Poetry
Read Poetry Classics in English
2,602 poetry books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best poetry classics to read in English as a learner?
The best poetry classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Ægle and the elf, a fantasy, Zophiel and Zephyrs. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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PoetryThe adventures of Samuel and SelinaDive into whimsical verses that capture the curious exploits of Samuel and Selina, inviting readers to a charming world where childhood imagination knows no bounds.
Level C1PoetryThe Youth's CoronalInspire young minds with a collection of gentle, instructive poems that blend amusement and moral guidance, offering a wholesome bouquet of verses to nurture the heart and intellec…
Level C1PoetryThe Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose EddaExplore the creation of the cosmos and the epic battles of gods and giants as ancient Norse mythology unfolds through vivid tales of order from chaos, divine conflict, and the prom…
Level C1HistoricalThe Younger American PoetsExplore a thoughtful study of America’s emerging poets born within the last fifty years, revealing the diverse voices shaping modern verse and the evolving landscape of contemporar…
Level C2HistoricalThe Young GuardAmid the fiery crucible of World War I, young Eton cadets trade cricket fields for battlefields, facing the brutal realities of war with youthful courage and camaraderie.
Level C1PoetryThe Years BetweenA stirring collection of poems captures the turmoil, valor, and reflections of war and peace from the early 20th century, weaving history, patriotism, and human sacrifice into powe…
Level C1PoetryThe Year's at the Spring: An Anthology of Recent PoetryExplore a vibrant collection of recent poetry that celebrates the beauty of everyday life and nature, using simple language to evoke deep emotions and vivid imagery without pretens…
Level C1PoetryThe Wreck of the HesperusA daring skipper braves a fierce winter storm with his young daughter aboard the schooner Hesperus, but as the gale intensifies, nature’s wrath tests their courage and fate on the…
Level C1PoetryThe World's Greatest Books — Volume 17 — Poetry and DramaAmidst forest ambushes and noble rivalries, a true-hearted knight faces betrayal, loyalty, and love in a turbulent world where honor and reconciliation hang in the balance.
Level C1PoetryThe World's Best Poetry, Volume 10: Poetical QuotationsExplore the essence of poetry through a rich collection of poetical quotations and reflections that probe its elusive definition, blending emotion, imagination, and rhythm across c…
Level C1PoetryThe World's Best Poetry, Volume 09: Of Tragedy: of HumourExplore the enduring battle for poetry’s place in a changing world, where critics and allies alike challenge its survival, and discover a fresh defense of verse amid shifting cultu…
Level C1PoetryThe World's Best Poetry, Volume 08: National SpiritExplore the essence of poetry beyond mere study, delving into its rhythm, emotion, and timeless forms that echo humanity’s deepest joys, sorrows, and triumphs through song and vers…
Level C1PoetryThe World's Best Poetry, Volume 04: The Higher LifeExplore a profound collection where spirituality meets verse, revealing how poetry elevates the religious experience and illuminates the divine in the human soul through inspired a…
Level C1PoetryThe World's Best Poetry, Volume 03: Sorrow and ConsolationExplore a rich collection of poems that delve into the depths of sorrow and offer paths to consolation, revealing how poetry uniquely expresses life's most profound and inexpressib…
Level C1HistoricalThe World of HomerExplore the origins and enduring mysteries of the Iliad and Odyssey through a deep dive into epic poetry, ancient criticism, and the evolving art of storytelling in early Greek cul…
Level B2PoetryThe World Turned Upside Down: Or, No News, and Strange NewsExplore a whimsical collection of curious and topsy-turvy poems where animals and humans swap roles and the strange becomes ordinary, challenging your sense of reality with playful…
Level B2PoetryThe World Turned Upside DownIn a whimsical world where coats talk back and hares wield guns, everyday objects and creatures challenge their roles with humor and mischief, turning ordinary life into a topsy-tu…
PoetryThe Works of the Right Honourable John, Earl of Rochester: Consisting of Satires, Songs, Translations, and other Occasional PoemsDive into a provocative collection of sharp satires, heartfelt songs, and vivid translations that challenge society, love, and human folly with wit and boldness.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondenceExplore the heartfelt poems and private letters of a deeply English poet who weaves wit, moral gravity, and patriotism into verse that champions liberty, national peace, and the fo…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 02 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original IllustrationsDive into a vivid tapestry of humor and resilience, where tales of extraordinary survival and unyielding spirit unfold through witty prose and verse, capturing the grit and laughte…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 01 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original IllustrationsExplore the rich blend of humor and gravity in prose and verse, accompanied by original illustrations, as the progression of a remarkable literary mind unfolds through early works,…
PoetryThe Works of Rudyard Kipling: One Volume EditionDive into a rich collection of verse capturing life’s ironies, colonial tales, and timeless human truths—from army antics to ghostly encounters—woven through vivid imagery and shar…
Level B2PoetryThe Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 14Step into a world of childhood wonder with poems that capture summer nights, seaside adventures, and dreams of distant lands.
