Editor's note
Ranking is generated by Storgy's classification model, which scores each poem's thematic depth on this subject relative to the rest of the corpus. The list is re-indexed weekly as new poems enter the public-domain corpus.
Best poems about — Storgy
Art.
Twenty-five poems, ranked.
25 of the finest public-domain poems about art, ranked by thematic depth. Scored by Storgy's classification model against the rest of the corpus, and re-indexed weekly as new works enter the canon.
The leading three
01
Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
William Shakespeare · 1609
“Shakespeare takes twelve lines to playfully point out how his girlfriend doesn't fit the grandiose compliments that poets often give to women—her eyes aren't li…”
Open the poem
02
The Canonization
John Donne · 1633
“Two lovers face criticism from someone who claims they're squandering their lives on love rather than pursuing something "useful." Donne responds, urging them t…”
Open the poem
03
Sonnet to Science
Edgar Allan Poe · 1829
“Poe's speaker confronts Science, blaming it for destroying the magic of the world—removing myths, gods, and daydreams in favor of cold, hard facts. He questions…”
Open the poem
The complete index
- 04
The Lady of Shalott
Alfred, Lord Tennyson · 1832
A mysterious woman known as the Lady of Shalott is confined to an island, cursed to never look directly at the outside world — she can only observe it through a mirror and weave wh…
- 05
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
Walt Whitman · 1865
A speaker sits in a lecture hall, listening to an astronomer explain the stars using charts, numbers, and diagrams — and he feels bored and somewhat unwell. He quietly slips out in…
- 06
I like to see it lap the Miles
Emily Dickinson · 1891
Dickinson depicts a steam train without ever directly mentioning it, employing the metaphor of a massive, strong horse to illustrate the locomotive's journey through the landscape.…
- 07
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Emily Dickinson · 1891
Emily Dickinson's brief poem applauds the beauty of being unknown and ordinary, presenting it as a shared secret among friends instead of a source of shame. She turns the narrative…
- 08
Cotton-Wool
Alfred Noyes · 1907
Alfred Noyes advises children to disregard the so-called "clever" individuals in the world — those who twist words, show off, and make genuine goodness seem boring. He suggests tha…
- 09
Miniver Cheevy
Edwin Arlington Robinson · 1907
Miniver Cheevy is a man who despises the era he was born into and longs for a glorious, romanticized past—like ancient Troy, Arthurian Camelot, or Renaissance Florence. Rather than…
- 10
Ancient Music
Ezra Pound · 1916
A brief, tongue-in-cheek lyric by Ezra Pound that pokes fun at the well-known medieval round "Sumer Is Icumen In." Instead of joyfully welcoming summer, it grumbles about the drear…
- 11
Sea Iris
H. D. · 1916
H.D.'s "Sea Iris" offers an intimate look at a wild iris thriving at the sea's edge — battered and broken, yet still vibrant and alive. The poem portrays the flower almost as if it…
- 12
Sea Poppies
H. D. · 1916
A speaker admires a sea poppy flourishing in a tough coastal setting, amazed that such a beautiful and fragrant flower can thrive amid rocks, shells, and salt-strewn debris. The po…
- 13
The Contest
H. D. · 1916
H.D.'s "The Contest" presents an intense, almost legendary conflict — probably between two opposing forces, characters, or wills — where beauty and power clash, and neither side em…
- 14
The Oven Bird
Robert Frost · 1916
A bird known as the ovenbird continues to sing loudly in the height of summer, despite the fact that spring—the best part of the year—is already gone. Frost uses this bird as a met…
- 15
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird
Wallace Stevens · 1917
Wallace Stevens presents thirteen brief, numbered glimpses — each featuring a blackbird (or the concept of one) set against various scenes or ideas. The poem doesn't unfold a narra…
- 16
Anecdote of the Jar
Wallace Stevens · 1919
A person sets a jar on a hill in Tennessee and observes how it transforms the surrounding landscape. The wild, chaotic wilderness begins to arrange itself around this one simple, m…
- 17
Poetry
Marianne Moore · 1919
Marianne Moore starts by confessing her dislike for poetry, then spends the entire poem detailing what might change her mind about it. She argues that poetry deserves recognition o…
- 18
Hugh Selwyn Mauberley
Ezra Pound · 1920
Hugh Selwyn Mauberley marks Ezra Pound's farewell to his early career and offers a sharp critique of modern Western culture. A poet who feels out of sync with his time struggles to…
- 19
Portrait of a Lady
William Carlos Williams · 1920
Williams transforms a straightforward scene—a woman sitting in a garden or an indoor space—into a playful struggle between beauty and the mundane, physical world. Whenever the poem…
- 20
Beethoven in Central Park
Alfred Noyes · 1922
After witnessing a huge Victory Celebration in New York City, the speaker retreats to a quiet corner of Central Park and notices a statue of Beethoven. The loud cheers of the crowd…
- 21
Envoi
Alfred Noyes · 1922
This clever little poem takes a jab at literary fame and the type of clever-sounding nonsense that often pretends to be profound thought. Noyes reminds us that if trendy writers le…
- 22
Fashions
Alfred Noyes · 1922
Alfred Noyes penned "Fashions" as a witty, biting, and passionate critique of the early twentieth century's tendency to discard anything old simply for being outdated. The poem por…
- 23
Five Criticisms
Alfred Noyes · 1922
Alfred Noyes delivers five pointed critiques of the literary and political trends of his time: the cynical love-triangle novel, the obsession with novelty over truth, revolutionary…
- 24
The Humming Birds
Alfred Noyes · 1922
Alfred Noyes observes hummingbirds honing in on a single flowering tree from thousands of miles away, using that image to illustrate how poets operate: just as hummingbirds are att…
- 25
The Lost Battle
Alfred Noyes · 1922
A poet inspires fellow idealists feeling weary from a lengthy battle for truth and justice, reminding them that the cause persists even when its champions fade. Noyes suggests that…
Read deeper