Examples Of Narrative Poems

Published: July 2017

Narrative Poems - Poems That Tell A Story

Narrative poems are stories in poem form. Narrative poems are one of the oldest forms of poetry and indeed all literature. 

Narrative poetry was used in ancient times as a means of passing down important stories. Many people did not how to read and write and captivating stories told rhythmically, with repetition and rhymes were a way to ensure that stories important to the culture were remembered and passed down through the generations.

This collection contains narrative poems by famous and modern poets. 

52 Narrative Poems - Poems That Tell A Story

  1. Concrete Angel

    • By Jack Elliott Jr.
    • Published by Family Friend Poems January 1, 2024 with permission of the Author.

    As a young sailor I met this young woman in New York city. Many years have passed and yet I still can still hear her sighs and taste her lips. Always I will ponder her fate.

    in Long Distance Poems

    There on the streets of Manhattan
    Beneath the cold neon light
    You were the soul of my affections
    And all with the world seemed right

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    Pat, I was absolutely thrilled to read your comment. Such a compliment from a poet with your talent is far more than I could have ever hoped for. It is so very good to know that you are...

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  2. The Widow-Maker

    Famous Poem

    Published in "Tote-road and Trail" Ballads of the Lumberjack in·1917, "The Widow-Maker" by Douglas Malloch uses vivid imagery in this narrative poem to captivate the reader. We witness the loose limb of a pine tree, tumbling and zigzagging, while the red stain upon the snow reveals a tragic fate. The poem engages us with its use of repetition, as the words echo in our minds, reflecting the characters' conversations and their gradual forgetting. As time passes, the poem shifts its focus to the widow, capturing her palpable emotions through the beat of her heart and the jolt of each step upon the stair. The poem masterfully blends rhyme and rhythm, taking us on an emotional journey where themes of love, regret, and forgiveness come alive.

    in Famous Narrative Poems

    A loose limb hangs upon a pine three log-lengths from the ground,
    A norway tumbles with a whine and shakes the woods around.
    The loose limb plunges from its place and zigzags down below;
    And Jack is lying on his face—there's red upon the snow.

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  4. Take Me Home

    • By Rick W. Cotton
    • Published by Family Friend Poems March 2022 with permission of the Author.

    Our World War Two veterans are dying at the rate of more than a thousand a week. I wrote this song (yes, it has a melody) as a tribute to them, and the faith that got them through. God bless all who fought for their families, their nation, and their God.

    in Home Poems

    In the summer of '32
    A little boy, 6 years old,
    Separated from his Mama
    In a five and ten-cent store,

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  5. The Cage

    • By Jodi M. Kucera
    • Published by Family Friend Poems November 2019 with permission of the Author.

    My friend's dad was a WWII vet who was part of the 14th Armored Division serving under General Patton. They were known as the Liberators because they freed many POWs. A man came up to him many years after the war ended and recognized him as being the soldier who opened his cage.

    in War Poems

    A man walked up to me some time ago.
    He had a story he wanted me to know.

    He reached out his hand to shake mine,

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  7. Brave American Knight

    • By David G. Moore
    • Published by Family Friend Poems November 2019 with permission of the Author.

    Too often we see the stranger in a fatigue jacket on the side of the road begging, and it is very easy to pass him off as a scam artist or bum. Could be! But news reports tell us that many veterans are found living under overpasses and cardboard box villages to just simply ignore. I wanted to say something about our (my) own negligence in this matter. I am a veteran. That could have been me on that corner.

    in Inspirational Poems

    Driving home one day after hours of monotonous office work,
    Saw a man sitting by the road; looked as one down on his luck.
    Paid small notice to the figure; my lonely life was in a rut.
    He was just another beggar holding out a shiny tin cup.

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    What a beautiful poem. God bless all the veterans: dead, alive, and the ones still fighting. To all of you, a proud salute, my prayers, and love.

