Society of Classical Poets logo
  • About Us
  • Join
  • Donate
  • Poetry
    Random
    • 'February' and Other Poetry by Theresa Zappe

      The Society
      January 29, 2019
      Beauty, Poetry
      6 Comments
    Recent
    • ‘Attention Deficit Disorder’: A Poem by Reid McGrath

      The Society
      August 13, 2025
      6
    • ‘Mnemonic Device for Military Pro-Signs A-Z’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi

      The Society
      August 12, 2025
      16
    • ‘Mary’: A Sequel to the Poem ‘Martha’ by Scharlie Meeuws

      The Society
      August 12, 2025
      6
    • ‘Sidewalk Sincerity’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick

      The Society
      August 11, 2025
      18
    • ‘Falun Dafa Parade’ and Other Poetry by Shindy Cai

      The Society
      August 10, 2025
      6
    • ‘On Having a Little Girl’: A Poem by Jacob Schultz

      The Society
      August 10, 2025
      18
  • Submit
  • Contests
    Random
    • Write a Poem on One of These Photographs

      The Society
      November 1, 2019
      Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
      40 Comments
    Recent
    • SCP Haiku Competition Featured on Radio New Zealand

      The Society
      July 26, 2025
      3
    • The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition

      The Society
      June 21, 2025
      551
    • Winners of Friends of Falun Gong 2025 Poetry Competition Announced

      The Society
      May 13, 2025
      1
    • 2025 Friends of Falun Gong Poetry Competition

      The Society
      March 31, 2025
    • The Best Poems of 2024: Winners of SCP International Poetry Competition

      The Society
      February 1, 2025
      28
    • Winners of 2024 SCP International High School Poetry Competition Announced

      The Society
      February 1, 2025
      2
  • Journal
  • Books
  • Members
  • Poetry Contests
  • Donate
  • About Us
  • Submit
  • Poetry

Author The Society

The Society

The Society of Classical Poets was founded in New York in July, 2012.

poem/coats/funeral

‘Song of the Wailing Women’: A Poem by Margaret Coats

The Society
March 27, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
25 Comments
. Song of the Wailing Women Her spirit has gone forth. Return her to the earth, Released from work and words; In death she is the Lord’s. Did Adam bury Eve? Leave Abraham to grieve The wife no longer...
poem/bonham/wilderness

‘In My Wilderness’ and Other Poetry by Warren Bonham

The Society
March 27, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
7 Comments
. In My Wilderness Once, I thought I saw things clearly. Certainty felt quite sincerely. But, my path was very nearly Overgrown by worldliness. Without charts or maps beside me. With no compass there to guide...
poem/cook/cats

‘The Cat Who Barked’ and Other Poetry by Sally Cook

The Society
March 26, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
28 Comments
. The Cat Who Barked There is a row of trees that crowd the ground, They’re dark and still. My cat lies in that spot. His tiger stripes were equal all around, But now lie wrapped in shrouds and put to...
poem/tryon/sping

‘Promise’: A Spring Poem by William Tryon

The Society
March 26, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
1 Comment
. Promise While winter holds her icy grip __There’s promise in south breezes That make their yearly northward trip--- __Springtime, she comes and teases. The snow and ice as water run forth __As she firmly...
poem/duncan/beauty

‘The Glass Delusion of King Charles VI of France’ by Shaun C. Duncan

The Society
March 25, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
28 Comments
. The Glass Delusion of King Charles VI of France ‘His malady grew worse every day until his mind was completely gone. Sometimes he thought he was made of glass and would not let himself be touched. He had...
poem/tweedie/knife

Pastoral Calls—Part 3 of 3: Poetry by Retired Pastor James A. Tweedie

The Society
March 25, 2023
Culture, Poetry
11 Comments
. Pastoral Calls—Part 3 of 3 . Midnight Encounter He was tall, well-built, and handsome and as far as I could tell, If it wasn’t for the crystal meth—intelligent as well. He was in and out of jail and...
poetry/mantyk/don quixote

Don Quixote Text with PDF: Adapted for Students

The Society
March 24, 2023
Culture, Education, Humor, Poetry
3 Comments
. The following is an excerpt of Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes, encompassing most of Chapters 1 through 8, including Don Quixote getting his start, acquiring his squire Sancho Panza, and going on the...
poem/freeman/alphabet

