Political Poems

The Political Poems Collection exemplifies the power of poetry to inspire change and challenge injustice. Centering on themes related to politics and governance in a broad range of settings and cultures, these poems interrogate and challenge the systems and people who hold power in society.

Publication year 1975Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 1962Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: War, Identity: Language, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, History: African , Afro-Caribbean Literature

Publication year 2017Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: IndigenousTags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., American Literature, Food, Race / Racism, History: World

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


Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: NationTags Social Justice, Race / Racism

Publication year 1855Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Lyric Poem, Technology

Publication year 1956Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, The Beat Generation, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction

“A Supermarket in California” is a prose poem by the American poet Allen Ginsberg. Written in 1955, it appears alongside Ginsberg’s most well-known work, “Howl,” in his book Howl and Other Poems. Published November 1, 1956 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Books as part of their Pocket Poets Series, Howl and Other Poems was subject to an obscenity trial in 1957 due to its use of sexually explicit language. The trial eventually ruled in the... Read A Supermarket in California Summary


Publication year 1971Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Gender / Feminism, Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature

The American writer Marge Piercy wrote “Barbie Doll.” Originally published in Moving Out (1971), the poem also appears in her 1982 collection, Circles on the Water. A highly descriptive poem, “Barbie Doll” offers staunch diction and vivid, stereotypical imagery of a girl who grows up and dies by suicide as an adult. This free verse poem is an example of second-wave feminist thought, also known as the Women’s Liberation Movement, something Piercy explores here through... Read Barbie Doll Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 1946Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Holocaust, History: World

Publication year 1977Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Latin American Literature, Animals

Publication year 1977Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, American Literature

Publication year 2017Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Lyric Poem, Diversity, Social Justice, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature

Publication year 1988Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Gender, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, African American Literature

Publication year 1794Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Lyric Poem, Industrial Revolution, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Poverty, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1999Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Romance, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Food

Publication year 1988Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Philosophy, American Literature

Publication year 1945Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Arts / Culture, African Literature, Politics / Government

“Prayer to the Masks” is a poem by influential Senegalese poet and politician Léopold Sédar Senghor, published in 1945 in his collection Chants d’ombre (Songs of Shadow). Senghor often used his work to illuminate African history and contemplate the consequences of colonialism. Educated in Paris, Senghor was a founding member of the artistic and political movement Négritude, which emphasized pride in African and Black identity and history, which he practiced through his poetry. With “Prayer... Read Prayer to the Masks Summary


Publication year 1856Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Transcendentalism, Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

“Song of Myself” is a free verse poem by the American writer, journalist, and poet Walt Whitman. The poem is often classified as a work of transcendentalist literature. Originally self-published by Whitman himself in 1855, it was considerably revised and expanded over subsequent decades. In 1889, “Song of Myself” was released in its final form as part of the last edition of the collection Leaves of Grass. This final version—the version referenced in this guide—is... Read Song of Myself Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Lyric Poem, Military / War

Publication year 1999Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, Relationships, African American Literature, Music, Biography, Social Justice

Publication year 2015Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Social Justice

“The Tradition” by Jericho Brown is written from the perspective of a collective “we.” This group planted colorful perennial flowers, including aster, nasturtium, and delphinium (Line 1); filmed the flowers they planted blooming; then watched this video on fast forward (“Sped the video to see blossoms / brought in seconds,” Lines 11-12). At the end of the poem, the reader discovers that the collective “we” narrating the poem are Black men, and the sped-up video... Read The Tradition Summary


Publication year 1959Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Lyric Poem, Social Justice

Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Mythology, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 1993Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Lyric Poem, Social Justice, Latin American Literature

Publication year 1986Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: AgingTags Holidays & Occasions, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.