Level C2PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 6Dive into the passionate and satirical world of Don Juan, where the hero's continuous adventures unfold against vivid, shifting landscapes.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5: PoetryExplore the final poetic works of a passionate voice racing against time, blending historic drama and striking episodes with profound beauty and insight.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 4Explore a rich collection of thirteen major poems and several occasional pieces penned during the poet's mature years in exile across Switzerland and Italy, revealing a versatile g…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 3Dive into a collection of stirring metrical tales and poignant minor poems crafted during the peak of one poet’s fame, where passion, adventure, and the spirit of an age come vivid…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 2Dive into richly annotated volumes revealing the intricate drafts and historical insights behind Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 7. PoetryDive into a rich collection of epigrams, rare poems, and complete fragments that reveal the revolutionary spirit and enduring influence of a poet celebrated across continents for h…
Level C2PoetryThe Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 1. PoetryAmid echoes of ancestral halls and fading gardens, a young poet wrestles with loss, memory, and the weight of heritage.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of John Marston. Volume 3In a bustling London goldsmith’s shop, two apprentices navigate contrasting paths—one reckless, one diligent—while a cunning knight schemes to seize an estate and escape to Virgini…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of John Greenleaf Whittier, CompleteExplore a rich collection of narrative, nature, and anti-slavery poems that blend personal reflections with vivid storytelling, offering insight into history, memory, and social ju…
Level C2PoetryThe Works of HoraceExplore the varied pursuits and passions of Roman life through lyrical odes that celebrate nature, war, friendship, and the divine.
Level C1HistoricalThe Works of Garcilasso de la Vega, Surnamed the Prince of Castilian Poets, Translated into English Verse: With a Critical and Historical Essay on Spanish Poetry and a Life of the AuthorExplore the rich evolution of Castilian poetry through English verse translations, a critical historical essay, and the life of a revered Spanish poet, revealing the cultural shift…
Level C1HistoricalThe Works of Frederick SchillerExplore the turbulent epochs of the Thirty Years War and the Revolt of the Netherlands through vivid historical accounts, dramatic plays, stirring poems, and philosophical essays,…
Level C1MysteryThe Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 5Dive into a sharp critique of American interior design, where wealth overshadows true taste, leading to gaudy displays and artistic missteps.
Level C1MysteryThe Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 1Dive into a world where melancholy meets mystery, exploring haunting tales of obsession, retribution, and the supernatural.
Level C2PoetryThe Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3)Dive into the passionate tale of Hero and Leander, a lyrical poem begun by a master poet and completed by his contemporary, weaving themes of love and fate along the sea’s edge.
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 4: Poems and PlaysExplore the evolution of a poet’s mind through a rich collection of poems and plays spanning forty years, revealing early inspirations, later satirical bursts, and intimate verses…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for ChildrenDive into enchanting retellings of Shakespeare’s plays, epic adventures of Ulysses, and charming poems designed to delight young readers while introducing them to classic tales and…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4In a humble cottage, blind Margaret Gray and her devoted granddaughter Rosamund find solace in faith and cherished books, facing the trials of lost fortune and family secrets with…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Aphra Behn, Volume VIExplore a collection of elegant poems and prose that delve into the delicate art of love, virtue, and wit, inspired by classical influences and dedicated to a noble ideal of refine…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10): Poetry - Volume 2Explore the sharp wit and timeless insights of poetic criticism, where the complexities of human nature and literary art collide in a rich dialogue of wit, learning, and controvers…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 1: Poetry - Volume 1Dive into a rich collection of poetry and translations, including pastoral verses, sacred eclogues, and classic adaptations, all intertwined with heartfelt dedications and memorial…
Level C1PoetryThe Works of "Fiona Macleod", Volume IVThree companions—the Body, the Will, and the Soul—set out on a mystical midsummer journey, seeking deeper truths beyond their shared home.
Level A2PoetryThe Wonders of a Toy ShopStep inside a magical toy shop filled with delightful games and enchanting playthings that spark the imagination and joy of childhood in charming verse.
Level B2PoetryThe Wonderful "One-Hoss-Shay", and Other PoemsA masterfully crafted carriage defies wear for a century, built with equal strength in every part—until one fateful day when logic dictates its sudden and surprising end.
Level B2FantasyThe Wonder Clock; or, four & twenty marvellous Tales: being one for each hour of the dayEnter a magical world where every hour unlocks a new marvelous tale from a wondrous clock that brings to life dancing puppets and forgotten stories.