‘The Tragedy of the p and the q’: An Alphabet Poem by Paul Martin Freeman

The Society
March 24, 2023
Children's, Humor, Poetry
17 Comments
. The Tragedy of the p and the q . Lovers in eternity The p and q were two eternal lovers Who faced each other in the alphabet. To all else lost, oblivious of others, The ideal Romeo and Juliet. But though...
poem/anderson/drunk driving

‘Reality Check’ and Other Poetry by C.B. Anderson

The Society
March 23, 2023
Love Poems, Poetry, Satire
12 Comments
. Reality Check __The bars we frequent have been raised too high, Not calibrated to the greatest common factor: __The will to let things slide.  Who can deny This, save for someone who is such a polished...
poem/mantyk/science book

‘Dialogue on a First Grade Science Textbook’: A Poem by Evan Mantyk

The Society
March 23, 2023
Culture, Education, Poetry, Science
10 Comments
. Dialogue on a First Grade Science Textbook Many spiritual traditions throughout history have perceived all things, animate and inanimate, as living. "Usually religions teach people to believe spiritually so...
poem/eardley/online dating

A Poem on Online Dating: ‘Avalon’ by Jeff Eardley

The Society
March 22, 2023
Humor, Love Poems, Poetry
26 Comments
. Avalon This little tale concerns a man, Who in an English village ran A thriving little corner shop, Supplying shakes and soda pop. This fellow did his best to try, His customers to satisfy, As in his shop,...
poem/james/dandelions

‘The Dandelion’: A Poem by Leland James

The Society
March 22, 2023
Beauty, Humor, Poetry
13 Comments
. The Dandelion Suburbia frowns upon her sunlit face: “Out, out thou upstart weed!” Poor Dandelion —like sisters Cinderella, Queen Anne’s lace— a beauty cast aside; no bed to lie in. Medicinal,...
poem/buchheit/poetry reading

A Poem for World Poetry Day: ‘To the Reader of Verse’ by Paul Buchheit

The Society
March 21, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Readings
18 Comments
. To the Reader of Verse Ah, lover, critic, arbiter of verse, divulge your passions, fill a lusting soul with praises. Let the balladeer coerce the skeptic. Let the troubadour cajole Antaéus: wrestle not with...
poem/freeman/limericks

World Poetry Day Limerick Poetry Challenge

The Society
March 21, 2023
Culture, Limerick, Poetry, Poetry Challenge, Poetry Contests
42 Comments
. In celebration of World Poetry Day, write a limerick on the theme of World Poetry Day, poetry in general, or poets. Post it in the comments section below. Learn how to write a limerick here. An example is...

‘How to Write Contemporary Poetry’ and ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’ by Brian Yapko

The Society
March 21, 2023
Culture, Education, Humor, Pantoum, Poetry, Satire, Shakespeare
35 Comments
. How to Write Contemporary Poetry a pantoum in free verse composition keep letters lower case. dump classical tradition then cite the marketplace. keep letters lower case make use of ampersands then cite the...
poem/pain/education

‘Learnin’ Letters’ and Other Poetry by Norma Pain

The Society
March 20, 2023
Education, Humor, Poetry
28 Comments
. Learnin’ Letters I wanna learn me letters Ma, I wanna learn ta read. If I can learn me letters Ma, We’ll ‘ave the things we need. An’ when I grows ta be a man, I’ll be a proper gent, Discussin’...
poem/stellinga/antiques

‘The Antiques Buyer Meets His Match’: A Poem by Mark Stellinga

The Society
March 20, 2023
Humor, Poetry
18 Comments
. The Antiques Buyer Meets His Match "What's the best you'll do?" I asked; __“It's nice, but needs some work... and parts for these, as you may know, __are sometimes hard to find!” “If you don't like...
poem/winick/free speech

‘Ex-Freedom of Speech’ and Other Poetry by Russel Winick

The Society
March 19, 2023
Culture, Poetry, Satire
36 Comments
. Ex-Freedom of Speech In fact, most liberals don't support free speech today, And often see a need for censorship instead. They claim “misinformation” causes broad decay, So free speech ends if they...
poem/anderson/banks