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  8. The Lost Soul

    I wrote this about a homeless man I used to see on my way to work every day. I later found out more about who he was from people in the neighborhood who knew him before he fell on hard times. It was a very sad tale and made me realize we should be careful how we judge others.

    in Compassion Poems

    Seven AM and I sat at the light,
    Watching the train chugging by.
    A day like the rest, on the way to my job,
    Just routine with no feeling inside.

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    This is great! I love it! I'm officially a student in an international school. This really helps me a LOT. It didn't only help me for my poem performance, it also teaches people morals. It...

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  9. An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

    Famous Poem

    William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish poet. This poem was written in 1918, near the end of World War I, and published the following year. In it, the speaker is coming to terms with the reality that he could die in the war. The speaker shares that the war will not make life better or worse. William Butler Yeats was highly involved in Ireland's politics, but the speaker of this poem did not fight in the war for political reasons. Instead, it was an “impulse of delight.” This poem does not have any stanza breaks, but it does follow the ABAB rhyme scheme.

    in Famous Sad Poems

    I know that I shall meet my fate
    Somewhere among the clouds above;
    Those that I fight I do not hate,
    Those that I guard I do not love;

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  10. The Crazy Flu

    • By Debra L. Brown
    • Published by Family Friend Poems March 2019 with permission of the Author.

    With the flu season upon us, having the flu can be miserable. If we can see some humor in it, it could be good for the soul.

    in Humorous Poems

    There once was a girl named Sue.
    She came down with the case of the flu.
    She let out a sigh,
    "My temperature is high,

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  11. The Listeners

    • By Walter De La Mare

    Famous Poem

    Walter de la Mare (1873-1956), an English poet and short story writer, enjoyed writing ghost stories. “The Listeners” has a mysterious and eerie feel to it. It was published in 1912 in the poet’s second collection of poetry. A traveler knocks on the door of a house, but no one comes to the door. However, he can sense phantoms inside who listen to him. There is a sense of loneliness depicted in this poem.

    in Famous Narrative Poems

    ‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,
    Knocking on the moonlit door;
    And his horse in the silence champed the grasses
    Of the forest’s ferny floor:

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  12. The Neighbour's Dog

    Based on a true event. A neighbours barking dog led Bazza to howl and bark in the middle of the road with unexpected consequences.

    in Humorous Poems

    Our street was once a peaceful place
    Kids played and you could jog
    But our tranquil life was shattered
    When the neighbour got a dog.

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    I enjoy writing poetry about real events and real people. The "Bazza" who's featured in many of my poems is a quirky character whose fondness for the practical joke often gets him into...

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  13. A Precious Christmas Memory

    I worte this poem about a tradition that my Dad and I had of putting up the Christmas lights together.

    in Christmas Poems

    In the damp, dusty cellar, surrounded by boxes,
    Our excitement just grows without measure.
    Searching and sorting with loud shouts of glee,
    As we uncovered the grand Christmas treasure.

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  14. My Father's Hug

    I was raised in a musical family. I've played guitar since 1961. My Mom had learned piano when she was young and played organ at her church. Dad sang, played saxophone and harmonica. He even performed with his band on radio back in the 40's. My relationship with my Dad was not always a happy one, but I tried to remember some of the good times I had with him. There were a few, mostly with music involved, but this is one of my most memorable. I hope you can relate to what it meant to me.

    in Father Poems

    My Father, he was never one
    To show his deepest feelings.
    He never cared too much for hugs,
    Either giving or receiving.

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  15. We Are Seven

    Famous Poem

    In this poem, Williams Wordsworth (1770-1850) addresses big questions about life and death. The speaker in the poem is talking with a little girl about her family. Two of the children in her family have died, but she continues to tell the man that she has seven members in her family. The man, however, tries to convince her that her family consists of only five now. She will not change her mind - for her brother and sister will always be a part of her family. This poem is written in the form of a ballad, which is generally narrative and follows the ABAB rhyme scheme.

    in Famous Death Poems

    ———A simple Child,
    That lightly draws its breath,
    And feels its life in every limb,
    What should it know of death?

