27 Phenomenal Poems That Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Life
"It really shows you what power just the right words can hold."
Recently, for World Poetry Day, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their favourite poems and why they love them so much. Here are some of the best responses:
1. "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou.

"It's about loving yourself, liking the way you look, and having confidence. It strikes a chord with me."
— braddoc
2. "An Unfortunate Choice" by Wendy Cope.

"Wendy Cope always makes me smile."
— cma365
3. "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas.

"A beautiful poem, which resonates more and more as you get older."
"I'm not a big poetry fan and I think a lot of poems are so vague and confusing that they have basically no meaning to the average reader. Thomas manages to paint beautiful imagery that also has an incredibly clear meaning. I've always appreciated this 'emo' fave."
4. "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

"Reminds me of the fleetingness of human corruption upon nature, and how little material things matter in the long run. It's the breath of fresh air that comes after an existential crisis. Brilliant poem."
5. "Resumé" by Dorothy Parker.

"Mine is a slightly morbid one but it has gotten me through some dark times."
"It's a little dark but it has her unique sense of humour and always makes me smile."
6. "When the Fat Girl Gets Skinny" by Blythe Baird.

"It’s spoken word poetry but so relevant."
7. "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

"Tbh, any Tennyson is 👌 but this one is my favourite – whimsical, romantic, devastating... with EXQUISITE crafting. It is JUST *chef's kiss*."
"It flows beautifully and evokes feelings of constriction, hope, loneliness, beauty and tragedy."
8. "The Tyger" by William Blake.

"It's just a beautiful, vivid poem about a tiger, and while it may not have as much everyday relevance emotionally, it sticks with you."
9. "Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats.

"I’ve been obsessed with the first lines since I heard it as a child. As a whole. it’s a really powerful mix of joyousness and melancholy and so evocative."
10. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost.

"I once had to memorise it in third grade and I still remember most of it!"
11. "The Shirt" by Jane Kenyon.

"It's so simple, yet so full of lust and longing. It really shows you what power just the right words can hold."
12. "[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]" by E.E. Cummings.

"It was the poem we had read at our wedding."
13. "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou.

Suggested by:
14. "Sonnet 130" by William Shakespeare.

"So many poems dehumanise women by putting them on a pedestal and treating them like faultless heavenly beings. That's why I love how Shakespeare deconstructs and gently mocks sonnets in his own Sonnet 130. He's just a guy who thinks someone is great in spite of, and because of, their flaws!"
15. "For Women Who Are Difficult' to Love" by Warsan Shire.

"Even more touching when you listen to her rendition."
17. "oh yes" by Charles Bukowski.

"When I cancelled my wedding, for which I had all but bought my own dress, this was the most empowering thing I read. In fact, I would go as far as to say it made me end my eight year relationship. Have never looked back."
18. "One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII" by Pablo Neruda.

"It's incredibly moving and has some of the most beautiful lines of poetry I've ever read."
19. "Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep" by Mary E. Frye.

"It's such a beautiful poem dealing with loss and grief."
— monikap6
"The idea that people who die never really leave us, that they live on in the wind that blows and the autumn rain – it’s so simple but beautiful. I remember reading it at a funeral and it was the only thing that brought me a glimmer of peace that day."
— mirir
20. "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe.

"It's pretty short, but it's beautiful and breaks my heart each time I read it."
21. "The Stolen Child" by W. B. Yeats.

"It's been my favourite poem since I can remember. I have fond memories of my grandmother reciting it to me as a little girl. She was a huge influence on me and instilled a love of literature, horror, and science fiction that I carry with me to this day."
— steevie
22. "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley.

"Its themes of overcoming adversity and taking charge of your own life really resonate with me."
"I know it by memory and I recite it in my head when I’m going through tough times. It reminds me that I’m strong."
23. "Afternoons" by Philip Larkin.

"We studied it in school and I loved the beauty of it."
24. "People" by D. H. Lawrence.

"It captures the feeling of being alone together in the world with countless others just like you."
25. "Embarrassed" by Hollie McNish.

"It just hits the good spot, especially now that the discussion around female bodies and how they’re judged is so prevalent."
26. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T. S. Eliot.

"It’s incredible."
– Katie80
27. "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen.

"He served in World War I and the poem’s title means 'it is sweet and honourable [to die for your country]'. It paints a picture of the horrors of WWI and how it is certainly NOT sweet or noble to die in war. It's bleak and awful but an important reminder of world history."
"Owen makes me feel. I first encountered him when I studied GCSE English and I still love his war poetry. The fact he died shortly before the end of WW1 lends a poignancy to his writing."
— cma365
Note: Some entries were edited for length and/or clarity.