Welcome home, fellow poetry lover! Are you searching for your daily shot of emotions? Look no further! We’ve scoured the depths of literary history to bring you the cream of the crop — the best lines from the most famous poems. From Shakespeare’s sonnets to Maya Angelou’s musings, these poetry lines will have you reaching for a notebook (or a tweet) to share your newfound wisdom with the world.
As a kid, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of poetry. I struggled to understand the hidden meanings and symbols, especially with some style choices in romantic poems, and often felt discouraged by my inability to fully grasp the beauty of verse. But now, as an adult who has lived through lessons and journeys, it’s not as hard to find meaning in poems. In fact, it’s easier to appreciate the nuances and subtleties of a poem once you have some life experience under your belt.
So take the time to appreciate the craft and skill that went into these poems, with their perfect blend of carefully chosen words and intense emotion. Notice the rhythm and rhyme, the imagery and metaphor, and the feelings they evoke. Each line is a window into the mind and heart of the poet and a reflection of the society and culture in which they lived. Some may resonate with you on a personal level, while others could challenge your beliefs or make you see the world in a new way. That’s the beauty of poetry — it can move, change, and connect us to something greater than ourselves.
Whether you’re a seasoned poetry aficionado or a newcomer to the world of verse, we hope you’ll find something that speaks to you and that you’ll come back to read the best poetry lines again and again for inspiration and solace. Happy reading!
#101
"Mrs Midas" — Carol Ann Duffy
"And who, when it comes to the crunch, can live
with a heart of gold?"
with a heart of gold?"
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#102
"An Evening" — Gwendolyn Brooks
"Scarcely a tear to shed;
Hardly a word to say;
The end of a summer day;
Sweet Love dead."
Hardly a word to say;
The end of a summer day;
Sweet Love dead."
unknown
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#103
"Leaves of Grass" — Walt Whitman
"I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."
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#104
"Little Red Cap" — Carol Ann Duffy
"Words, words were truly alive on the tongue, in the head
Warm, beating, frantic, winged; music and blood
But then I was young."
Warm, beating, frantic, winged; music and blood
But then I was young."
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#105
"The Starling" — Amy Lowell
"I weary for desires never guessed,
For alien passions, strange imaginings,
To be some other person for a day."
For alien passions, strange imaginings,
To be some other person for a day."
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#106
"Diving into the Wreck" — Adrienne Rich
"I am having to do this
not like Cousteau with his
assiduous team
aboard the sun-flooded schooner
but here alone."
not like Cousteau with his
assiduous team
aboard the sun-flooded schooner
but here alone."
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#107
"Holy Sonnet X" — John Dunne
"DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so."
Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so."
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#108
"Accomplished Facts" — Carl Sandburg
“Ride, ride, ride on in the great new blimps‒
Cross-unheard of oceans, circle the planet.
When you come back we may sit by the five hollyhocks. ”
Cross-unheard of oceans, circle the planet.
When you come back we may sit by the five hollyhocks. ”
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#109
"How Do I Love Thee?" — Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”
unknown
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#110
"The Rose That Grew From Concrete" — Tupac Shakur
“Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature’s law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.”
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature’s law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.”
unknown
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