15+ Must-Read Fantasy Poems

(15 to start, 20+ to explore)

Poems of the fantasy genre are set in imaginary worlds featuring extraordinary landscapes, magical creatures, and impossible events, creating bewitching realms that can exist solely in the human imagination or fantasies. However, sometimes this genre might overlap with gothic or horror, i.e., a darker, more macabre side of poets’ imaginary worlds.

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Stories of magical realms and extraordinary creatures date back to oral literature. Fantasy poems draw from mythology, fairy tales, and folk tales while also inventing new, otherworldly creatures and phenomena. They employ various fantastical elements like mythical beings, enchanted objects, animated surroundings, animals with extraordinary powers, etc.

They often have the classical omniscient third-person narrator or a first-person narrator belonging to the fantasy realm, utilizing either authoritative, oracle-like, heroic, whimsical, or lyrical tone delivered in an archetypal or high fantasy genre voice. They also use legends, prophecies, and curses as plot devices while setting the tales mostly (not always) in timeless random spaces sans specified eras or locations.

Whether engaging in moral lessons or the timeless battle of good vs. evil, they usually culminate in a happy ending while taking readers to otherworldly regions, offering adults an escape from the harshness of the real world and entertainment and wonder to younger readers.

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"> 93/100

Jabberwocky

by Lewis Carroll

A nonsense poem filled with wordplay, ‘Jabberwocky’ by Lewis Carroll tells the story of the hero’s quest to slay the Jabberwock.

This classic nonsense poem presents a whimsical imaginary world featuring fantastic creatures, magical elements, a mystical setting, and a good vs evil trope, telling a classic tale of the mythical quest featuring a Hero and a monster. The strange yet amusing fantastical creatures like the Jubjub bird, frumious Bandersnatch, and Jungle's Tumtum tree create a captivating fictitious setting wherein the hero with his magical vorpal sword slays the flame-eyed ferocious dragon-like monster Jabberwock. Moreover, it is narrated in a classic archetypal voice found in mythical tales. This third-person narration begins in a timeless era from some random day.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

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"> 93/100

The Song of the Jellicles

by T.S. Eliot

‘The Song of the Jellicles’ introduces merry and bright felines – Jellicle cats awaiting to dance by the light of the Jellicle Moon.

This poem weaves a magical world belonging to the cute, petite, black and white, roly-poly Jellicle cats who practice dancing in the moonlight for the ritual of dancing in the Jellicle moon on the occasion of the Jellicale Ball. The detailed description of Jellicle cats' preparations, such as 'They make their toilette and take their repose: / Jellicle Cats wash behind their ears, / Jellicle dry between their toes' enhances the magical charm of these creatures while their abilities to dance such as 'They know how to dance a gavotte and a jig' adds to their mystical allure. The bewitching attributes like Jellicle Cats' 'moonlit eyes' make them further enchanting.

Jellicle Cats come out to-night

Jellicle Cats come one come all:

The Jellicle Moon is shining bright—

Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball.

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"> 92/100

Goblin Market

by Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market,’ narrates the fantastical tale of Laura and Lizzie, delving into sin, redemption, and sisterhood.

This happy-ending fantasy tale features two sisters and wicked Goblins who get defeated by the sisters. The eerie and whimsical Goblins are neither complete men nor animals but have 'a cat's face,' 'a whisked a tail,' and 'tramped at a rat's pace' or 'crawled like a snail.' They sell mysterious and deceptive yet sensually alluring fruits only to women; however, these are forbidden for young maidens. The evil goblins tempt and make Laura eat their fruit, unleashing a curse on her while Lizzie defeats them and takes the antidote for Laura. The poem also features a classic legend-like tale of a maiden, Jeanie, who passed away after eating these fruits. Further, the lyrical narration of strange events, such as in 'She clipped a precious golden lock, / She dropped a tear more rare than pearl,' enhances its mysticism.

Morning and evening

Maids heard the goblins cry:

“Come buy our orchard fruits,

Come buy, come buy:

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"> 89/100

The Lady of Shalott

by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Tennyson’s ‘The Lady of Shalott’ narrates the tale of the cursed Lady entrapped in a tower on the island of Shalott, who meets a tragic end.

Influenced by various myths and legends, the poem creates a dreamy island along the mythical city of Camelot, transporting the readers into an unreal, mystical realm of an enchanted island and its castle. It presents a fairy-like figure of the Lady of Shalott, who weaves a magical web day and night and is under a dark, looming curse that would unleash itself if she stopped weaving the web. Further, it borrows from Arthurian legends presenting the knight Lancelot and the city of Camelot while blending the Arthurian and fairy-tale myths to create an otherworldly world for a suspenseful tale of mystery and wonder.

