Rhyme, read, repeat! Discover new voices, celebrate timeless classics, and let your love of words take center stage.
Poems, Plays, and Stories Through the Ages
Your library card unlocks free digital access to over 132,000 full-text poems, plus short stories, speeches, plays, and literary materials spanning history.
From fables and folklore to sonnets and stanzas, start your journey with “Aesop’s Fables” and “The Epic of Gilgamesh;” immerse yourself in the first surviving major poem in English literature, Beowulf; and dive into the timeless works of William Shakespeare.
Discover American greats like Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and Edgar Allan Poe. Broaden your reading with the works of Maya Angelou, and E.E. Cummings. And, engage with contemporary voices such as Tracy K. Smith, Joy Harjo, and Rita Dove.
Enjoy the beauty of English Romantic poetry from William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, and Lord Byron. Delve into the rich and tumultuous history and culture of Latin America with Pablo Neruda. Explore the cultural clash between traditional African values and Westernization in the works of Okot P'Bitek.
Check out literary reviews, biographies, and images for added learning and discovery.
Curated Picks for Poetry Lovers
Your next favorite poem awaits. Browse award winners and curated booklists to journey through the rich worlds of poetry, from classic masterpieces to fresh new voices.
- Discover WA Poets
- Poetry for Teens
- Poetry for Kids
- Pulitzer Prize Winners - Poetry
- Griffin Poetry Prize
Kick Off Your Own Writing Adventure
Ready to tell your story in fiction, nonfiction, verse, or prose? Whether you’re just starting out, refining your skills, or mastering your unique voice, these books about writing have something for you. Put your new skills to the test with exercises, prompts, and practical strategies.
Connect with fellow writers at upcoming events! Mark your calendar for online and in-person writers’ groups and immersive writing workshops.
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Let poetry inspire every page this National Poetry Month.
