A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (2024)

  • Post author:Neel Rana
  • Post published:June 18, 2021
  • Post category:Poetry Writing

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (1)

The theme of a poem delivers the reader an underlying message that the writer wishes to convey through their work of poetry.

A poem can contain a single or multiple themes based on the story of the poem that it tells. The theme is an important part of any work of poetry or literature as it provides meaning to the story.

Related: Examples of Meters in Poetry

Follow the below list to learn different type of themes found in poetry or use them as poem theme ideas or topics for your next poetry.

Related:

Poetry Themes for Poems-

Most of the themes in poetry are often similar to themes in literature but yet some themes fit well only for poetry. Below are the examples of common themes found in poems.

1. Love

2. War

3. Death

4. Nature

5. Beauty

6. Aging

7. Desire

8. Dreams

9. Coming of age

10. Destiny

11. Depression

12. Courage

13. Spirituality

14. Happiness

15. God

16. Friendship

17. Heartbreak

18. Imagination

19. Loss/tragedy

20. Memories

21. Mortality

22. Immortality

23. Marriage

24. Rebirth

25. Seasons

26. Sexuality

27. Religion

28. Secrets

29. Man and nature

30. Peace

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (2)

31. Pain

32. Isolation

33. Eternity

34. Earth

35. Emotions

36. Faith

37. Fear

38. Grief

39. Forgiveness

40. Hatred

41. Afterlife

42. Myth

43. Art

44. Anxiety

45. Defeat

46. Heaven

47. Suffering

48. Joy

49. Life

50. Disappointment

51. Stars

52. Trust

53. Gender

54. History

55. Identity

56. Purpose

57. Regret

58 Encouraging

59. Opportunity

60. Music

61. Roses

62. Innocence

63. Moon

64. Mountains

65. Jealousy

66. Duty and responsibility

67. Supernatural

68. Circle of life

69. Man and masculinity

70. Sunshine

71. Change

72. Flowers

Related: Consonance in Poetry (Examples and Definition)

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (3)

Examples of Themes in Poetry-

Below are examples of themes in poetry from popular poems of all time.

1. The Waste Land

By T. S Eliot

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (4)

Major themes- Love, death, rebirth, history, lust/sexuality, water, religion, seasons.

Read ”The Waste Land” full poem here

2. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (5)

Major themes- Beauty, man and nature, desire, obligation, secrets, duty and responsibility, isolation.

Read ”Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” full poem here

3. Daddy

By Sylvia Plath

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (6)

Major themes-Death, gender, oppression, power, history, myth, hatred.

Read ”Daddy” full poem here

4. The Raven

By Edgar Allan Poe

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (7)

Major themes- Death, afterlife, memory, loss, supernatural, grief, madness, despair.

Read ”The Raven” full poem here

5. The Second Coming

By W.B Yeats

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (8)

Major Themes- Violence, prophecy, meaninglessness, Christianity, Cyclicality.

Read ”The Second Coming” full poem here

6.Because I could not Stop for Death

By Emily Dickinson

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (9)

Major Themes- Life and death, mortality, immortality, eternity.

Read ”Because I Could Not Stop for Death” full poem here

7. The Road not Taken

By Robert Frost

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (10)

Major Themes- Choices, uncertainty, man and nature, indecision, individualism and nonconformity.

Read ”The Road Not Taken” full poem here

8. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

By T.S Eliot

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (11)

Major themes- Love, anxiety, indecision, alienation, isolation, desire, modernity, disappointment, manipulation, time, aging, appearances.

Read ”The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” full poem here

9. If-

By Rudyard Kipling

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (12)

Major Themes- Manhood, courage, man and masculinity, stoicism, defeat.

Read ”If-” full poem here

10. Ode to a Nightingale

By John Keats

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (13)

Major Themes- Death, immortality, mortality, transience, art, nature, beauty, imagination.

Read ”Ode to the Nightingale” full poem here

Related: Assonance in Poetry (Examples and Definition)

You Might Also Like

Examples of Meter in Poetry with Explanation

Iambic Trimeter, Tetrameter, and (Pentameter) Examples in Poetry

Neel Rana

About the Author-Neel Rana is a young adult fiction writer and children’s book author. He is a literary enthusiast and the founder of Pandora Post. Neel holds a degree in BA Honors in English Literature and has been writing since 2017. His magnum opus YA short storybook, “The Drunken Ghost” has been well received by the readers.

A Huge List of Common Poetry Themes (Poem Theme, Topics, Ideas & Examples) (2024)

FAQs

What is an example of a theme in a poem? ›

Theme of a Poem Examples

First, poems can cover a wide variety of topics: love, nature, identity, and society are just a few examples. Naturally, a writer may have quite a lot to say about these topics, which would lead to the development of a theme. Some examples of themes in poems include: Love can tear people apart.

How do you find the theme of a poem easily? ›

I can find the theme of a poem by examining its main idea and voice. For example, if a song's main idea is about a person who just broke up with his love and the voice or tone is excited and joyful, a theme of the song is that we might be happier being alone than in a relationship.

What are some common themes in Robert Frost's poems? ›

In his themes of fear, isolation and acceptance, Frost is often in conflict with nature. He strives to keep man and nature independent of each other because they are separate entities, not to be unified, and not to be joined.

What is an example of a common theme in literature? ›

What are some examples of themes? Some examples of themes in literature are love, redemption, forgiveness, coming of age, revenge, good vs evil, bravery and hardship.