A Poem on Bank and Financial Collapses: ‘Ponzi’ by C.B. Anderson

The Society
March 19, 2023
Culture, Poetry
26 Comments
. Ponzi Your promises mean nothing if they lack fidelity.  It grieves a man to hear such welcome words, then have them taken back without the least regret before a year has passed.  I thought our future was...
poem/essmann/family photo

‘Old Orphan’: A Poem by Jeffrey Essmann

The Society
March 19, 2023
Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
13 Comments
. Old Orphan They’re over on my dresser, simply framed And looking 1940s fresh and young. There’s something to them holy and unnamed, Some song inside them waiting to be sung. And I their youngest, young...
poem/woodruff/transgenderism

A Poem for Josh Alexander: ‘The War on Children’ by Julian Woodruff

The Society
March 18, 2023
Culture, Poetry
21 Comments
. The War on Children “I quoted some Scripture, I said that there are only two genders. And apparently, because there are transgender students in the class, this was considered bullying.” ---Josh...
poem/macgregor/death

‘The Last Night That We Met’: A Poem by Tiree MacGregor

The Society
March 18, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
17 Comments
. The Last Night That We Met in memoriam CQD, Halifax, February, 2001 We gripped hands awkwardly. I’d grasped your shoulder To say goodbye, and, that cold winter night A month before your death, you asked...
poem/corey/saint patricks day

‘The Leprechaun’: A Saint Patrick’s Day Poem by Cheryl Corey

The Society
March 17, 2023
Culture, Humor, Poetry
13 Comments
. The Leprechaun Come mid-March, the leprechaun Glides up and o’er the rainbow, Playful as a unicorn That’s prancing in a meadow. With greedy eyes glimmering, And shim’ry as a peacock, He slides to...
song/eardley/St. Patrick's Day

‘The Lark in the Morning’: A Tune for St Patrick’s Day by Poet Jeff Eardley

The Society
March 17, 2023
Culture, Music, Poetry
15 Comments
. "The Lark in the Morning" is a traditional Irish song performed on classical guitar by poet and professional musician Jeff Eardley: . . Jeff Eardley lives in the heart of England near to the Peak...
poem/brockstein/freedom convoy

‘Freedom Convoy Song’: Lyrics by Lannie David Brockstein

The Society
March 16, 2023
Culture, Poetry, Song Lyrics
6 Comments
. Freedom Convoy Song To bravely speak is to turn on the lights, __To silence darkens all of our debate; Yea, We the People know free speech unites __What foreign censorship did separate. The former, it is our...
poem/frank/st. jerome/christian

‘St. Jerome’s Cicero Obsession’ by Joshua C. Frank

The Society
March 16, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
10 Comments
. St. Jerome’s Cicero Obsession based on St. Jerome’s letter to his disciple St. Eustochium in Rome, A.D. 384 When I was young and foolish long ago, I traveled to Jerusalem alone To fast and pray away from...
poem/alighieri/beatrice

Beatrice Smiles: Canto XXXI of Purgatory by Dante Alighieri, Translated by Stephen Binns

The Society
March 15, 2023
Beauty, Dante, Epic, Poetry, Translation
7 Comments
. Beatrice Smiles: Canto XXXI of Purgatory by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) translated by Stephen Binns “You, on the other side of the sacred river,” __Lethe __she called to me, and sharply to the point,...
poem/dickey/thales of miletus

A Poem on Thales of Miletus, by Stephen M. Dickey

The Society
March 15, 2023
Culture, Poetry, Satire
16 Comments
. Θαλῆς 2.0 In days of yore, Thales, the famous sage, Went out on a stargazing walk and fell Straight down an overlooked and vexing well. A passing woman mocked him: “At your age You ought to know...
poem/rizley/cliffs

‘The Sea Cliffs’ and Other Poetry by Martin Rizley

The Society
March 14, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
13 Comments
. The Sea Cliffs Imposing, somber, motionless they stand, Like ranks of rugged soldiers primed for war, They stand where they have always stood before Through generations—guardians of the land. In dark...
poem/johnson/faerie queene

‘Britomart and Marinell’: A Faerie Queene-Inspired Poem by Jeremiah Johnson

The Society
March 13, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
11 Comments
. Britomart and Marinell In Edmund Spenser's epic poem, The Faerie Queene, Britomart is a female knight who represents the virtue of chastity.  Marinell is a knight whose mother has prophesied that he...

