Narrative Poetry
Top Narrative Poems
The Odyssey
by Homer
Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy...
Homer's epic is the original road trip saga—complete with one-eyed monsters, seductive sirens, and a hero who's really bad at asking for directions. Odysseus's ten-year journey home sets the gold standard for narrative poetry, proving that sometimes the longest way around is the most poetic route.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. 'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?'
Coleridge's maritime ghost story is a cautionary tale about respecting nature—and not shooting albatrosses. With its eerie atmosphere and moral undertones, this poem makes you think twice before ignoring the wisdom of old sailors with glittering eyes.
The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore...
Poe's melancholic masterpiece features a talking bird with a one-word vocabulary and a narrator spiraling into madness. It's a rhythmic descent into the human psyche, proving that sometimes, 'nevermore' is more than enough.
Beowulf
by Unknown
Lo! the Spear-Danes' glory through splendid achievements The folk-kings' former fame we have heard of...
This Old English epic is the original monster-slaying tale, featuring a hero who battles beasts without breaking a sweat. 'Beowulf' combines brute strength with poetic prowess, reminding us that heroism is timeless—even if the language isn't.
The Waste Land
by T.S. Eliot
April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.
Eliot's modernist mosaic weaves together fragmented narratives and voices to depict a world in disarray. It's a challenging read, but like a complex puzzle, the beauty lies in piecing it together.