I grew up knowing that poetry is a beautiful thing, but to me it was also somewhat mystical. I think I had such a difficult time with poetry when I was younger because I did not realize that poetry compels the reader to read it aloud. The fluidity of the words and pictures, the lines of beauty beg to be spoken, if not memorized.

The following are some of my favourite poems:

“Annabel Lee”, by Edgar Allen Poe – Short and tragic, this poem tells of a love so deep the narrator believes angels killed his love because of it.

“The Highwayman”, by Alfred Noyes – This haunting poem, famously put to music by Loreena McKennitt, tells the sad tale of an innkeeper’s daughter and her lover, a highwayman wanted by King George’s men.

“Jabberwocky”, by Lewis Carroll – This poem is marvelously short with made-up words that scream of Wonderland. (In fact, this poem is found in the second Alice book, Through the Looking Glass.)

“Lady Clare”, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson – This poem is mostly a conversation between Lady Clare and her nurse, who reveals a long-kept secret, the day before Lady Clare’s wedding.

“The Pied Piper of Hamelin”, by Robert Browning – A well-known tale, this whimsical poem warns of the importance of keeping promises.