Poetic Technique Of Symbolism

Published: July 2018

Poems With Symbolism - Symbolism In Poetry

Symbolism is a poetic technique that utilizes objects, people, or situations to represent a larger idea or concept beyond its literal meaning. It is a way for poets to create layers of meaning in their work and convey a deeper message to their audience. 

Symbolism can take many forms, including metaphor, simile, and allegory. Poets use symbolism to create layers of meaning in their work and to convey complex ideas and emotions. 

Some common examples of symbolism include 

  • red rose to represent love or passion, 
  • broken mirror to symbolize bad luck or a broken relationship, 
  • butterfly to represent transformation or rebirth, 
  • rainbow represents hope, 
  • withering leaf stands for aging 
  • dove with an olive branch is a symbol of peace. 
By using symbolism, writers can add depth and richness to their work and engage readers on a deeper emotional and intellectual level.

17 Poems With Symbolism - Symbolism In Poetry

  1. The Room Of My Life

    Famous Poem

    Anne Sexton is a famous poet known for writing about challenging topics, often expressing despair in her work. In the poem "Room of Life," she reveals the troubled life she led through vivid imagery, including objects that seem to take on a life of their own. Sexton sees each object in her room as a reflection of her own life, including the books, the typewriter, the phone, and even the windows. She feeds both the world outside and her own inner world, but she struggles to find meaning in her existence.

    in Famous Sad Poems

    Here,
    in the room of my life
    the objects keep changing.
    Ashtrays to cry into,

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  2. The Rain

    Famous Poem

    In "The Rain" by W.H. Davies, the poet employs a range of poetic techniques to create a vivid and engaging picture of nature. Personification is also used throughout the poem, with the leaves given human qualities of drinking and being rich or poor. Imagery is another key technique used to convey the beauty of the rain, with the sound of leaves drinking described as a "sweet noise." Finally, symbolism is used to underscore the interconnectedness of nature, with the rain and the sun serving as symbols of renewal and transformation. These techniques come together to create a beautiful poem that celebrates the wonders of the nature.

    in Famous Nature Poems

    I hear leaves drinking rain;
    I hear rich leaves on top
    Giving the poor beneath
    Drop after drop;

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  4. I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

    Famous Poem

    "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is a lyric poem that expresses deep feelings about the beauty of nature. William Wordsworth was a well-known poet of the Romantic era, which began at the beginning of the 1800s. The focus during the Romantic era was on people's feelings and their connectedness to nature. That was a drastic shift from the emphasis on science and reason of the Enlightenment era, which came before. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is one of Wordsworth's most famous poems. It was inspired by a journal entry his sister wrote recounting when the two of them went for a walk along the bay and saw a large number of daffodils.

    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;

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    Featured Shared Story

    Honestly! How lovely is this poem when read aloud. I can see the yellow heads of the daffodils doing their sprightly dance! And, when in the meditative state, I can feel them in my heart...

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  5. A Smooth Beach

    • By Chase
    • Published by Family Friend Poems July 2018 with permission of the Author.

    The poem is a comparison between waves and time.

    in Beach Poems

    Waves continuously wash away footprints,
    Like time washes away, leaving you with a clean slate.
    A smooth beach.
    Waves wash away the good and bad.

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  7. Note To Self

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

    A short inspirational reminder to flow with changes.

    in Inspirational Poems

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

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    This is an amazing poem - saying so much in very few words. Things don't always go the way we want, and sometimes we have to adapt and do so cheerfully - a very important lesson. It is also...

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  8. Vibrant Colors

    • By Paul T. East
    • Published by Family Friend Poems July 2016 with permission of the Author.

    My name is Paul, and the one woman I loved judged my looks rather than my heart.

    in Metaphor Poems

    Don't judge my cover; it's not mine.
    I was given this to wear for the duration of my time.
    Over time it has become creased, ripped, and worn,
    A once perfect canvas the day I was born.

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  9. A Butterfly

    • By Silvia Burley
    • Published by Family Friend Poems July 2015 with permission of the Author.

