These harmonious and compassionate poems yearn for unity and tranquility in a world of turmoil. They envision a world free from conflict and violence.
It’s a world where understanding and empathy prevail. These verses may advocate for global harmony, inner serenity, or the peaceful coexistence of all beings.
Poets use imagery of doves, olive branches, and serene landscapes to convey the essence of peace, offering hope and inspiration to work towards a more harmonious world.
‘On Peace’ is a hopeful but cautious celebration of its titular subject, which lauds the positive effects it has had on the world.
Keats' attitude to the poem's titular subject is one of gratitude and euphoria. To him, as to many in Europe at the time of Napoleon, the prospect of peace felt impossible for many years. The poem's sense of joy at its arrival is tempered by fears that the people of Europe might yet squander the peace they have gained.
‘Songs for the People’ is a poem that espouses a hopeful belief in music’s ability to bring peace both to individuals and the world around them.
At the center of this poem is a desire to give people who've suffered the peace they deserve. The speaker hopes to accomplish this through their music, using a metaphor of harmony and dissonance to explain the soothing effect it will have on the entire world. In this way, the poem touches on the idea that improving the lives of individuals in "sorrow, pain, and wrong," is how global peace is achieved. Harper's diction ("girdle") also underscores the stability this will effectively create, sharing an almost heavenly vision of a world transformed.
‘At Grass’ by Philip Larkin is a poem about fame and happiness. It focuses on racehorses and how they found new homes away from their previous lives.
This is a poem that celebrates the idea of peace and tranquility. The horses in the poem are portrayed as peaceful and content in their current state of existence. The poem suggests that there is value in finding peace in one's surroundings and appreciating the beauty of the world around us.
‘Mont Brevent’ by George Santayana looks up in awe and finds solace in the sight of a majestic mountain peak.
A topic touched on in the poem is peace, as this seems to be the very purpose of the speaker's words in the first place. It's a peace that characterizes both the mountain and the landscape it exists within. However, it's also what contrasts it so greatly with human civilization.
‘Over The Brazier’ exposes the fragility inherent to the dreams of three soldiers who hope for peaceful lives after the war.
The peace that the three men hope for is tied not just to their survival but to an end to the war itself. All the idyllic serenity of their visions mirror a collective desire for humanity to cease such a "silly / Mad War" that claims the lives of those who perish and the futures of those who survive. After all, to make it out alive wouldn't guarantee the men emerge unscarred, as both physical and mental wounds would take their toll. Peace then becomes as elusive but crucial to the men as it does to the war effort, though it seems further and further out of reach.
‘Stars’ by Sara Teasdale presents nature’s majesty through the sublime beauty and timelessness of stars providing spiritual truth.
This poem deals with the internal sense of peace when one is content. It is presented by the speaker's solitude, sublime experience of stargazing, and understanding of their minute place in the universe. The dark mountain, solitude, and night sky symbolize a physical sense of peace while creating a tranquil aura. The nuanced surreal observation of gem-like stars and the ensuing profound thoughts of the speaker suggest their immersion into nature, which leads to feeling an innate connection and harmony with the vast universe that provides the knowledge of spiritual truth and transcendental peace.
‘The Manger Throne’ is a lyrical religious poem that envisions the nativity scene as a moment of harmony between the heavens and earth.
Peace is a recurring topic in the poem, emerging as a result of Christ's birth and as a divine gift to humanity. "Mary's Son" is prophesied as uniting the heavens and earth, bringing a previously out-of-reach serenity that will end all "sighs." The final lines encapsulate this idea, as the "spotless birth" brings about a "peace" that is both spiritual and earthly in nature.
‘The Road That Has No End’ features a speaker who yearns for an endless journey that will bring them fulfillment.
Peace is mentioned twice in Burrows' poem: the first envisions it as a gift from nature, in particular the cooing doves, which mends the "heart's throbbing pain to sweet content." In this way, nature and by extension the experiences of the road are characterized as a source of adversity as well as serenity. A few stanzas later, the speaker implies they'd forgo the "peacefulness" of death in favor of an eternity on the road.
Hast ever tramped along the road That has no end? The far brown winding road,—your one Fast friend
‘A Portable Paradise’ by Roger Robinson is an inspiring poem that reminds readers of how peace and calm can be found within even the most stressful moments.
Finding peace and existing in a state of peace are important parts of this poem. Readers should be inspired to consider which memories or images are going to bring them the most peace and focus in on those.
Jean Bleakney’s ‘Consolidation’ is a deeply personal poem about the act of rearranging the cowry shells that the speaker and her children gathered in the past.
This poem presents the act of gathering cowrie shells and arranging them. The speaker thinks it could bring peace to her sad mind.
‘On the one-ton temple bell’ by Yosa Buson is a beautiful haiku. It describes a moonmoth sleeping on a temple bell.
The poem also relates to the theme of peace in its evocation of a quiet and serene landscape. The mention of the bell and the moonmoth add to the overall sense of calm, and the poem suggests a kind of spiritual harmony with the natural world.
‘Sunday’ by Gillian Clarke was inspired by the poet’s personal experience of attempting to enjoy a Sunday morning but then being reminded of all the suffering that’s going on in the world.
The poem reminds the reader that peace is a luxury, one that is afforded to far fewer people than readers in affluent countries might assume. The reader is likely to find themselves contemplating the state of the world after reading this poem, which is exactly what the poet hoped would happen.
In ‘Imitation of Spenser’, Keats paints a lush, romantic landscape in Spenserian style, describing a serene morning, vibrant nature, and an idyllic lake setting.
The gentle lapping of the water, the absence of conflict or turmoil, and the overall sense of calm contribute to the poem's theme of peace. The poem also implies that among other sources of peace, nature itself is one. Nature gives people time to relax and get away from the pressures and tension of everyday life, providing a sense of calm and peace.
‘Garlic in War and Peace’ is a poetic exploration of intimacy, resilience, and cultural symbolism through the transformative power of garlic.
'Garlic in War and Peace' indulges with the topic of peace by juxtaposing the sensual act of rubbing garlic paste with the harsh realities of conflict. The intimate ritual symbolizes tranquility and connection in times of peace, while the imagery of a garden overflowing with lilies and garlic evokes a sense of abundance and harmony, highlighting the longing for peace amidst chaos and suffering.
‘Our Martyred Soldiers’ by Paul Laurence Dunbar is a moving poem that searches for consolation in the wake of the deaths of noble men.
A major motif in the poem, Dunbar emphasizes that peace is the reward for these martyrs. Free from the "field and fray," no longer forced to march to fight bloody battles, they lie peacefully in the ground. One of the more touching images in the poem pictures them lying "all clothes in calm repose, / All safe from shots of lurking foes."
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