15+ Must-Read Poems about Birth

(15 to start, 75+ to explore)

Isn’t the birth of a child the most incredible thing in the world? When the old gives in, an infant, by kicking inside the mother’s womb, assures, “I’m here.” In ‘A Question,’ Robert Frost asks, “If all the soul-and-body scars/ Were not too much to pay for birth.” No matter how deep the scar is, the reward is far greater.

The theme of birth, like other themes in poetry, such as nature, love, and faith, is one of the important ones in poetic works. Be it the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, or the birth of an infant, it brings joy and a sense of fulfillment. Seeing an infant sleep brings instant pleasure to anyone’s heart.

Explore these beautiful poems exploring the theme of the birth of a child. You can also consider reading some of the best-known poems about motherhood.

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Sonnet 1

by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 1, ‘From fairest creatures we desire increase,’ appeals to the Fair Youth to procreate and preserve his beauty.

Birth is the solution of the primary concern of 'Sonnet 1,' i.e., preservation of beauty. Birth in the poem offers a new beginning or keeps the cycle of continuation of the legacy of beauty. Thus, the speaker persuades the Fair Youth to have children, emphasizing the significance of passing on one's beauty and virtues to future generations. Moreover, the speaker frames the Fair Youth's refusal to reproduce as a moral failing and selfish action as it deprives the world of his beauty.

From fairest creatures we desire increase,

That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,

But as the riper should by time decease,

His tender heir might bear his memory;

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Prayer Before Birth

by Louis MacNeice

‘Prayer Before Birth’ by Louis MacNeice was written during the terror struck days of World War II. It places the realities of an evil world into the mouth of an unborn baby.

The experience of birth is examined by the poem from an infant's perspective. It shares concerns and tension about a realm replete with hazards and moral unclearness. The appeals for safeguarding uncover the exposed nature of birth and the unpredictability that follows in life.

I am not yet born; O hear me.

Let not the bloodsucking bat or the rat or the stoat or the

club-footed ghoul come near me.

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The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument

by Anne Stevenson

Stevenson’s ‘The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument’ marvels at the precise design of a baby’s body, exploring the mind and body dualism.

It is the birth of a newborn baby, which likely triggers the speaker's observations as they marvel at the complex yet precisely constructed body of a baby, thinking, 'The spirit is too blunt an instrument / to have made this baby.' They observe the minute details of the structured human body and admire the biological processes behind its creation, imbuing birth with a new sense of wonder and awe, which is unlike traditional religious, overtly spiritual, or emotional outlook; instead, it seems to be celebrating the scientific rationality of the natural processes behind the human birth.

The spirit is too blunt an instrument

to have made this baby.

Nothing so unskilful as human passions

could have managed the intricate

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Passing Time

by Maya Angelou

‘Passing Time’ by Maya Angelou explores the similarities between all people. It uses figurative language to depict skin tones as “dawn” and “dusk.”

The notion of birth and life as suggested by the image of ‘dawn’ signifies the beginning of life. Angelou uses this imagery to symbolize the creation of something new that is both innocent and pure. This links with the concept of the cycle where every birth is part of a cycle that is destined to reach its end and thus create room for more cycles.

Your skin like dawn

Mine like musk

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In the Bleak Midwinter (A Christmas Carol)

by Christina Rossetti

‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ describes the birth of the Christ child on a “bleak midwinter” day and those who came to see him.

The poem centers around the birth of Jesus Christ, describing it in a humble and simple setting. Jesus is born in a stable, with only a manger for a bed, showing the modest circumstances of His arrival. This birth is significant because it marks the coming of a divine being in a very human and lowly environment. The birth of Jesus is celebrated as a moment of great importance and reverence.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

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Infant Sorrow

by William Blake

‘Infant Sorrow’ by Blake contrasts ‘Infant Joy’ by depicting birth’s pain and the struggle of life’s beginning.

The poem vividly portrays birth as a painful and distressing event. Blake emphasizes the infant’s helplessness and immediate struggle, suggesting that the entry into the world is fraught with suffering and vulnerability. This focus on the harsh realities of birth contrasts with more idealized portrayals of new life.

My mother groand! my father wept.

Into the dangerous world I leapt:

Helpless, naked, piping loud;

Like a fiend hid in a cloud.

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The Four Ages of Man

by Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet’s ‘The Four Ages of Man’ contemplates life’s fleeting stages, evoking nostalgia, ambition, introspection, and acceptance, revealing universal truths about existence.

In this poem, the theme of birth is addressed through the portrayal of childhood, depicted as a stage marked by innocence and vulnerability. Bradstreet describes the child's arrival into the world, emphasizing the mother's pains and the child's dependence. Through imagery of infancy, the poem captures the fragility of life's beginning, highlighting the universal experience of birth and the initial stages of human existence.

Lo now! four other acts upon the stage,

Childhood, and Youth, the Manly, and Old-age.

The first: son unto Phlegm, grand-child to water,

Unstable, supple, moist, and cold’s his Nature.

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Loving Someone You Can't Have

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Unknown Girl in the Maternity Ward

by Anne Sexton

‘Unknown Girl in the Maternity Ward’ showcases the heartbreaking moment a mother is separated from her child as she is too unwell.

