Poems For Middle School Students

Published: October 2017

Middle school can be a stressful time in life to navigate, but poetry can be a great outlet. These poems convey important life lessons, such as determination and self-acceptance. They can also be used to teach poetic structures and literary devices such as descriptive language and symbolism. Many of these poems have been written by famous poets such as Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes.

34 Poems For Middle School Students In Grades 6-8

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See It Through
- By Edgar A. Guest
Famous Poem

Many of the poems by Edgar Guest (1881-1959) are encouraging and share important life lessons. In this poem, he shares powerful advice about standing strong in the face of trials and dark days. The poetic technique of repetition is used at the end of each stanza with the line, “See it through.” That brings the reader's attention to the themes of courage and perseverance.

in Famous Inspirational Poems

When you’re up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.

When you’re up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it’s vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up, whate’er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!
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I was feeling down, discouraged, confused and all sorts of unpleasant ways today. Going through a failed marriage, raising two young boys by myself, but moreover struggling with my own...

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Life Without You
- By Nikki Wilfong
- Published by Family Friend Poems February 2008 with permission of the Author.
What life would be like if you were not in it. This poem makes strong use of similes to describe what life is like without the person they love. Similes compare two objects or ideas using the words "like" or "as".

in Boyfriend Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

Me without you
is like a leafless fall,
a snowless winter,
and a flowerless spring.

Me without you
is like a leafless fall,
a snowless winter,
and a flowerless spring.

Me without you
is like a colorless rainbow,
a sunless day,
and a starless night.

Me without you
is like the ocean without a wave,
the beach without sand,
and a flameless fire.

Me without you
is like a book without words,
a man without a face,
and a child with no name.
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I'm madly in love with my girl, but suddenly things changed. She cut the communication, so I can't reach her. I don't know if she will be back. I'm feeling choked and lonely. Life without her...

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The Road Not Taken
- By Robert Frost
Famous Poem

This poem by Robert Frost (1874-1963) is probably one of the most famous and celebrated American poems. The poem depicts the agony of a decision making and the rewards of forging your own path. The subject of the poem is faced with a decision of taking the "safe" route that others have taken before or breaking new ground. He says that he took the "road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." He finds that making original and independent choices makes life rewarding.
The Road Not Taken has four stanzas of five lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAAB.

in Famous Inspirational Poems

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
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I think you are correct that the poem may be about a higher calling to pursue the best way. I also can agree as you stated he may have meant something else. Or he possibly did mean what you...

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Mother To Son
- By Langston Hughes
Famous Poem

Langston Hughes was a prominent writer during the Harlem Renaissance. In this poem, a mother uses the metaphor of life being like a staircase to give advice to her son. While there are difficult times, you must keep moving like you would while walking up a staircase.

in Famous Family Poems

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor-
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now-
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
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I was not a very good student when I was in school. I did the minimal amount of work required, retained little and barely paid attention. In 1965, my 8th grade English teacher read MOTHER TO...

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Be The Best Of Whatever You Are
- By Douglas Malloch
Famous Poem

In this poem, Douglas Malloch (1877-1938) shares an encouraging message for readers of all ages. Although we don't all hold prestigious jobs, we can all be the best at who we are. Our position in life doesn't make us more or less valuable. The beauty of this world is shown when each person does what he has been called to do and does it with great pride. When we measure our success by the standards of this world, many of us will feel as though we've fallen short. Douglas Malloch reminds us that success is measured by being the best at whoever you are. Like many, he came from humble roots, but he used his gift of writing to touch the lives of many people.

in Famous Inspirational Poems

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley — but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley — but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass —
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here,
There's big work to do, and there's lesser to do,
And the task you must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail —
Be the best of whatever you are!
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Two years ago I was in depression and isolated. I felt frequently that I was worthless and deserved no love, no appreciation, no friends. I kept myself aloof from everyone, thinking that I...