On either side the river lie

Long fields of barley and of rye,

That clothe the wold and meet the sky;

And thro' the field the road runs by

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Macavity: The Mystery Cat

by T.S. Eliot

‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ is a light verse presenting the amusing crimes of the superhuman cat – Macavity.

This amusing light-verse written for younger readers features the captivating, mysterious antihero Macavity with superhero-like extraordinary powers. Macavity, the fantastical creature cat of this poem, is the 'master criminal' whom no police can catch. He has a mysterious ability to disappear from the crime scene and 'powers of levitation' that defy gravity. Interestingly, he, 'the Napoleon of Crime, ' steals a strange combination of things, including jewels, treaties, and milk. The playful rhythmic narrative style further enhances this imaginary tale while the antics of the cat keep the readers engrossed and entertained.

Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw—

For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.

He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:

For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!

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Loving Someone You Can't Have

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"> 85/100

La Belle Dame sans Merci

by John Keats

‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ by John Keats is an intriguing narrative that explores death, decay, and love with a supernatural aura.

The knight's tale reads like a fantasy, with its enchanting setting, magical encounter, and otherworldly character. The Lady is a fairy-like figure with long hair, wild eyes, and an ethereal presence. The knight's unreal experiences in her company, from her bewitching beauty to her mysterious disappearance and the dark curse on the knight, create an eerie supernatural aura. These fantastical elements take the readers on a ride where reality and fantasy intertwine as this borderline fantasy and gothic poem explores the speaker's distinct human condition.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,

Alone and palely loitering?

The sedge has withered from the lake,

And no birds sing.

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Nationality: Canadian

Themes: Beauty, Dreams, Journey, Nature, Spirituality

Emotions: Contentment, Freedom, Joyfulness

Topics:

Dragons

Forests

Exploration, Mythology, Plants, Trees

Form: Quatrain

Genre:

Fantasy

"> 85/100

The Forest Path

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

‘The Forest Path’ by Lucy Maud Montgomery is an uplifting nature poem that describes the beauty and magic one can find in the forest.

This poem paints an ethereal forest setting, inviting readers to peep in. The speaker creates a dreamy world of 'leafy aisles' 'With the lure of old romance!' suggesting classic mythical tales. In this fantastical forest, 'One might fancy dryads slipping / Where the white-stemmed birches grow.' It features other mythical creatures such as the 'Lurking gnome and freakish fairy' while the 'pipe of Pan' makes faint music. The poem heightens the mysticism and elusiveness of this magical forest by actively engaging with readers like a warning not to miss— 'Nymph's white shoulder as she ran.'

Oh, the charm of idle dreaming

Where the dappled shadows dance,

All the leafy aisles are teeming

With the lure of old romance!

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Nationality: English

Themes: Beauty, Nature

Topics: Islands, Man vs Nature, Sea

Genre:

Fantasy

"> 83/100

Atoll

by Robert Service

Robert Service visits the fantasy of living alone on an island in ‘Atoll,’ and depicts it as an experience both unique and unsettling.

This poem features fantastical references like ghost ships, evil drums, and signs from the Garden of Eden. The speaker's life on an ethereal atoll seems to belong to a fantasy land as he describes his world, 'Behold my world, and Eden hurled / From Heaven to the Sea; / A jeweled home, in fending foam.' The speaker is immune from the 'mortal strife,' always 'radiant with life.' Further, this mystical place seems divine as even Ghost ships don't make any sign there. It is as if the speaker 'dwell in beauty's spell' and in 'The plenitude of Peace' in his otherworldly and divine abode.

The woes of men beyond my ken

Mean nothing more to me.

Behold my world, and Eden hurled

From Heaven to the Sea;

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"> 82/100

A Fairy Song

by William Shakespeare

‘A Fairy Song’ features in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by William Shakespeare and is sung by a fairy who describes their work.

This poem is sung by a fairy from the forest where Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of fairies, reside in Shakespeare's play. The speaker begins by revealing the extraordinary abilities of fairies, such as how they can traverse water and fire and move swifter than the moon's orbit. Further, she tells about the magical elements of her dreamy world, including the cowslip flowers having rubies in their petals are her bodyguards as she goes about doing her mystical fairy duties, which include finding dewdrops and adorning each cowslip with a pearl.

Over hill, over dale,

Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Over park, over pale,

Thorough flood, thorough fire!

#10

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A Giraffe and a Half

by Shel Silverstein

‘A Giraffe and a Half’ by Shel Silverstein playfully narrates a giraffe’s absurd journey, brimming with humor, imagination, and unexpected twists.

