Poems about the sun celebrate the celestial wonder that illuminates our world with life-giving light and warmth. These verses often extol the sun’s radiance and vital role in sustaining all living beings on Earth.
Poets use descriptive language to evoke the brilliance of the sun’s rays, the way they dance across landscapes, and fill the sky with vivid colors during sunrise and sunset. Poems about the sun may also explore its symbolic significance, representing hope, enlightenment, and the cyclical nature of life.
These poetic tributes to the sun inspire gratitude and wonder for the cosmic force that bestows its energy and vitality upon our planet.
‘A Day’ by Emily Dickinson is a lyrical poem describing sunrise and sunset. In a metaphysical sense, it also portrays the beauty of life and the uncertainty of death.
Practically speaking, it is the presence of sunlight which defines our conception of the day and separates it from the night. The symbol of the sun as it moves through the sky mirrors a human lifetime in which we are born, grow up and eventually age and die. The poem clearly alludes to this metaphorical mirroring.
In ‘Lamium’ by Louise Glück, the speaker under maple trees reflects on emotional detachment and the search for self-reliance.
In 'Lamium,' the sun symbolizes warmth, hope, and emotional connection. Its fleeting appearance represents moments of longing for intimacy amidst emotional detachment. The imagery of the sun rising "very far away" evokes a sense of distance and transience, highlighting the elusive nature of emotional fulfillment. Through this symbolism, the poem explores the transformative power of light in navigating the shadows of emotional isolation.
‘Love Cycle’ by Chinua Achebe describes sunrise, sunset, and their effects on Earth using the metaphor of a barely functioning couple.
This portrayal of the sun is very layered and nuanced. Achebe draws upon myriad influences when it comes to the sun in this poem, including Igbo tradition, the Christian Bible, and classical mythology. Likewise, he expertly uses the sun as a symbol of both permanence and change.
‘The Sun Has Burst The Sky’ by Jenny Joseph uses hyperbolic images of nature to describe a speaker’s love for “you.” They suggest that incredible natural events occur because of the intensity of their love.
The sun is a key image in the poem. The speaker talks about the sun bursting to show the power of their love. This image makes the love feel very strong and overwhelming. The sun represents light, warmth, and life, which ties into the speaker’s intense feelings. The poem uses the sun to express how love can brighten and change everything.
‘This Morning I Pray for My Enemies’ by Joy Harjo is a powerful poem that reveals the razor-thin line that separates who we consider a friend or enemy.
The sun is used by Joy Harjo as the centerpiece for the extended metaphor found within the poem. They compare the star to the heart, emphasizing the way our worlds revolve around its whims and fancies. As a result, the heart can harbor feelings for both friends and enemies. illuminating the likelihood of a transformation between the two.
And whom do I call my enemy?
An enemy must be worthy of engagement.
I turn in the direction of the sun and keep walking.
It’s the heart that asks the question, not my furious mind.
‘Futility’ by Wilfred Owen shows the vain efforts to revive a fallen soldier, representing the futility of World War I.
The Sun is a significant symbol in the poem as the dead soldier is brought under the sun because - 'Always it woke him.' However, the sun, traditionally a life-giving force, couldn't resurrect the soldier this time, symbolizing the extent of destruction of the war, which renders everything impotent and devoid of life and meaning, producing only wastelands.
‘Spring Offensive’ by Wilfred Owen portrays the harrowing realities of World War I and the ensuing trauma endured by soldiers.
The sun in the poem symbolizes life, warmth, and vibrancy. However, as the soldiers prepare for battle, they turn away from it, symbolizing their departure from life into the abyss of the battle. Right before the battle begins, the line stating, 'The sun, like a friend with whom their love is done,' represents soldiers' finality from life and its vibrancy forever.
‘Life is but a Dream’ by Lewis Carroll is a poem that depicts the logic and illogic of dreams and life, suggesting that our entire lives are one long dream.
‘To My Sister’ is a serene call to embrace nature’s joy with loved ones, setting aside life’s hustle for spiritual renewal.
The sun is mentioned in a few key lines, where the speaker urges his sister to come out and feel it. It becomes a symbol of warmth, light, and emotional clarity. The sun stands for the healing presence of nature, and while it is not the focus of the poem, its appearance adds to the calming effect. It helps paint the outdoor world as something good for the mind and spirit, supporting the poem’s peaceful tone.
‘The Bait’ by John Donne describes a speaker’s love and admiration for a woman. He emphasizes what her beauty and goodness are capable of.
The sun is mentioned as a source of light and warmth. The speaker says the beloved's eyes warm the river more than the sun. This shows how powerful her beauty is. The sun is used to highlight her radiant effect. It symbolizes natural energy and life.
‘The Invocation’ by Gabriel Okara is a poem in the “The Fisherman’s Invocation” series of poems, and it continues to look at themes of time and identity.
In this poem, the Sun is shown as the giver of life. It represents vitality and energy. The poem shows the way that the sun is seen as important in the history and culture of the people, and is used as a way to demonstrate their deep - and long-held - connection to the past.
‘Where We Belong, A Duet’ by Maya Angelou is an uplifting poem about how satisfying finding a true connection to another person can be.
The sun itself is never directly mentioned, but the word “sunrise” is a powerful image in the final stanza. It represents hope, peace, and a new beginning. The person who brings light into the speaker’s life is compared to a sunrise, showing how their presence changes everything. The image is gentle but strong, offering comfort without needing many words. This quiet symbol brings a sense of emotional brightness and works as a beautiful metaphor for love found at last.
‘Ode to Hope’ by Pablo Neruda is a short poem which uses the image of the sun rising over the sea to relate a message of hope.
The sun is first inferred in the phrase "orange earth" to show the sun had reflected its light on the ground the same way the sky had done with the sea. It is then mentioned more directly as a symbol of sacrifice often necessary to inspire hope.
‘The Child Front’ continues to look at concepts of cultural and spiritual heritage, expanding on the ideas of the previous poems in the series.
The sun has often been seen as a symbol of life throughout history, and within this poem, it represents a different aspect of life and birth to the moon. The heat and fire of the sun are mentioned, showing an intensity and potential for violence which are missing from the descriptions of the moon, making the sun and the moon symbols that counteract one another.
‘[love is more thicker than forget]’ by E.E. Cummings conveys the idea that love can be a source of hope, comfort, and joy in times of darkness.
The sun is one of a few different images used in this poem. Cummings uses it as one side of an example of juxtaposition in which he contrast the different elements of love and its influence.
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