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Winter Morning Poem
- By Ogden Nash
Famous Poem

This famous poem by Ogden Nash uses descriptive language to show the beauty of snow. Winter is unlike any other season where snow blankets everything it touches. It transforms the land into a magical experience. Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was well-known and appreciated during his lifetime.

in Famous Nature Poems

Winter is the king of showmen,
Turning tree stumps into snow men
And houses into birthday cakes
And spreading sugar over lakes.

Winter is the king of showmen,
Turning tree stumps into snow men
And houses into birthday cakes
And spreading sugar over lakes.
Smooth and clean and frosty white,
The world looks good enough to bite.
That's the season to be young,
Catching snowflakes on your tongue!
Snow is snowy when it's snowing.
I'm sorry it's slushy when it's going.
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Nature's Way
- By Heidi Campbell
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2007 with permission of the Author.
Dare to take a look at this peaceful spring day.
The poem uses the 5 senses to describe nature. Using the 5 senses in writing creates a clearer picture and makes the readers feel a part of the setting.

Poem About Enjoying Spring

in Spring Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

Upon a nice mid-spring day,
Let's take a look at Nature's way.
Breathe the scent of nice fresh air,
Feel the breeze within your hair.

Upon a nice mid-spring day,
Let's take a look at Nature's way.
Breathe the scent of nice fresh air,
Feel the breeze within your hair.

The grass will poke between your toes,
Smell the flowers with your nose.
Clouds form shapes within the skies,
And light will glisten from your eyes.

Hear the buzzing of the bees,
Climb the tallest willow trees.
Look across the meadow way,
And you shall see a young deer play.

Pick the daisies as they grow,
Watch a gentle cold stream flow.
Know the sounds of water splash,
Catch its glimmer in a flash.

When altogether all seems sound,
Lay yourself upon the ground.
Take a moment to inhale,
And listen to Nature tell her tale...
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Have you ever thought of this poem as a response to Thomas Moran's, "The Grand Canyon of Yellow Stone"? It is beautifully written and encompasses themes of freedom, nature, and serenity, as...

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If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking
- By Emily Dickinson
Famous Poem

This poem is by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Like all the rest of her poems, the poem does not have a title and is called by the first line of the poem. Dickinson had the gift of saying a tremendous amount in a few perfectly succinct words. The poem's message is simple and self-explanatory. If I can ease the burden of a fellow living creature, "I shall not live in vain."

in Famous Inspirational Poems

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
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The poem transmits the meaning of helping from the heart, reaching out to those in need and soothing the pain felt by others. It doesn't need a hero to work wonders, only need a heart to...

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Listen To The MUSTN'TS
- By Shel Silverstein
Famous Poem

Although Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) wrote poetry for young children, adults can glean many lessons from his pieces. This poem is filled with lessons on dreaming and persevering. Don’t allow others to get you down, because in the end, anything is possible.

in Famous Children Poems

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT'S

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT'S
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be
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I love this poem because I have been writing love letters to my two teenagers and eight year old for fifteen years reminding them of what they shouldn't.

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Englksh Is A Pane
- By Alan Balter
- Published by Family Friend Poems October 2017 with permission of the Author.
Hello, I am a retired university professor who had a fulfilling career, spanning 32 years at Chicago State University. Now, in retirement, I fill my time writing fiction, personal essays, and poetry. This keeps my brain cells firing and preserves the sanity of my dear wife. We live in Northbrook, Illinois, and enjoy six children, fourteen grandchildren, and extensive travel.

Humorous Poem About The Inconsistencies Of English Language

in Funny Poems for Kids

Hear eye sit inn English class; the likelihood is that eye won't pass
An F on my report card wood bee worse than swallowing glass
It's knot that eye haven't studied, often till late at knight
Butt the rules are sew confusing, eye simply can't get them write

Hear eye sit inn English class; the likelihood is that eye won't pass
An F on my report card wood bee worse than swallowing glass
It's knot that eye haven't studied, often till late at knight
Butt the rules are sew confusing, eye simply can't get them write

Hour teacher says, "Heed my advice, ewe must study and sacrifice"
Butt if mouses are mice and louses are lice, how come blouses aren't blice
The confusion really abounds when adding esses two nouns
Gooses are geese, butt mooses aren't meese; somebody scent in the clowns

Two ultimatums are ultimata, and a couple of datum are data
Sew wouldn't ewe expect it wood bee correct fore a bunch of plums to be plata?
And if more than won octopus are octopi, and the plural of ox is oxen
Shouldn't a couple of busses bee bussi and a pare of foxes bee foxen?

