    Take care of your ambitions – the physical effort of chasing targets and deadlines may take its toll. Give up chasing and look for the colours of the…

  • Pining for Pine

    December 2018

    A missive for a pine tree that ended up in the wrong place through no fault of its own: In all the years, with lop and chop…

  • Benedictus

    September 2018

    St. Mary’s Church, Wedmore, Somerset: chair at the end of choir stalls in front of the altar; blue teddy bear sat in chair; chair in front of lectern…

  • Fruit Bowl

    August 2018

    The Welsh cwtch, others munch. Whatever the language, who can resist a cuddle with this nine-month-old baby curled up in her car seat: I am a hungry caterpillar…

  • The Ribbon of Love

    July 2018

    When we ‘tie the knot’, sometimes, when a loved one departs, there is no longer a knot holding the bow together. There has to be hope that, while…

  • Fathers and Daughters, Together, Forever

    July 2018

    I am using a metaphor to celebrate the relationship between fathers and daughters – when radon decays, it throws off ‘daughters’; the dust created attaches itself to more…

  • The Road to Addiction is Short

    April 2018

    I took a pill to cure the ache / Inside my troubled head. / I tossed and turned; a four-hour wait – / I tumbled out of bed.…

  • Farewell

    March 2018

    You called today, ‘Please walk the dogs.’ / Of course we came, how could we not. / The threshold barred by dying bird, / Its legs still tremble…

  • No Need to Copy and Paste

    September 2017

    Social Media may not always be the best way to show you love someone. If you have a true friend, you could share this: / The truest friendship…

  • Black Swan Out of its Depth

    July 2017

    Another quiet moment, sitting by the river, admiring a visiting black swan. Someone tell me how not to feel sorry for this bird that is such a long…

  • Water’s Myths and Ghosts

    July 2017

    A quiet moment, a public seat set upon cobbles, a view of ancient quays and associated buildings, and a little knowledge of a river’s past gave me this…

  • Walk the Dogs for Me, Please!

    May 2017

    A friend calls – she is in crisis. She is desperate for the truth; I cannot lie to a friend. I cannot leave the house today / Because…

  • It’s My Home

    May 2017

    Found a quiet spot by the riverside; made an observation; presented a surprised resident with the outcome: ‘It’s no caravan!’ / retorts the man, / ‘It’s what I…

  • Old Friends (but Young at Heart)

    March 2017

    At a certain age, it can be considered impolite to refer to one’s long-standing friends as ‘old’. Just for you, Patricia, a title that befits your character: Long-standing…

  • Cue for a Song

    March 2017

    We measure time in minutes and seconds, / That flash past our minds like streak lightning, / But, at seventy-five, there is still time that beckons, / Even…

  • Life’s a Journey

    January 2017

    A children’s story? Cognitive therapy? The circle of life? et al. You decide: The Snowflake’s Story / I met a little angel, / Not sure of where to…

  • Christmas – a Child’s View

    December 2016

    For the love of the magic of Christmas in a child’s imagination; / For the hope that all children may come, one day, to understand such joy. If…

  • Lily’s New Poem

    September 2016

    Some philosophical cogitation from a beautiful eight-year-old. / Can any of us answer the two questions at the end? Give it a try, if you dare! you have…

  • Poppies

    July 2016

    A shared experience linked birthday with gift, and the scarf reflected the context: This gift is chosen to show how far we both Walked different paths in time…

  • Shirker Bandit Outed

    June 2016

    Analysis of the ‘Pie Chart’ was (eventually) completed in spite of this student’s attempts to free their brain for less relevant thoughts. You bow your head, / Hold…

  • Shirker Bandit

    June 2016

    Dusted off some crusty papers from supply teaching days. One student immediately self-identified when this was read out to the class; it was based on real-time observation of…

  • The Vampire Bat

    October 2015

    Another gem from my young poet (L-ML), written especially for those who like to be / scared by Halloween activities: The Moon that howls, / The dark at…

  • Civilitas (Dicacitas)

    April 2015

    I’d like to teach a worm to turn, / To change its life’s direction. / I’d like to see it squeeze and squirm, / As I perform a…

  • Mommy

    March 2015

    This site is not called ‘poetryemotion’ for nothing. This was written by the most beautiful seven-year-old in my life. As your heart flies up so high, / It…

  • My Grandchildren

    March 2015

    Like rainbows in a stormy sky above, / These children colour greyness into joy. / Give thanks for all the wondrous shades of love / Created from this…

  • Faking It

    December 2014

    A rap to remind us all that such descriptions as ‘Hand-made’, ‘Home-made’,’Natural’ are all in the eye of the beholder. Did I make it? / No, I bought…

  • My Curtain

    September 2014

    If someone you love is going through a dark time, be patient, listen and be there whenever they need support. Words written by a beautiful daughter and wonderful…

  • The Key to my Heart

    August 2014

    She’s six year’s old; she’s on my emotional poetic tail. This is her song (and there is a tune to go with it; too talented by half, young…

  • Lost Worlds to Find Again

    July 2014

    The room is dark; / The walls are stark; / The streets are dim; / Like the place I’m in. The streets are bare; / There’s no-one there…

  • Not Pedalling, but Drowning

    May 2014

    For all those who hate being in open water but dared (once in their lives) to face the fear, and with some gratitude extended to Stevie: My boat…