The surreal and fantastical elements present in ‘A Giraffe and a Half ’align it with the genre of surreal poetry. Through its absurd scenarios and imaginative imagery, the poem transports readers to a whimsical world where anything is possible, challenging conventional reality and inviting readers to explore the boundaries of imagination.

If you had a giraffe

And he stretched another half

You would have a giraffe and a half.

If he put on a hat

#11

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Loving Someone You Can't Have

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"> 75/100

Song of Beren and Lúthien

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Song of Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien is a poem that features within The Lord of the Rings books. It is a story about a love between a man and an elf, told to the hobbits by Aragorn.

The story of Beren and Luthien is one of the central parts of Tolkien's work, and especially in his histories of the first age of Middle Earth. Tolkien was responsible for shaping a great deal of how fantasy is written today, and so any part of the story that is this important will have a great influence, even though there aren't a great deal of fantasy elements in it.

The leaves were long, the grass was green,

The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,

And in the glade a light was seen

Of stars in shadow shimmering.

#12

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The Flower-School

by Rabindranath Tagore

‘The Flower School’ by Rabindranath Tagore beautifully captures nature’s energy, childhood wonder, and the joy of simple, everyday magic

The genre of fantasy is elicited through its imaginative narrative and fantastical elements. The portrayal of flowers attending school underground and dancing joyously on the grass evokes a sense of wonder and enchantment reminiscent of fantastical worlds. This whimsical tone and imaginative storytelling transport readers into a realm where the boundaries of reality are blurred, inviting them to explore the magical possibilities of the natural world.

When storm-clouds rumble in the sky and June showers come down.

The moist east wind comes marching over the heath to blow its

bagpipes among the bamboos.

Then crowds of flowers come out of a sudden, from nobody knows

#13

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"> 71/100

The Land of Nod

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson’s ‘The Land of Nod’ is a poem in which a child speaker relates the intrigue they experience with their dreams.

As this poem features a magical, distant land to which the speaker travels in their dreams, it fits nicely into the fantasy genre. This other world is characterised by the speaker's dreams, providing new experiences for them to view, taste, and hear. The unattainable nature of this world in reality is reflected in the speaker's inability to recall the nature of this land while they are awake. Stevenson embraces the heart of fantasy: imagination. No curiosity is stronger than that of a child, which is reflected in their narration throughout this poem.

From breakfast on through all the day

At home among my friends I stay,

But every night I go abroad

Afar into the land of Nod.

#14

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"> 70/100

From A Railway Carriage

by Robert Louis Stevenson

‘From a Railway Carriage’ by Robert Louis Stevenson wakes up rather sudden and instantaneous images of the rustic countryside; it overcomes the reader with impressions of the brevity of life and its rich variety.

The concept of the genre of the fantastic is viewed here through the kaleidoscope of provoking bright and colorful images and labyrinthine and fast-paced sequences. Such subjects and objects as ‘fairies,’ ‘witches,’ depicted along with the typical scenes of life make it refer to the concept of magical realism. The poem’s cadences are poetic and somewhat lulled; the reader is drawn into this kind of fiction where the mundane becomes magical.

Faster than fairies, faster than witches,

Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;

And charging along like troops in a battle,

All through the meadows the horses and cattle:

#15

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Nationality: American

Emotions: Hope, Optimism

Topics: Childhood, Loneliness, Peace, Youth

Genres:

Fairy Tales

Fantasy

"> 63/100

A Fairy Tale

by Amy Lowell

Amy Lowell’s ‘A Fairy Tale’ contrasts childhood’s magical tales with adulthood’s harsh realities, exploring the longing for unmet desires.

This poem looks at the fantasy tales and their changing understanding as we grow up. It recalls the childhood experience of reading and engaging with fairy tales when we believe in the myths of these magical worlds. It contrasts the childhood expectations rooted in the dreamy worlds of fantasy tales with the harsh reality of the real world wherein there are no happy endings, and one doesn't find love and ends up with a 'prince,' as it 'Is not a fairy tale.'

On winter nights beside the nursery fire

We read the fairy tale, while glowing coals

Builded its pictures. There before our eyes

We saw the vaulted hall of traceried stone

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15+ Must-Read Fantasy Poems

(15 to start, 20+ to explore)

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15+ Must-Read Fantasy Poems

(15 to start, 20+ to explore)

by Lewis Carroll

by T.S. Eliot

by Christina Rossetti

by Alfred Lord Tennyson

by T.S. Eliot

by John Keats

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

by Robert Service

by William Shakespeare

by Shel Silverstein

by J.R.R. Tolkien

by Rabindranath Tagore

by Robert Louis Stevenson

by Robert Louis Stevenson

by Amy Lowell

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