Poetry/Contemporary

Classical	Renaissance	Romanticism	Victorian	Modernist	Contemporary	AtO

Poetry after World War II is often referred to as the "post-war" or "contemporary" period.

General Characteristics

Some general characteristics of contemporary poetry include: Interest in the individual: Like modernist poetry, post-war English poetry places a strong emphasis on the individual, their experiences, and their emotions. Rejection of traditional forms: Post-war poets often rejected traditional forms of poetry and experimented with new forms, including free verse, prose poetry, and visual poetry. Political and social commentary: Post-war poetry frequently engages with political and social issues of the time, such as the Cold War, civil rights, and feminism. Confessional poetry: Some post-war poets, such as Sylvia Plath and Robert Lowell, wrote confessional poetry that explores their own personal struggles, often with mental illness or family issues. Use of irony and humor: Post-war poetry often employs irony and humor to critique the social and political status quo. Interest in language and sound: Post-war poets often experiment with language, using sound, rhythm, and wordplay to create new effects and meanings. Eclectic influences: Post-war poets draw from a wide range of literary and cultural influences, including modernism, surrealism, jazz, and popular culture. These characteristics are not exhaustive, and there is considerable variety and diversity within post-war poetry. However, they provide a sense of some of the key features of the period.

Margaret Atwood
“Circe, Mud Poems” (excerpt)
Gwendolyn Brooks
“Primer For Blacks” “We Real Cool”
Constantine Cavafy
“And I Lounged and Lay on Their Beds” “Ithaka”
Lucille Clifton
“homage to my hips” “seeker of visions” “won’t you celebrate with me”
Allen Ginsburg
“New Democracy Wish List”
Audre Lord
“Who Said It Was Simple”
Philip Larkin
“The Mower”
Robert Lowell
“Waking Early Sunday Morning”
Edna St. Vincent Millay
“April”
Adrienne Rich
“Diving Into the Wreck”
Carl Sandberg
“Choose”
Patricia Smith
“10-Year-Old Shot Three Times, but She’s Fine”
Mark Strand
“Keeping Things Whole” “Eating Poetry”
Derek Walcott
“Journey”