Let's talk about spelling a wile, specifically letters witch are silent
Words like "psychologist" and "wreck" shirley make awl of us violent
And another example quite plane witch is really hard two explain
If it's eye before e except after sea, then what about feign and reign?

The final exam will determine how eye due, weather eye pass ore fail
I halve prepared as much as eye can down two the last detail
I'm ready two give it my vary best inn just a little wile
And then isle take a relaxing wrest on a tropical aisle
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Very clever and funny, but it kinda blows my mind reading through this at the same time! How on earth did I manage to learn this wonderful, confusing language?! I must be converting it into...

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Nothing Gold Can Stay
- By Robert Frost
Famous Poem

Robert Frost is one of the most famous poets from the 1900s. He never earned a formal college degree, but he did receive honorary degrees from more than 40 colleges and universities. This famous poem shows that everything in life is cyclical and that the beauty in nature only lasts for a short period of time. Even though life ends, there is new life waiting to come forth.

in Famous Nature Poems

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
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A Friend's Greeting
- By Edgar A. Guest
Famous Poem

Having a close friend is an incredible blessing. It means having someone who’s always there to listen and encourage. In this famous poem by Edgar Guest (1881-1959), he shares of all the great friendship qualities he’d like to return to someone who has displayed them to him. This poem is made up of octaves (eight-line stanzas). It also has a strong sense of structure since most of the stanzas begin with “I’d like to…”

in Famous Holiday Poems

I'd like to be the sort of friend
that you have been to me;
I'd like to be the help that you've been
always glad to be;

I'd like to be the sort of friend
that you have been to me;
I'd like to be the help that you've been
always glad to be;
I'd like to mean as much to you
each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend of mine,
to me along the way.

I'd like to do the big things
and the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray out of your skies
and leave them only blue;
I'd like to say the kindly things
that I so oft have heard,
And feel that I could rouse your soul
the way that mine you've stirred.

I'd like to give back the joy
that you have given me,
Yet that were wishing you a need
I hope will never be;
I'd like to make you feel
as rich as I, who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours
with you to lean upon.

I'm wishing at this Christmas time
that I could but repay
A portion of the gladness
that you've strewn along the way;
And could I have one wish this year,
this only would it be:
I'd like to be the sort of friend
that you have been to me.
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Edgar is so in touch with his higher self, therefore, bringing a deep resonance from my heart space just thinking of being loved, appreciated, and cherished in such a way! His speaking of...

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An Ocean Of Memories
- By Kimberly L. Briones
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2006 with permission of the Author.
This poem uses metaphors to create a strong sense of structure, which helps it flow. Each stanza compares a family member to a object in the ocean.

in Loving Poems about Family

Analysis of Form and Technique

My family is the ocean around us.

My father is the hurricane,
knocking anything and everybody out of his path.

My family is the ocean around us.

My father is the hurricane,
knocking anything and everybody out of his path.

My mother is the sunshine after the storm (my father),
clearing and calming everything else.

My oldest brother is the sand,
kicked and blown away by my dad,
but warmed with care by my mom.

My oldest sister is the breeze in the wind,
cool, quiet, and there when you need her.

My other two brothers are the stingrays,
dangerous,
but also willing to fight anyone who comes along.

And I,
I am an old ship at the bottom of the sea,
lost, abandoned, but full of memories.
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That's the same for me! Except, my younger sister is the storm haha.

