Learning English Online: 7 Famous Poems Everyone Should Read

To learn the English language is tricky but not impossible. Do you find yourself confused or overwhelmed as to where you must begin? With so many online spoken English classes coming up and each of these claiming to be the best online English speaking course in India, it has become imperative to have your own shortlisting framework. We have covered multiple articles in the past on this topic- be it lesson delivery, course structure, choosing an online English tutor, spoken English lesson types and so on.

Why is reading important for learning English?

To answer simply- English reading helps you to develop your vocabulary and fosters creativity! Both these skills are a must if you wish to speak English confidently and fluently. To learn English online is a continuous process. Your online English teachers and mentors will teach you the ground rules and guidelines to their best abilities.

But language education is 80% self-driven and hence great habits like reading will help you immensely in terms of

Richer English vocabulary- There is simply no limit to the number of English words one can learn
Better command on English grammar in terms of sentence structures, figures of speech, grammar functions and so on
Ability to reflect, concentrate longer, be poised and articulate better in every situation
Exposure to a variety of ideas, cultures and current affairs glocally– you can be a humble and helpful “know-it-all”

One fun form way of reading is poetry. Poetry is one of the most important forms of literature in the world which has never perished and on the contrary flourished over time. Poetry is beautiful, meaningful and uses the aesthetic quality of language. We all enjoy a little bit of poetry now and then. Poetry certainly takes me to a different world! How beautiful are poems which stimulate ideas in the mind and build different pictures!

Beautiful poems every English learner should read once:

To celebrate the beautiful art of poetry, we have curated a list of poems for you to read:

● Fire and Ice by Robert Frost

Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. One of the most celebrated figures in American poetry, Robert Frost was the author of numerous poetry collections.

The poem ‘Fire and Ice’ tells us how humans are fighting because of desires, hate and indifference between them. The poet has used these natural themes to symbolize desire and hatred, respectively. He has compared Fire and Ice with the self-destructing emotions of human beings. The poet has a strong feeling that people have so much hatred in their hearts against each other that it will be sufficient to freeze the entire planet towards death. Therefore, the fire due to evil desires and ice due to coldness and hatred are the two opposite opinions enough to destroy the entire world.

● If by Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist. His famous works of fiction include the Jungle Book, Kim; poems and many short stories.

This poem is an inspirational piece wherein the poet advises us to maintain a stoic pose while dealing with win and loss, while expressing joy and sorrow. Life is action and one should keep up and doing. There is nothing that complacent and inner satisfaction is the major thing. If one can hold his head high, one can trust one's own, one can wait with patience, one will definitely strike the chords. Kipling, through this poem, advocates the virtues of composure, patience, integrity, perseverance, tolerance, determination, and confidence. This poem is like a rule book to perfect the art of living and being human.

● Daffodils by William Wordsworth

One of the most beloved poets and a pioneer of Romanticism, William Wordsworth is acclaimed for his influential works. He is remembered as a poet who connected human relationship to nature and advocated vocabulary and speech patterns of common people in poetry. He is one of those poets who was a nature enthusiast and had great views about the healing powers of nature.

The theme of the poem is nature’s beauty with a combination of Loneliness and Happiness. The author is shown to be lonely, but when he thinks about Daffodils, he feels happy and content. The poem dawns upon the beauty of golden flowers and the significance of brightness in our life. It describes about the blissfulness of a solitary life. The importance of positive thoughts in human life is explained beautifully in this poem. Life is beautiful even in our loneliness, we can explore life and can utilize it in the best way, especially by converting our thoughts into poetries.

● The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken, a poem by Robert Frost is about making choices, and choices that shape our life. ‘The road’ is the symbol of the choice made by us. Sometimes, in our life, we make decisions unknowingly and eventually we have to regret the choice made by us because once the choice has been made, it cannot be altered. What we need is to make a right choice. Thus, the poem focuses on making wise decisions in life.

● Still, I Rise by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is known for various plays, movies, and television shows.

‘Still, I Rise’ is a poem about self- respect, empowerment and confidence at its most primary level. The poem is directed towards those oppressors in society who would tie the speaker to her past and to a history that has been misrepresented and cannot be relied upon. To summarize, the poem is an assertion of the dignity and resilience of marginalized people in the face of oppression. The poet ends her declaration by affirming that nothing can get her down and she will overcome anything through her self-esteem.

● Ozymandias by PB Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley is one of the most popular English Romantic poets, and is regarded as a great lyrical poet in English language.

It is an excellent and heart touching poem of fourteen lines with a heavy meaning which states that we should never crave for worldly desires. The poet has brilliantly portrayed the sight of the ancient ruin. The poem expressed the conflict of the everlasting power - by saying "Ozymandias, King of kings" - which isn't everlasting but transient expressed by the statue remains and the ancient ruins in the desert.

● The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Lord Tennyson is one of the most well-loved Victorian poets, holding the Laureateship for 42 years and famous for ‘In Memoriam A.H.H.’, ‘The Idylls of ‘The King and Maud’, and ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’.

The poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Tennyson celebrates an act of bravery and sacrifice- a suicidal cavalry charge during the Crimean war. Courage and chivalry especially in war is important and the fearlessness exhibited by the Light Brigade shown in the poem is truly commendable. It beautifully describes the light infantry charge against a fully trenched defensive artillery, clearly riding to their deaths, yet they had to obey the command without a single question bravely as a soldier should.

These modern and classical poems about love, nature, death, family and friendship, celebrate and represent the famous poems ever written. The work of these poets are remarkable and are definitely a great read!

Contributed By- Anjana Dutta