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    I read this poem many, many years ago in a children's poem book. When my youngest brother passed...I was broken. At his funeral, someone said, "There are only 5 of you now." I thought of this...

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  16. Us Two

    Famous Poem

    In this poem, A.A. Milne (1882-1956), the creator of Winnie the Pooh, shows that having a friend by your side provides strength and courage. It also removes the fear we experience when we are alone. This is a narrative poem that tells a story.

    in Famous Friendship Poems

    Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
    There's always Pooh and Me.
    Whatever I do, he wants to do,
    "Where are you going today?" says Pooh:

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    Well my name is Rahma and my best friend is called Innocent. We have been friends for 10 years now since I was in primary school. He was good at math, and I was great in English. Our...

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  17. One For All And All For One

    This poem is about my friends from childhood and how each was somewhat of an outcast, but together we were strong.

    in Life Long Friend Poems

    In the neighborhood where I was raised,
    My life revolved around my friends.
    And each day brought new adventures
    And endless games of let's pretend.

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  18. Hanging In Tough

    This is about a friend of mine from church. She became ill with cancer. She was taking chemo and radiation, and through her sickness she was such a brave person. She always trusted in God to get her through the rough times.

    in Spiritual Poems about Death

    A fine lady.
    So gallantly strong,
    She stands for the good,
    The righteous, and God.

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  19. The Spider And The Fly

    Famous Poem

    "The Spider and the Fly" is a poem by Mary Howitt (1799-1888), published in 1828. The story tells of a cunning Spider who ensnares a Fly through the use of seduction and flattery. The poem teaches children to be wary against those who use flattery and charm to disguise their true evil intentions. The gruesome ending in this cautionary tale is used to reinforce the important life lesson being taught.

    in Famous Children Poems

    "Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly;
    "'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you may spy.
    The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
    And I have many curious things to show when you are there."

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    This is a beautiful poem, very beautiful! It can as well be a warning to school girls who are prone to dating those men out there. Symbolically, the spider in the poem is a male and the fly...

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  20. The Owl And The Pussy-Cat

    Famous Poem

    The Owl and the Pussycat was first published in 1871 in the book "Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany and Alphabets", by Edward Lear (1812-1888). Lear played many musical instruments and often performed his poetry with music at social gatherings.

    in Famous Children Poems

    The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
    In a beautiful pea-green boat,
    They took some honey, and plenty of money,
    Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

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  21. The Spell Of The Yukon

    Famous Poem

    In 1904 while working for a Canadian bank, Robert Service was transferred to Whitehorse, a small town in the Yukon, a northern Canadian Province bordering Alaska known for its extreme cold. During the Yukon Gold Rush of 1896-1899 the town had served as a campground for some of the more than 100,000 prospectors who flooded the Yukon searching for gold. Service took part in the town's social life including reciting poetry. Eventually he started composing his own poems, many of which were narrative poems about the great gold rush. "The Spell Of The Yukon" was published in Service's first book of poetry, "Songs of a Sourdough" in 1907.

    in Famous Narrative Poems

    I wanted the gold, and I sought it;
    I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
    Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
    I hurled my youth into a grave.

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    I am officially in love with this poet. He can tell a great story but still make it a rhyming poem with perfect rhyme. I am hooked!!

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  22. The Fish

    Famous Poem

    This famous narrative poem transforms an ordinary moment into a gripping story about the moment when the Hunter meets the Hunted. The fisherwoman's catch of a tremendous fish takes an unexpected diversion when she takes the opportunity to observe it at close range. The life story of The Fish as told by its battle scars and beautiful fishiness gives the encounter a personal side and result in things taking an unexpected turn.

    in Famous Nature Poems

    I caught a tremendous fish
    and held him beside the boat
    half out of water, with my hook
    fast in a corner of his mouth.

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