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The Brook
- By Alfred Tennyson
Famous Poem

The Industrial Revolution took place in Great Britain during the late 1700s and early 1800s. As cities grew, living conditions deteriorated for the poor and working class. Factories and mass production were beneficial for some but not everyone. This poem stands in contrast of new manufacturing processes of that time period by focusing on nature. The narrator in this poem, the brook, is personified. The brook shows persistence by continuing to flow, no matter what obstacles get in its way. The repeated lines, “For men may come and men may go, but I go on for ever,” showcase that. Famous poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) was named Poet Laureate in Great Britain and Ireland.

in Famous Nature Poems

I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip's farm I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.

I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.

With many a curve my banks I fret
By many a field and fallow,
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.

I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.

I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling,

And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery waterbreak
Above the golden gravel,

And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.

I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.

I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses;

And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.
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I was read poetry to my mother born 1929 in faraway Colombo, Sri Lanka. She loved this poem, and I remember her animated voice bringing the words hidden in the babbling brook to life and the...

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Only A Dad
- By Edgar A. Guest
Famous Poem

Edgar Guest (1881-1959) was a prolific poet who wrote many encouraging messages about everyday life. This poem captures the essence of a man who loves his family so much to sacrifice for them day in and day out. While he doesn't have much, he works hard for his family and shows self-control and determination when things don't go his way. This poem uses rhyming couplets and the repetition of “only a dad” to create a well-structured piece.

in Famous Family Poems

Only a dad, with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame,
To show how well he has played the game,

Only a dad, with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame,
To show how well he has played the game,
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come, and to hear his voice.

Only a dad, with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more.
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent, whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad, but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing, with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen,
Only a dad, but the best of men.
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Hello everyone. It’s a Monday morning, and I’ve just begun working, but somewhere in my mind throughout the day I keep remembering my dad and his deeds. No matter how tired I become, I still...

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Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
- By Dylan Thomas
Famous Poem

This very famous poem, a villanelle, by Dylan Thomas was written as Thomas' father lay on his deathbed. The message that Thomas was conveying to his father was his passionate desire that his father not take death "lying down." He is expressing the feeling that so many have felt as they watched a close friend, parent, or lover slip away. The message to his father is, "Don't Go! Fight! Death is an injustice! Show your passion for life, by not going gentle into that "good" night."

in Famous Death Poems

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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I like this poem. It reflects the general reaction of the majority of people not wanting their loved ones to go and if so at least they put up a fight, along with being poetically exquisite...

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Touching The Sky
- By Shreya D. Chattree
- Published by Family Friend Poems August 2018 with permission of the Author.
The poem is about a girl who wants to face all the ups and downs in life. She wants to challenge all the situations and then emerge as a free and mature bird who has discovered the whole sky, flying among the clouds. She wants to commit mistakes but only to learn from them. She wants to have a heart made of gold, which only stores love and has no hatred to show.

Poem About Learning Lessons From Mistakes

in Life Lesson Poems

Come for me, sweet tomorrow.
Help me touch the sky.
Like a well-learned bird opens its wings,
I, too, want to fly high.

Come for me, sweet tomorrow.
Help me touch the sky.
Like a well-learned bird opens its wings,
I, too, want to fly high.
Don't let the darkness of yesterday
Blind my vision to evolve.
Coming out of the bitterness of the past,
Help me let my flaws absolve.
Make me like a rainbow,
The colours mingled together,
But all of them in show.
Help me discover my hidden talents
And pull myself together with efforts gallant.
Let me be a beacon of goodness
For the people I meet.
Help me hear the music of life
And follow every beat.
Come for me, sweet tomorrow.
Help me touch the sky;
Like a well-learned bird opens its wings,
I, too, want to fly high.
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Committing mistakes and then learning from them can be a great lesson of life. It can truly evolve a person into a nice gentleman. I remember, after passing out of the university, I joined an...

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Lester
- By Shel Silverstein
Famous Poem

Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) is one of the most well-known children’s poets. His poems are fun and humorous, but many of them also include a lesson. This poem teaches a lesson about greed. The subject of this poem is given a magic wish, and he continues to wish for more wishes. His selfishness continues throughout his life until he finds that he has not used any wishes. He misses out on everything in life because he’s so concerned about getting more and more.

in Famous Children Poems

Lester was given a magic wish
By the goblin who lives in the banyan tree,
And with his wish he wished for two more wishes-
So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three.

