15+ Must-Read Ode Poems

(15 to start, 60+ to explore)

Ode poems are a formal and ceremonial type of verse, originally composed to celebrate or praise a person, event, or thing. They have been a significant poetic form since ancient times, with various types such as Pindaric odes and Horatian odes.

Odes often follow specific structural patterns, featuring stanzas with a consistent meter and rhyme scheme. These poems are known for their elevated language and lyrical qualities, expressing powerful emotions and intellectual depth.

Odes can address themes ranging from the natural world to philosophical concepts or expressions of love and beauty. They are characterized by their passionate and exuberant tone, allowing poets to convey their admiration and enthusiasm for the subject of the poem.

Odes continue to be appreciated for their timeless celebration of life and poetic expression.

Poem Explorer Poetry Archives

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 92/100

Bards of Passion and of Mirth

by John Keats

‘Bards of Passion and of Mirth’ by John Keats is one of the poet’s early odes. In it, Keats confirms that bards, or authors, have two souls, with one rising to heaven, and the other staying on earth.

'Bards of Passion and of Mirth' is an excellent ode, but it does not follow the textbook rules for odes. It is called an irregular ode, and it takes liberties to make certain points. However, some of Keats' other poems, such as his 'Ode to a Nightingale,' are great textbook examples of Horatian odes.

Bards of Passion and of Mirth,

Ye have left your souls on earth!

Have ye souls in heaven too,

Doubled-lived in regions new?

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 91/100

Ode to the West Wind

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Shelley’s ‘Ode to the West Wind’ focuses on the necessary destruction for rebirth carried out by the personified mighty west wind.

The poem is an ode, a traditional form often used to praise or exalt its subject. Yet, Shelley's ode is unconventional, in that it captures a complex emotional and philosophical range. While paying tribute to the West Wind, it also uses the ode form to explore deeper questions about human existence.

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead

Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 85/100

Ode on a Grecian Urn

by John Keats

‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ by John Keats is an ekphrastic poem that praises the timeless ideals preserved by art, providing a sublime alternative to life’s fleeting impermanence.

As evidenced by its title, the poem is an ode that praises the Grecian urn as a symbol of art's timelessness and vivid portrayal of an idealized world. Throughout Keats uses diction and imagery that convey the exalted position that works of art can have. Ultimately, the speaker's noble and lofty estimations reveal their appreciation of all art as beautiful and revelatory.

Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,

Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time,

Sylvan historian, who canst thus express

A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Forms:

Genre:

"> 84/100

Stormcock in Elder

by Ruth Pitter

‘Stormcock in Elder’ by Ruth Pitter describes the nature of a mistle thrush which sings in close proximity to the speaker.

‘Stormcock in Elder’ is an ode to a mistle thrush, a type of bird common to Europe. In the poem, the poet meditates upon the stormcock's singing as well as its features.

By the small door where the old roof Hangs but five feet above the ground, I groped along the shelf for bread But found celestial food instead:

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 80/100

Hymn to Intellectual Beauty

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Shelley’s ‘Hymn to Intellectual Beauty’ is a meditation on the spirit of beauty that bestows spiritual awakening, meaning, and transcendental truth.

This poem is a hymn-like ode written for the spirit of beauty. It follows a consistent structure featuring seven twelve-line stanzas. The meter varies consistently from iambic pentameter, hexameter, tetrameter, and back to pentameter, respectively, in each stanza. The poem employs an intricate rhyme scheme of 'A BB AA CC B DD EE' followed strictly in each stanza, exemplifying the poet's skills. Its direct apostrophic address for the subject invoked (not present), a strophic structure through a consistent pattern of rhyme and meter, reverence, and dedication through content align aptly with the traits of an ode.

The awful shadow of some unseen Power

Floats though unseen among us; visiting

This various world with as inconstant wing

As summer winds that creep from flower to flower;

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 80/100

Ode to Dirt

by Sharon Olds

‘Ode to Dirt’ is an impassioned all for everyone to reevaluate their perception of dirt and learn to appreciate it for its many qualities.

This poem is a fine modern example of the ode form, which is typically regarded as a ceremonious lyrical dedication to a person or place. The unusual choice of subject only strengthens the poem's deferential atmosphere. The poem is taken from Olds' 2016 collection, which was entirely made up of odes.

Dear dirt, I am sorry I slighted you,

I thought that you were only the background

for the leading characters—the plants

and animals and human animals.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 80/100

To a Skylark

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

‘To a Skylark’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley is an ode. It celebrates the beauty of nature and the bliss of a skylark’s song.

'To a Skylark' is a classic example of an ode, a poetic form that celebrates and honors its subject. The poem is structured around the skylark's flight and song, which Shelley uses as a metaphor for the beauty and power of nature.

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!

Bird thou never wert,

That from Heaven, or near it,

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 79/100

The Bard: A Pindaric Ode

by Thomas Gray

‘The Bard: A Pindaric Ode’ written by Thomas Gray, depicts the ruthless torment unleashed upon poets by the tyrant King Edward I.