  • Unanswerable

    March 2014

    Caring for someone – a duty or part of our understanding of life’s journey. Either way, it’s not always easy. Is there enough time to capture her heart?…

  • I’m the Queen of the Castle

    January 2014

    You know who you are! I’m over it now, thanks to the passage of time and the power of poetry. Do you remember the girl with blonde hair…

  • Time Line

    January 2014

    Written well before I kissed my Little Sister goodbye, this captures something about grief that is universal. Some lines cut short, s o m e s t r…

  • The Game of Life

    December 2013

    Written after having read an article in the Nursing Times. The tadpole and the jelly spawn / Were placed inside a tube. / The jelly spawn had letters…

  • Tempus Fugit

    December 2013

    For the eternal rememberance of things. She suckles gently, nestles down to sleep. / You listen for the reassuring breath. / It comes, and cues you for a…

  • Oral Bard

    November 2013

    Every dog we have rescued seems to go through the same anxious process for the first few days. This was Toby’s reaction to his new home, some eleven…

  • School Poetry Workshop – Houseman (1996)

    November 2013

    These short entries were found whilst clearing out our youngest daughter’s bedroom once we knew she had definitely flown the nest (she may yet chase me for copyright…

  • The Gift of Life

    November 2013

    In memory of a very special young woman who left a wonderful legacy – precious memories and two beautiful children. ‘What colour was the paper Daddy?’ / ‘Silver…

  • Reflections

    November 2013

    A simple story of saucepans in memory of Bryan, and the kind of customer service that evades many of us today. The stainless steel, so crafted, catches the…

  • My Dedicated Team

    November 2013

    Everyone needs a Paul or James to help them sort out computer problems. ‘I’ve got a dreaded worm,’ I wailed / ‘It’s stopped my circuits working. / It’s…

  • Questions, Questions

    November 2013

    To whom does a child turn when they lose a parent? Grandpapa is a good start. Blessings on you Eve and William. Papa, tell me you are old…

  • Safe from Shark Infested Waters

    September 2013

    If you have known that feeling of being trapped in a place where you are not really welcome but you sense you are tolerated, you might relate to…

  • Words Are All We Have Right Now

    September 2013

    This is dedicated to all those who have lost loved ones. The pain is real, the loss persists and life is never the same without them. When eyes…

  • Ode to a Style’s Lost Style

    August 2013

    Inspiration is to be found in strange places and within strange contexts. This poem is dedicated, not so much to a stile alone and stranded between two fields…

  • Isolation’s So Not Fair!

    August 2013

    Those who fall out with fellow students and offer physical or verbal abuse in retaliation, could look forward to being supervised by a teacher during lessons and at…

  • Behind the Stone, Beyond the Name

    June 2013

    Collecting pictures for a poetry workshop, a photograph of a young woman leaning over the headstone of her husband, killed in action during the Gulf War, captured her…

  • Mechanical Principles

    June 2013

    For Ross and his fellow HNC Second Year Students at Worcester College of Technology (circa 2003 / 4). This was my introduction to mechanical engineering. Give me a…

  • Low Den Hid

    June 2013

    Spot the hidden message to my daughter, who patiently listens to my poems as I’m drafting new ones. I know what she’s really thinking. Nestled in the leaf-lined…

  • Green

    June 2013

    One way to keep pupils attentive is for them to know that their teacher is noting their work ethic, behaviour, whether set objectives have been met; better still…

  • Talyllyn’s Best Girl

    June 2013

    If you ever visit Twywyn Wharf Station, look out for this lady. Our Dot is no sluggard, she carries her weight, / She can move nice and smooth…

  • Not Everyone Embraces Progress

    June 2013

    Those redundant items that litter your household may come back to haunt you. / This is a lesson in caring for all those spectacles that have allowed you…

  • From Land to Water

    June 2013

    For all those who thought that someone was being helpful by providing them with a temporary place to lay their head. What they got instead was to see…

  • One Last Look Back

    June 2013

    When I was young I stood with my Mother, / On the platform with me were my sister and brother. / My Mother got on to the huge…

  • Art Class

    June 2013

    A short observation based my experience as a teacher covering for / an absent colleague; I thought it might amuse you. This is what really happens in the…

  • Cold Start

    June 2013

    Wet windows, missing frost by inches; / Fingers feel those icy pinches; / Cold and damp squeeze hard on skin; / Frosty fabric slaps my shin; / Shoes…

  • Birdsong After Rain

    June 2013

    (Even Mr. Fish famously wrote off this storm) / Still air now silences whispering trees / As nature gathers all her furies to her. / Air pressure builds…

  • I’m Sorry

    June 2013

    I was the older sister – just – / So close as weans when we were wee. / At five I’d almost got it sussed; / Who always…

  • A Marriage Made in Heaven

    April 2013

    The sweetest breath of air in paradise, / The brightest golden glow of ripened corn, / For people such as you let it suffice / That lifelong love…

  • GOD’S TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH

    March 2013

    For all those who have dragged themselves into work the morning after influenza strikes. I cough and wheeze the whole night through; / My head feels as though…

  • The Malverns from Cathedral Building

    February 2013

    Written during a lesson on electronics in a room overlooking Worcester Cathedral, across the River Severn towards the Malvern Hills. Peaks and troughs that graph the sky…

  • A True Olympian

    June 2012

    I’ve reached my potential and space is tight / And something tells me that tonight is the night. / All of a sudden I feel pull and a…