Lester was given a magic wish
By the goblin who lives in the banyan tree,
And with his wish he wished for two more wishes-
So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three.
And with each one of these
He simply wished for three more wishes,
Which gave him three old wishes, plus nine new.
And with each of these twelve
He slyly wished for three more wishes,
Which added up to forty-six -- or is it fifty-two?
Well anyway, he used each wish
To wish for wishes 'til he had
Five billion, seven million, eighteen thousand thirty-four.
And then he spread them on the ground
And clapped his hands and danced around
And skipped and sang, and then sat down
And wished for more.
And more...and more...they multiplied
While other people smiled and cried
And loved and reached and touched and felt.
Lester sat amid his wealth
Stacked mountain-high like stacks of gold,
Sat and counted -- and grew old.
And then one Thursday night they found him
Dead -- with his wishes piled around him.
And they counted the lot and found that not
A single one was missing.
All shiny and new -- here, take a few
And think of Lester as you do.
In a world of apples and kisses and shoes
He wasted his wishes on wishing.
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A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
- By Bea Williams
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2011 with permission of the Author.
I've always felt that true friendship is very important. The old saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed," goes a long way. True friends will always be there for you, and you can always count on them, so my favorite thing to write about is friendship.

in True Friend Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

Friends are far, friends are near.
Friends will be there to lend an ear.
They listen, laugh, and care,
But most of all, they're always there.

Friends are far, friends are near.
Friends will be there to lend an ear.
They listen, laugh, and care,
But most of all, they're always there.

Through thick and thin, up and down,
Your true friends are always around.
For treats, hugs, and real big smiles,
They'll travel to you from several miles.

They'll always be there to hold you tight.
Anytime, no matter if it's day or night.
You really know when your friends are sincere
When they always show up to lend their ear.
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What an interesting poem. Reminds me of the friends I had when I was back at school...

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Underface
- By Shel Silverstein
Famous Poem

Children, teenagers, and adults as well, can all identify with the message of this poem for children from Shel Silverstein published in his book, "Every Thing On It." Sometimes we all feel like no one really truly knows us, as if we are wearing a mask and our true self is hidden from all underneath our face.

in Famous Children Poems

Underneath my outside face
There's a face that none can see.
A little less smiley,
A little less sure,

Underneath my outside face
There's a face that none can see.
A little less smiley,
A little less sure,
But a whole lot more like me
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What a perfect poem! At times we could basically tell how people were feeling despite their facial expressions. It was in their eyes the tell- tale signs that led us to see at least the...

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Poems For Middle School Students

34 Poems For Middle School Students In Grades 6-8

What life would be like if you were not in it. This poem makes strong use of similes to describe what life is like without the person they love. Similes compare two objects or ideas using the words "like" or "as".

Langston Hughes was a prominent writer during the Harlem Renaissance. In this poem, a mother uses the metaphor of life being like a staircase to give advice to her son. While there are difficult times, you must keep moving like you would while walking up a staircase.

This famous poem by Ogden Nash uses descriptive language to show the beauty of snow. Winter is unlike any other season where snow blankets everything it touches. It transforms the land into a magical experience. Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was well-known and appreciated during his lifetime.

Dare to take a look at this peaceful spring day. The poem uses the 5 senses to describe nature. Using the 5 senses in writing creates a clearer picture and makes the readers feel a part of the setting.

Although Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) wrote poetry for young children, adults can glean many lessons from his pieces. This poem is filled with lessons on dreaming and persevering. Don’t allow others to get you down, because in the end, anything is possible.

This poem uses metaphors to create a strong sense of structure, which helps it flow. Each stanza compares a family member to a object in the ocean.

I've always felt that true friendship is very important. The old saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed," goes a long way. True friends will always be there for you, and you can always count on them, so my favorite thing to write about is friendship.

Dare to take a look at this peaceful spring day.
The poem uses the 5 senses to describe nature. Using the 5 senses in writing creates a clearer picture and makes the readers feel a part of the setting.