‘The Scottish Gourmand’: A Poem by Wael Almahdi

The Society
March 12, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry
23 Comments
. The Scottish Gourmand A culture-rich country which lay to the east where we were invited to conference and feast from Cuba to China, and some of the rest they bade them here gather and money invest for...
poem/Sedia/winter

‘Winter Sunset’: A Poem by Adam Sedia

The Society
March 11, 2023
Beauty, Poetry
9 Comments
. Winter Sunset Gnarled, naked boughs, shadowed skeleton arms Stretch in despair and agony. They frame Like barbed-wire twists the western sky aflame Red-orange, ember-glow that no longer warms--- The blasted...

Pastoral Calls—Part 2 of 3: Poetry by Retired Pastor James A. Tweedie

The Society
March 11, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
18 Comments
Pastoral Calls—Part 2 of 3 . Face-to-Face A weeping woman called me on the phone And said, “My daughter’s in the county jail. They will not let me see her on my own She’s charged with murder with no...
poem/freeman/bus ride

‘Ondine and Lucien’s Great Adventure’: A Poem by Paul Martin Freeman

The Society
March 10, 2023
Children's, Humor, Poetry
8 Comments
. The Number 17: Ondine and Lucien’s Great Adventure;  Or, The Kind that Can Float from The Bus Poems: A Tale of the Devil, currently in preparation. Now this is a tale of two very good friends; They lived...
poem/belli/brothel

‘The Very Best Business’ by Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, Translated by Joseph S. Salemi

The Society
March 9, 2023
Culture, Poetry, Satire
12 Comments
. The Very Best Business by Giuseppe Gioachino Belli (1791-1863) translated from Romanesco by Joseph S. Salemi First I was a gardener (a disaster), Then a bookseller. I made even less. So did I change my...
poem/cooper/melon

‘El Melon’ and Other Poetry by Monika Cooper

The Society
March 9, 2023
Beauty, Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry
20 Comments
. El Melon There is a maze or map on melon skin Even the blind could read and seek to solve. A little girl watches the housewives, deft, Touching the head shapes swiftly, one by one, Until they somehow know...
poem/pietrack/childrens/legacy

‘Poet Tree’: An Excerpt from Legacy: The Saga Begins, by Michael Pietrack

The Society
March 8, 2023
Beauty, Children's, Poetry
27 Comments
. Poet Tree Legacy: The Saga Begins is a 14-chapter narrative poem. In this excerpt, the adolescent hero Abelbee, who has to venture deep into the Great Wood to find wise Vallenbee, arrives at...
poem/coats/strike

A Poem on the French Pension Reform Strike, by Margaret Coats

The Society
March 7, 2023
Culture, Poetry
20 Comments
. Why Strike? With prices high and living standards low, Our times are like what our grandparents knew. They fought world war; we slave for war abroad And soon will labor through retirement too. We export...

‘Farinelli’: A Poem on the Famous Castrato by Brian Yapko

The Society
March 7, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
88 Comments
. Farinelli A thousand thanks, Martini, for your visit. Bologna is a town of balladeers. You’ll love it! Now I wonder, how long is it Since we both quit Madrid? Ah! Twenty years Since I last sang before the...
poem/bonham/ecclesiastes

‘Lean on Him’: A Poem by Warren Bonham

The Society
March 6, 2023
Beauty, Culture, Poetry
14 Comments
. Lean on Him after Ecclesiasties We labor long beneath the sun. Forgotten soon by everyone. We come from dust and end the same, Depart this life just like we came. It’s all just chasing wind...
  1. 43
  2. 44
  3. 45
  4. 46
  5. 47
  6. 48
  7. 49
  • Poetry Resources
  • Poetry Readings
  • High School Poetry
  • Translation
  • Poetry Contests
  • Poetry Forms
  • From the Society
  • Poetry Archive
  • Education
  • Humor
  • Reviews
  • About Us
  • The Raven
  • Riddles
  • Journal
  • Members
  • Terms of Use
  • The Society of Classical Poets © 2024