This poem is written in a form known as the Pindaric ode, named after the ancient Greek poet Pindar. This form of poetry typically consists of three sections, known as stanzas, each with a different rhyme scheme and meter.

"Ruin seize thee, ruthless King!

Confusion on thy banners wait,

Tho' fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing

They mock the air with idle state.

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 77/100

Ode to a Nightingale

by John Keats

‘Ode to a Nightingale,’ written in 1819, is one of John Keats’ six famous odes. It’s the longest, with eight 10-line stanzas, and showcases Keats’ signature style of vivid imagery and emotional depth, exploring themes like beauty and mortality.

This poem is a classic example of an ode that traditionally celebrates a person, object, or idea. Odes often have a formal structure and use formal language to convey a sense of grandeur and reverence.

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains

My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,

Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains

One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:

#10

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 77/100

Personal Helicon

by Seamus Heaney

Heaney’s ‘Personal Helicon’ draws inspiration from his rural carefree childhood and intimate connection with nature.

The poem is an ode to youth, to nature and to the sense of possibility that arises when the two converge.

As a child, they could not keep me from wells

And old pumps with buckets and windlasses.

I loved the dark drop, the trapped sky, the smells

#11

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 75/100

Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn

by Tim Turnbull

‘Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn’ by Turnbull echoes Keats, using a modern urn to explore youth’s timeless joy and rebellion.

– This poem is clearly written as an ode. It follows the style of praising or focusing on a single subject, which in this case is the Grayson Perry urn. The speaker looks closely at the scenes on the urn and shares his thoughts about them. Like other odes, it’s formal in structure, using a set rhyme pattern and meter. But at the same time, it talks about modern things in a fresh, casual way.

Hello! What's all this here? A kitschy vase
some Shirley Temple manqué has knocked out
delineating tales of kids in cars
on crap estates, the Burberry clad louts

#12

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 74/100

Ode on Melancholy

by John Keats

‘Ode on Melancholy,’ while not amongst the most lauded of the Odes, is perhaps the most uplifting and hopeful of all of Keat’s Odes. Keats addresses the reader, a sufferer of Melancholy, and tells him not to worry.

This poem clearly fits the traditional form of an ode. It speaks directly to a big idea, which is melancholy, and treats it with care and deep thought. Keats uses formal language and a steady structure to guide the reader through complex emotions. While it is not the most famous of his odes, it still fits the form completely and does so with confidence. Its structure, tone, and message match the qualities of a true ode.

No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist

Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;

Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd

By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;

#13

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Forms:

Genre:

"> 74/100

The Call of the River Nun

by Gabriel Okara

‘The Call of the River Nun’ by Gabriel Okara is a reflective poem about the poet’s deep connection to a river from his childhood, exploring feelings of longing, life’s journey, and the impact of modernization.

'The Call of the River Nun' is an ode, in free verse. This means it is a poem written to praise and show deep respect for something, in this case, the River Nun. The poem talks about how much the river means to the poet, remembering the peace and joy it brought him. By writing an ode, Okara expresses his admiration and love for the river.

I hear your call!

I hear it far away;

I hear it break the circle of these crouching hills.

#14

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

"> 70/100

A Toast

by George Santayana

‘A Toast’ by George Santayana is a passionate poem that gives thanks to wine’s euphoric effects.

One of the curious aspects of this poem is that Santayana did not include it in the section of 'Poems' that held similar odes. Yet this poem is exactly that: a passionate ode to wine and all its innumerable blissful effects. Both its imagery and diction convey the speaker's ardent appreciation for the existence of such an elixir.

See this bowl of purple wine,

Life-blood of the lusty vine!

All the warmth of summer suns

In the vintage liquid runs,

#15

PDF Guide

Nationality:

Themes:

Emotions:

Topics:

Form:

Genre:

"> 70/100

Laugh and be Merry

by John Masefield

‘Laugh and be Merry’ urges the reader to live their life with joy and show appreciation for the world around them.

This poem can best be described as an ode. It is filled with praise and exaltation, which are key features of odes. There is a sense of joy and laughter, praising the human experience, the world around us, and explaining the poet's own religious beliefs in relation to this joy. The elevated tone of the poem is also in keeping with the form of an ode, adding to the sense of exaltation that runs through the poem.

Laugh and be merry, remember, better the world with a song,

Better the world with a blow in the teeth of a wrong.

Laugh, for the time is brief, a thread the length of a span.

Laugh and be proud to belong to the old proud pageant of man.

Home » Collection » Ode Poems

15+ Must-Read Ode Poems

(15 to start, 60+ to explore)

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links

15+ Must-Read Ode Poems

(15 to start, 60+ to explore)

by John Keats

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

by John Keats

by Ruth Pitter

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

by Sharon Olds

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

by Thomas Gray

by John Keats

by Seamus Heaney

by Tim Turnbull

by John Keats

by Gabriel Okara

by George Santayana

by John Masefield

Narrow Your Search

We Look Deep into Poetry

General

Poetry+

Discover

Useful Links