Poetry Audios

Poets convey deep thoughts with few words. How do poets approach their subjects? Why is the rhythm of words important to them? Poets want their words to be heard. Here's a collection to read "out loud."

Edgar Allan Poe published a poem entitled "Imitation," in 1827.

In William Shakespeare's opinion, the life of a person - who lives to old age - consists of seven stages.

"Annabel Lee" is one of Edgar Allan Poe's most-famous poems.

William Blake (1757-1827) was a young man, in his late teens, when he witnessed the "Gordon Riots" in London.

Cowboys of the "Old West" sang songs about their work (and the trouble they got into). This is an example.

Although C.S. Lewis was frequently "on the air" during World War II, the BBC has very few surviving broadcasts.

William Wordsworth, an English poet who served as Britain's Poet Laureate between 1843-1850, was greatly inspired by nature.

Seamus Heaneywas long known as "Famous Seamus" in his homeland.

Dylan Thomas was distraught, in 1951, as his father - David John Thomas - was gravely ill.

Not normally a writer of poetry - or anything else as a published author - Mary Elizabeth Frye (an American who lived in Baltimore) was moved by the s...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) was already a famous writer when she met, then married, Robert Browning.

Show tooltips