The Cold, By Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

The Cold, By Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

A few young physicists are engaged in a light-hearted chat about the movement of heat between objects.

Christmas Trees, By Robert Frost

Christmas Trees, By Robert Frost

In his laconic Yankee voice, Frost’s speaker describes how he is doubtful from the first that he would cut down his valued trees.

A Pair Of Silk Stockings, By Kate Chopin

A Pair Of Silk Stockings, By Kate Chopin

Little Mrs. Sommers comes to life in a “pair of silk stockings”, just like Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of Chopin’s famous and ground-breaking The Awakening.

We Real Cool, By Gwendolyn Brooks

We Real Cool, By Gwendolyn Brooks

“We Real Cool” is a poem written in 1959 by poet Gwendolyn Brooks and published in her 1960 book The Bean Eaters, her third collection of poetry.

Cusheen Lo, Translated From The Irish By J.J. Callanan

Cusheen Lo, Translated From The Irish By J.J. Callanan

A classic Irish song about enchantment.

The Vampire, By Conrad Aiken

The Vampire, By Conrad Aiken

Published in 1914, The Vampire is a poem about a remarkably beautiful vampiress who captures the hearts of men and eventually leads them to their doom.

Haunted, By Siegfried Sassoon

Haunted, By Siegfried Sassoon

Siegfried Sassoon, born in England in 1886, is best known for his poems inspired by his experiences in World War I.

Anthem For Doomed Youth, By Wilfred Owen

Anthem For Doomed Youth, By Wilfred Owen

This is one of Owen’s most famous poems. It deals with the horrors of war and may reflect his time in WWI.

Last Lines, By Emily Bronte

Last Lines, By Emily Bronte

Last Lines was published in the anthology, The Oxford Book of English Verse (1900), compiled by the author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.

A Clear Midnight, By Walt Whitman

A Clear Midnight, By Walt Whitman

This is a simple, yet impactful poem that depicts a speaker’s desire to free his soul from the confines of day to day life.