Poetic Technique Of Symbolism

1. I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

• By William Wordsworth

in Famous Nature Poems

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

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2. Caged Bird

• By Maya Angelou

in Famous Inspirational Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

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3. Mighty Oak

• By Kathy J. Parenteau
• Published by Family Friend Poems September 2010 with permission of the Author.

in Inspirational Poems

Stand tall, oh mighty oak, for all the world to see.
Your strength and undying beauty forever amazes me.
Though storm clouds hover above you,
Your branches span the sky
In search of the radiant sunlight you
Count on to survive.
When the winds are high and restless and
You lose a limb or two,
It only makes you stronger.
We could learn so much from you.
Though generations have come and gone
And brought about such change,
Quietly you've watched them all,
Yet still remained the same.
I only pray God gives to me
The strength he's given you
To face each day with hope,
Whether skies are black or blue.
Life on earth is truly a gift.
Every moment we must treasure.
It's the simple things we take for granted
That become our ultimate pleasures.

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4. Mother To Son

• By Langston Hughes

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,
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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5. Because I Could Not Stop For Death

• By Emily Dickinson

in Famous Death Poems

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

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7. Endure Like A Tree

• By Alicia Quetzalcoatl
• Published by Family Friend Poems May 2015 with permission of the Author.

in Hope Poems

To get through life you have to endure as a tree does.
When Mother Nature tries to bring you down,
You will never fall; you will stand your ground.
You will encounter burning flames.
Yes, it will be painful and hard,
But once it's over and done with,
Your bark will grow back stronger than ever.
When your leaves start to slowly leave,
Never fret, there will be more to take their place.
They'll come and go throughout your life,
That's just how it is.
From the time you're a seedling to the time you're mature,
Your roots will always be there to support you.
After many years,
After enduring forest fires and changing leaves,
Your own saplings will fall away to start anew.
Then you'll know not to worry,
They'll grow into tall, strong trees,
Just like those before you.

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8. A Poison Tree

• By William Blake

in Famous Friendship Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretchd beneath the tree.

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9. Note To Self

• By Donna Marie
• Published by Family Friend Poems January 2018 with permission of the Author.

in Inspirational Poems

Be like the willow that bends,
shade that it sends,
peace that it lends.

During the breeze
its leaves will appease
and shift with ease.

Enduring, alluring, maturing.
Be like the willow that bends.

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10. A New Beginning

• By Troy Martin, Jr.
• Published by Family Friend Poems June 2006 with permission of the Author.

in Growing Up Poems

A little egg under her mother's wings.
Yet to be born into the world of things.

A crack and a pop, out she came.
Old and new, it was all the same.

Well nourished by mom, she began to sing.
Ready to learn of life and everything.

Innocence of new, she started up her flaps.
Not knowing of life and all its traps.

Mother watched on, with a big chuckle.
As she sprang out of the nest with no buckle.

Back and forth, she swayed on the ground.
As her mother watched for danger all around.

She tried and tried until that day.
Fly she did, but not in a graceful way.

The day came, like mother knew it would.
For her child to fly away, like she should.

Off towards the horizon, fling she went.
Mother watching from afar, knowing it was time well spent.

Many times, the hailstorms of life beat her down.
Sometimes in flight, all the way to the ground.

Lessons well learned, she still lost her way.
Fluttered home to mom, with nothing to say.

Under mother's wings once more, did she heal.
The grace of mothers, no one can steal.

By grace did she heal, down to the core.
Ready to take on life and its challenges once more.

She flew from the tree, mom proud to see.
She became the strongest sparrow that ever would be.

The eagles bowed down, had nothing on her, by the way.
She flew, glided, and boy, did she soar that day.

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15. Seeds Of Growth

• By David Rivera
• Published by Family Friend Poems September 2006 with permission of the Author.

in Change Poems

Water the seed, and a plant will grow.
Feed the plant, and a tree will grow.
Give a tree room, and it will bloom.
A seed to a plant,
A plant to a tree,
A boy to a man,
A man to a father.
Care for the boy, and the man will grow.
Teach the man, and a father will grow.
I see my boys.
I see my joy.
Care for my boys, and I, the man, will grow.
Teach me, my boys, and your father will grow.
You can't have the tree without the plant.
You can't have the plant without the seed.
I can't be a father without being a man.
I, the man, can't be a father without my boys.
The cycle of life.
The man, the boys, the father.
The seed, the plant, the tree.

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16. A Thorny Rose

• By Kirston D. Warfield
• Published by Family Friend Poems April 2006 with permission of the Author.

in Short Poems

Our life is like a thorny rose
Not perfect, but always beautiful
The thorns represent the hardships in our lives.
The delicate red petals represent the fun and beautiful things in our lives.
As a young rose the petals hugging around the seed
are the family and friends who protect, love, and care for us.

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