Suicide is a complex and often a taboo subject that has been explored through poetry for centuries. Poets use language to convey the pain, despair, and confusion often accompanying suicidal thoughts and actions. Poems about suicide can be difficult to read but can also be powerful and thought-provoking.
Many famous poets throughout history have written about suicide, including Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, and Robert Frost. These poets often used their personal experiences with depression, anxiety, and trauma to create moving and honest portrayals of mental health struggles.
While poems about suicide can be intense and emotional, they can also offer a sense of catharsis and healing. Reading and writing poetry about suicide can be a way to process difficult emotions and connect with others who may be going through similar struggles.
It is important to remember that suicide is a serious issue that requires professional help and support: help is available, such as with international suicide hotlines. Still, poetry can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and starting important conversations about mental health.
Langston Hughes’ ‘Suicide’s Note’ presents the perspective of someone who wants to take their own life.
This is one of the most interesting poems about suicide. The calm and cool face of the river can be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea of death or suicide, which is often seen as a peaceful escape from the struggles of life. The river's request for a kiss can be read as a temptation to end one's life, to give in to the desire to end suffering and seek the calmness of death. The poem can be seen as a meditation on the allure of suicide, and the difficulty of resisting the temptation to end one's pain.
‘Suicide in the Trenches’ is an incredibly tragic poem. Siegfried Sassoon explores the mental deterioration of a young soldier in the trenches of WW1 and his suicide.
The poem "Suicide in the Trenches" directly deals with suicide in the context of war. It portrays a young soldier who cannot cope with the war's physical and psychological trauma, ultimately leading him to take his own life. The poem is deeply sad and highly effective.
This poem delves into death, rebirth, and the endurance of suffering, drawing parallels to the biblical figure of Lazarus.
Death and suicide are prominent themes throughout the poem. Plath uses the figure of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead, to draw parallels between death and resurrection. She emphasizes the inevitability of death and the desire for control over one's life. Through her portrayal of suicide, Plath challenges societal norms and expectations and offers a powerful commentary on the human condition and the struggle for meaning in life.
‘The Suicide’s Soliloquy’ is a dark poem about sorrow and suicide which some believe was written by the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
The poem's narrator is contemplating suicide and describes the place where he intends to end his life. He longs for the relief that death will bring and sees it as the only solution to his misery. This poem is written in beautiful language that is as haunting as it is interesting.
‘Rowing’ by Anne Sexton is a moving and unforgettable poem about depression. It was written two years before Sexton took her life in 1974.
The mention of the "gnawing pestilential rat" and the speaker's desire to get rid of it is often interpreted as a reference to suicidal thoughts. This seems particularly important, considering that only a few days after writing this poem, Anne Sexton committed suicide.
‘Don’t kill yourself today’ by Hannah Dains is a thoughtful and powerful poem about suicide. The poet explores all the reasons someone has to stay alive and expresses her love for those struggling with depression.
The poem directly addresses suicide, urging the reader not to proceed. It acknowledges that suicide might seem like a solution but points out that it is a permanent one to a temporary problem. Although this poem is directed at young readers who are suffering from depression, it's also likely going to feel relatable to other readers as well.
Don’t kill yourself today
Because your Netflix free trial still has a week left.
Don’t kill yourself today
because no one else will finish off the chicken in the fridge.
‘The Portrait’ by Stanley Kunitz is a sad poem about the speaker’s ill-fated attempt to learn more about their deceased father.
Although the poem deals with the effects of the father's suicide, the speaker doesn't speculate or even ponder the act for very long. Instead, the focus is on how such a loss has cratered the lives of the speaker and their mother, leaving nothing but emptiness and anger in its wake.
‘Bag of Mice’ by Nick Flynn is a powerful poem that describes a speaker’s dream and a listener’s suicide note. It uses short, evocative lines that are easy to read and hard to forget.
The central theme of the poem is suicide. The author dreams about finding a suicide note written by someone close to him. The note is written on a paper bag, which is then filled with six baby mice. The imagery is dark and unsettling, suggesting that suicide is a deeply disturbing and traumatic experience that leaves a lasting impression on those left behind.
Robert Service’s ‘Death in the Arctic’ tells a bleak, dark story in such an evocative way that even after the poem finishes, the reader can’t help but wonder for more.
The poem centers around the speaker's contemplation of suicide, which is explicitly stated in the opening lines. The speaker waits for the clock to strike eight when they plan to shoot themselves. The theme of suicide is further explored through the speaker's descriptions of their life struggles and the struggles of their companions in the harsh Arctic environment.
‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ (1961) is the titular poem of Amiri Baraka’s first collection of poems. This piece introduces a depressed narrator engrossed with the thoughts of dying.
The poem does not explicitly mention suicide (except in the title), but it may imply the speaker's contemplation of it through their preoccupation with counting the stars and holes they leave. The poem is incredibly powerful, even though it's quite short. Many readers will find a great deal to relate to within its lines.
Robert Frost penned this poem, ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ in 1922, subsequently published with his long poem, ‘New Hampshire.’
While not explicitly mentioned in the poem, the idea of suicide is suggested in the speaker's contemplation of the peaceful allure of death. The poem can be seen as a reflection on the complexities of life and the desire for escape.
‘Life is Fine’ by Langston Hughes is a playful ditty. The poem is about a man who is suffering and contemplating suicide but is still able to see the beauty in life.
The narrator’s repeated thoughts about ending their life show that suicide is a big part of this poem. They consider drowning in the river and jumping off a tall building. Each time, they pull back, but those moments are powerful reminders of how hard life can get. The poem captures that desperate feeling when someone is ready to give up, but it also shows how even in the darkest times, there can be a reason to hold on.
‘Wanting to Die’ by Anne Sexton is a poem about the poet’s desire to take her own life. It was written close to ten years before she committed suicide.
Suicide is the most direct topic of the poem, made clear by the title and reinforced throughout every section. Sexton does not speak about it with fear or hesitation. Instead, she explores the thought of it with calm reflection and emotional honesty. The poem gives voice to the mindset of someone who has been close to taking their life more than once. Rather than treat the idea with shock, she lays it bare as a real and persistent presence.
Ted Hughes’ ‘The Other’ reflects on his bond with Sylvia Plath, exploring love, guilt, and their connection’s transformative power.
Even if the word isn’t mentioned directly, the poem deals with Sylvia Plath’s suicide. Hughes writes as someone left behind, trying to understand how things reached that point. There’s a quiet sadness in how he talks about everything she gave and everything he took. Her death is a presence in the poem, shaping every memory. It becomes clear that he’s still trying to make sense of the weight of what happened and why.
‘Ariel’ by Sylvia Plath uses the imaginary thrill of a horseback ride to signify the psychological transformation the rider goes through.
The speaker refers to the ride as “suicidal,” suggesting that the journey may represent a desire to escape life or to end a painful part of herself. The poem does not describe a literal act, but rather the emotional weight that makes the idea of release feel appealing. Sylvia Plath’s personal battles give this line deeper meaning. The word signals not only danger but also a complete rejection of the past, allowing space for something entirely new to emerge.
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