The poem takes place in a maternity ward, and the birth itself appears to have gone smoothly. This event should bring joy; however, for the mother, it signals the moment when her child will be taken from her on account of her mental health and is thus marked by sadness and loss.

Child, the current of your breath is six days long.

You lie, a small knuckle on my white bed;

lie, fisted like a snail, so small and strong

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Sonnet 12

by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 12, ‘When I do count the clock that tells the time,’ explores the impact of time on beauty and the potential for immortality.

The sonnet subtly engages with the theme of birth as it presents procreation as the means and only way to combat the inevitable destruction of beauty by time. The speaker aims to inspire the Fair Youth to have children. Thus, he accentuates the significance of giving birth by stressing the transient nature of human existence and beauty.

When I do count the clock that tells the time,

And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;

When I behold the violet past prime,

And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white;

#10

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The Building of the Ship

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘The Building of the Ship’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow encapsulates the nation’s resilience and unity amid adversity, sailing onward with courage.

This poem explores the theme of birth through the creation of a vessel. The process of constructing the ship mirrors the stages of pregnancy and childbirth, with the shipyard representing a womb-like environment where the ship gradually takes form. As the ship is completed and launched into the sea, it symbolizes the moment of birth, marking the beginning of a new existence and journey into the unknown.

"Build me straight, O worthy Master!

Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel,

That shall laugh at all disaster,

And with wave and whirlwind wrestle!"

#11

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Early Darkness

by Louise Glück

In ‘Early Darkness’ by Louise Glück, a God-like voice reflects on the burden of creation and the pain of being separate from the divine.

Birth is an important idea here, but it’s not seen as just a joyful beginning. The speaker describes it as the moment humans become separate from their creator, which is where their struggles start. It’s an interesting way to think about birth—as not just life starting, but also the point where pain and distance from something greater begin. It makes birth feel heavy and deeply meaningful.

How can you say

earth should give me joy? Each thing

born is my burden; I cannot succeed

with all of you.

#12

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Equilibrium

by Theresa Lola

Theresa Lola’s ‘Equilibrium’ is a phenomenal portrayal of decline in the face of what ought to be a family celebration.

The birth of the speaker’s brother brings an unexpected change, disrupting the balance hinted at by the poem’s title. Even though the poem seems focused on a birth, it is more concerned with the grandfather’s experience of aging and nearing the end of life than with the newborn himself. This contrast creates a feeling of both new beginnings and the endings they inevitably bring.

My new-born brother wailed into existence
and my grandfather's eyes became two stopwatches

counting down his own exit. After the naming ceremony
my grandfather was quiet as a cut open for autopsy.

#13

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The Munich Mannequins

by Sylvia Plath

‘The Munich Mannequins’ by Sylvia Plath examines the dehumanizing effects of unattainable beauty standards through the imagery of lifeless mannequins in Munich, exploring themes of alienation and objectification.

Though not directly about the act of giving birth, the poem connects to the theme of birth through its references to pregnancy and the natural processes of the female body, which starkly oppose the lifeless perfection of mannequins. Plath uses this contrast to highlight the alienation and dehumanization that can come from unrealistic beauty standards.

Perfection is terrible, it cannot have children.

Cold as snow breath, it tamps the womb

Where the yew trees blow like hydras

The tree of life and the tree of life

#14

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A Father in Time of War

by Stephen Spender

‘A Father in Time of War’ by Stephen Spender is a lyric poem reflecting on Spender’s introduction to fatherhood in the midst of war. Spender primarily relies on visual imagery to tell of hopeful and hopeless circumstances coexisting as he lives through World War II.

The poem tells of Spender becoming a father through the birth of his son. Spender tells of his son's birth metaphorically in stanza one. Throughout the poem, this birth symbolizes hope in the midst of a hopeless war.

On a winter night I took her to the hospital.

Lying in bed, she clasped my hand

In her two hands. I watched the smile

Float on her pain-torn happy face –

#15

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Before the Birth of One of Her Children

by Anne Bradstreet

‘Before the Birth of One of Her Children’ by Anne Bradstreet is a moving poem about a woman’s opinion on death. Inspired by her pregnancy, the speaker pens this epistolary to her husband.

Birth is presented with both hope and uncertainty, as the speaker reflects on the risks that come with bringing a new life into the world. She acknowledges the beauty of birth but faces the possibility that it could be her final act. This duality highlights the bravery of motherhood, as she hopes for the best while preparing for any outcome, knowing the importance of family continuity.

All things within this fading world hath end,

Adversity doth still our joyes attend;

No ties so strong, no friends so dear and sweet,

But with death’s parting blow is sure to meet.

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15+ Must-Read Poems about Birth

(15 to start, 75+ to explore)

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15+ Must-Read Poems about Birth

(15 to start, 75+ to explore)

by William Shakespeare

by Louis MacNeice

by Anne Stevenson

by Maya Angelou

by Christina Rossetti

by William Blake

by Anne Bradstreet

by Anne Sexton

by William Shakespeare

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

by Louise Glück

by Theresa Lola

by Sylvia Plath

by Stephen Spender

by Anne Bradstreet

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