    The poem "A Butterfly" is dedicated to my Grandmother Eva, who has since passed over to Heaven. She is my inspiration. She was a person I could tell my secrets to, a person who would cheer me when I was sad and help me up each time I fell. My grandmother always looked to the positive in life, and although she is now on her journey into the afterlife, she still comforts me in spirit and in my dreams. I am never alone because my grandmother is with me always.
    Love you, Grandma...

    in Metaphor Poems

    A caterpillar walks in beauty
    through the sunshine and the rain,
    leaving sweet memories
    to ease away the pain.

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  10. Endure Like A Tree

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

    I love my niece very much, but sadly, my sister took her to live far away. My heart breaks when I talk to her on the phone because she is going through a tough time, and I can't comfort her. I wrote this poem for her on her 10th birthday.

    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.

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    Hello I am Salih Abass. I lost my father while I was very young, and I was taken away from my mother to my grandmother even before I was two years. She took me to school. I lost my grandmom...

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  11. The Rose

    • By Billie Jo
    • Published by Family Friend Poems May 2013 with permission of the Author.

    I wrote this poem as a free verse assignment a while ago. I believe it inspires you to never give up on who you are because you're beautiful as yourself.

    in Metaphor Poems

    The sun went away
    The sky went black
    Up came the wind
    I fell on my back

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  12. Mother To Son

    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,

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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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  13. Caged Bird

    Famous Poem

    Caged Bird By Maya Angelou was first published in her book, "Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?" in 1983. The poem is a Metaphor illustrating the differences between African-Americans and Whites during the civil rights era. The author, a black woman who grew up in the South during this era, is expressing her feelings at the discrimination she faced during her life. Her first autobiography published in 1970 is titled, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

    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

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    I remember this poem from my guided reading class in 5th grade. I remember it well. This poem really touched me, and reading it again just made my day. This poem, I remember it being about...

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  14. Because I Could Not Stop For Death

    Famous Poem

    A poem about death. Dickinson portrays death as her companion in the carriage. She passes her childhood - the school, to her grave. The poem makes heavy use of the literary device of personification, giving death human characteristics.

    in Famous Death Poems

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

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    Yeah, I agree we don't stop to think that death will come and take us away even when the ones he has taken are staring right at us. My grandma passed away when I was little. I sobbed for hours.

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  15. A Poison Tree

    Famous Poem

    This poem by William Blake (1757-1827 London) depicts the value of not holding bad feelings inside. In the poem, he suggests that sharing your bad feelings with the one you are angry about will cause the ill will to disappear. On the other hand, holding a grudge inside will only make it grow more powerful. The poem ends with a murder in a garden.

    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.

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    A Poison Tree is a short and deceptively simple poem about repressing anger and the consequences of doing so. The speaker tells of how they fail to communicate their wrath to their foe and...

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  16. Mighty Oak

    I wrote this poem many years ago when I was grieving my grandfather's death. He was a published poet and the light of my life. I saw him as that oak tree. He was always so strong, and his faith never wavered. He taught me so much about life and love and family, but most of all about Christian faith. He will be forever missed, but someday I will meet him in heaven, and until then this will always be my tribute to Caleb Fowler, the greatest man I ever knew.

    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

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    Strong And Inspiring Like A Mighty Tree, Mighty Oak

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    This poem has greatly touched me. The poet has a firm faith in his father, which every son ought to have. A father is the center point for a son's life. To have faith in him and live the life...

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  17. Seeds Of Growth

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

    A poem about the cycle of life. We are all intertwined and help others grow.

    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,

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    I had an idea of what being a father was. But, as I had my own children, becoming a father made me reflect and change completely my relationship with my parents and what I conceived as being...

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  18. A New Beginning

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

    We watch with bated breath as our children spread their wings, fearing that they will fall and become dejected.

    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.

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    Yes it touches to my heart. As we are the parents who do this for our children to make them strongest on earth.

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  19. A Thorny Rose

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

    A young girl compares life to a rose.

    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.

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    A Thorny Rose

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    Lovely Poem. Life means struggling. We know we may seem like a rose, but some thorns are our weaknesses. Let's forget all the awkward moments and smile like a rose accepting the thorns for a...

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