
William Shakespeare:
o ‘nuff said. Check out his sonnets… still considered to be a definitive exploration of love—not
necessarily a happy read.

John Donne
o A metaphysical poet that mixes realism and the sensual. He works in sonnets, odes, epigrams
and explores the extremes of human experience.

Thomas Hardy
o A naturalist poet that is influenced by the Romantics who went unknown for a long period of
time. He often writes about writing as well as the unresolved suffering of one’s life.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
o He wrote mostly lyrical poems (influenced by mythology or legend) that are known for their
musicality. Very popular in his day as well as successful.

William Wordsworth
o Poet Laureate to England who helped (along with Coleridge) launch the Romantic Age in
English literature. Lots of the sublime.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
o Helped launch Romanticism was highly influential to Emerson who later helped launch
Transcendentalism.

Walt Whitman
o A game-changer in terms of American poetry. He wrote during the period of transition between
Transcendentalism and Realism, so his poetry is infused by both. Influenced the Beats.

e. e. cummings
o Eminently prolific writer. His avant-garde style adapts classic forms and modernizes them. May
seem incomprehensible but upon re-reading (which is how we must read) the poems sing.

Carl Sandburg
o Illinois’ very own poet par excellence. A Pulitzer prize-winning poet who described the urban
landscape as much as the rural—and did so in enthralling terms.

T.S. Eliot
o This Nobel laureate for his work in literature is considered to be a master in the modernist
movement. Not for the faint of heart. Would write a few, perfectly polished poems per year.

William Butler Yeats
o Irish poet who won a Nobel Prize for his literary achievements. Was influenced early on by Irish
legends and the occult. He used traditional forms, but packed them with modern symbolism

Allen Ginsberg
o THE Beat poet. His somewhat anarchic group combined poetry with excess and personal
freedom while espousing passionate political ideals. Champion of anti-conformity.

Ezra Pound
o Helped define a new modern aesthetic in poetry. He stressed clarity, precision, and economy of
language. One of the first to use free verse and proved very influential.

William Carlos Williams
o Modernist poet who was also a physician. He wanted to reinvent poetry in America, or at least
to provide a fresh form for poetry as jazz did for music.

Pablo Neruda
o A poetic chameleon who was lauded around the world. He wrote erotically charged love poems,
surrealist poetry, historical epics, and political manifestos despite a harsh political environment.

Emily Dickinson
o See “Because I could not…”

Sylvia Plath
o See “Mirror”

Langston Hughes
o Harlem Renaissance master! He wrote about the experience of living as a minority in an urban
environment. His fusion of poetry and jazz still inspires imitation.

Gwendolyn Brooks
o Her characters are often drawn from the inner city poor, but she uses traditional ballads and
sonnets as well as blues-infused free verse. The first African American woman to win a Pulitzer!

Robert Frost
o Four-time Pulitzer winner. is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his
command of American colloquial speech.

Naomi Shihab Nye
o Born of a Palestinian father and American mother, this “wandering poet” uses her heritage to
write about peace and the Arab-American experience.

Billy Collins
o Former poet laureate to the United States. Widely regarded as the best American poet currently
working. He likes to discuss the pleasures of disorientation in his works.

Taylor Mali
o A well-known spoken word poet who enjoys writing about learning and education. Check him
out on youtube!

Mark Smith
o Literally started the field of spoken word poetry by performing in Chicago at the Green Mill.
Still writes and performs regularly to give an “up yours” to the poetry establishment.

Jeff Stumpo
o SHS home-grown poet who explored his literary interests and decided to engage in spoken word
poetry.