What is a theme of a poem pdf? ›

Theme in poetry is the underlying message or central idea that the poet conveys about the subject. It is often more complicated and ambiguous than the subject, expressing broader truths about human experience.

How do I find the theme? ›

How do I find the theme of a story?
  1. Look for patterns. When reading a book or story, look for patterns or common ideas that keep popping up. ...
  2. Pay attention to characters. Characters can reveal a lot about a story's theme. ...
  3. Look for symbols. ...
  4. Think about the title.

Do all poems have a theme? ›

Not all poems have themes. Poetry is art, shaped in words, arranged in figurative language. Poems must convey feeling, tone, and mood. While some forms of poetry require theme, not all do.

What is the theme of A Boy's Will? ›

Like much of Frost's work, the poems in A Boy's Will thematically associate with rural life, nature, philosophy, and individuality, while also alluding to earlier poets including Emily Dickinson, Thomas Hardy, William Shakespeare, and William Wordsworth.

What was Robert Frost's style of poetry? ›

Like his contemporaries, Frost favored using simplified language in his poems. And he wrote poems that were not always optimistic. He also lets his readers interpret his poems by leaving them a little bit vague. But unlike other modernist poets, Frost stuck to using traditional meter and rhyme.

What is Frost theme? ›

Frost is an experimental theme (owned by WP Engine) that requires the Gutenberg plugin and also includes that library of patterns you mentioned.

What are common themes in Whitman's poetry? ›

We also explored some of the primary themes of Whitman's poetry: the self, the mysteries of life and death, nature and time, and democracy and patriotism. Now it's time to extend an invitation.

What are common themes in Edgar Allan Poe's poems? ›

By looking at Poe's poetry and short stories, the common themes of obsession, paranoia, and alienation emerge. Through these themes, Poe's works serve as cautionary tales to the incomplete nature of sentimental literature towards the full human condition.

What were common themes in ww1 poetry? ›

World War I poetry includes a wide range of themes and voices. Four of the most important themes are the abstract rhetoric of honor, injury, gender relations, and poetic formalism.

What are common themes in Ted Hughes poetry? ›

Ted Hughes writes frequently of animal life, of nature, the elemental force of non-human life and the inner turbulence of modern man who is seen as a cut off from the instinctual sources of his power. His themes express the powerful, often violent energies and the divided nature of modern man.

Top Articles
Best LGBTQ+ shows and movies to watch on Disney Plus
21 Advantages & Disadvantages of New Media (College Essay Ideas)
What Is Single Sign-on (SSO)? Meaning and How It Works? | Fortinet
Katie Nickolaou Leaving
Woodward Avenue (M-1) - Automotive Heritage Trail - National Scenic Byway Foundation
Christian McCaffrey loses fumble to open Super Bowl LVIII
Pet For Sale Craigslist
Www.1Tamilmv.cafe
Craigslist Pets Longview Tx
Tryst Utah
Was ist ein Crawler? | Finde es jetzt raus! | OMT-Lexikon
Otterbrook Goldens
Find All Subdomains
Unlocking the Enigmatic Tonicamille: A Journey from Small Town to Social Media Stardom
Computer Repair Tryon North Carolina
Magic Mike's Last Dance Showtimes Near Marcus Cedar Creek Cinema
Myunlb
Slmd Skincare Appointment
Ladyva Is She Married
Cool Math Games Bucketball
Seafood Bucket Cajun Style Seafood Restaurant in South Salt Lake - Restaurant menu and reviews
Nj Scratch Off Remaining Prizes
Accuradio Unblocked
Colts Snap Counts
Otterbrook Goldens
Carolina Aguilar Facebook
Rachel Griffin Bikini
WEB.DE Apps zum mailen auf dem SmartPhone, für Ihren Browser und Computer.
Yakimacraigslist
ELT Concourse Delta: preparing for Module Two
Craigslist Appomattox Va
O'Reilly Auto Parts - Mathis, TX - Nextdoor
Harrison 911 Cad Log
Stickley Furniture
How To Improve Your Pilates C-Curve
A Plus Nails Stewartville Mn
Most popular Indian web series of 2022 (so far) as per IMDb: Rocket Boys, Panchayat, Mai in top 10
Nsu Occupational Therapy Prerequisites
2008 DODGE RAM diesel for sale - Gladstone, OR - craigslist
Husker Football
How to Print Tables in R with Examples Using table()
Cocorahs South Dakota
Juiced Banned Ad
2Nd Corinthians 5 Nlt
Craigslist Rooms For Rent In San Fernando Valley
Alba Baptista Bikini, Ethnicity, Marriage, Wedding, Father, Shower, Nazi
Pixel Gun 3D Unblocked Games
Oakley Rae (Social Media Star) – Bio, Net Worth, Career, Age, Height, And More
American Bully Puppies for Sale | Lancaster Puppies
How to Connect Jabra Earbuds to an iPhone | Decortweaks
Workday Latech Edu
Taterz Salad
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nathanial Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 6203

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanial Hackett

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: Apt. 935 264 Abshire Canyon, South Nerissachester, NM 01800

Phone: +9752624861224

Job: Forward Technology Assistant

Hobby: Listening to music, Shopping, Vacation, Baton twirling, Flower arranging, Blacksmithing, Do it yourself

Introduction: My name is Nathanial Hackett, I am a lovely, curious, smiling, lively, thoughtful, courageous, lively person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.