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POETS
Stanzaz®
Blue Cards
are the first lines of 16 poems from the public domain.
Emily Dickinson
(1830-1886)
Considered an eccentric who rarely left her bedroom.
Considered an eccentric who rarely left her bedroom.
This diverse group of poets wrote the first lines that will get your poems started.
Click on a poet
to learn more.
D. H. Lawrence
(1885-1930)
Left Britain after WWI and spent the rest of his life traveling.
Left Britain after WWI and spent the rest of his life traveling.
Paul Laurence Dunbar
(1872-1906)
Maya Angelou used a line from his poem for the title of her novel.
Maya Angelou used a line from his poem for the title of her novel.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
(1825-1911)
One of the first African American women to be published in the U.S.
One of the first African American women to be published in the U.S.
William Butler Yeats
(1865-1939)
Influenced by mysticism and the occult.
Influenced by mysticism and the occult.
Lucian B. Watkins
(1878-1920)
Served in WWI; Author of "Voices of Solitude."
Served in WWI; Author of "Voices of Solitude."
Emily Brontë
(1818-1848)
Published Wuthering Heights under the pseudonym, Ellis Bell.
Published Wuthering Heights under the pseudonym, Ellis Bell.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1807-1882)
A polyglot who wrote, edited, and translated in Spanish, French, and Italian.
A polyglot who wrote, edited, and translated in Spanish, French, and Italian.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
(1806-1861)
Lived in Pisa, Italy, and had a fascination with Italian politics.
Lived in Pisa, Italy, and had a fascination with Italian politics.
Edgar Allan Poe
(1809-1849)
Considered to be the first well-known American attempting to earn a living as a writer.
Considered to be the first well-known American attempting to earn a living as a writer.
Alexander Posey
(1873-1908)
Founded the first Native American newspaper.
Founded the first Native American newspaper.
Langston Hughes
(1902-1967)
His first novel won the Harmon Foundation gold medal for literature in 1930.
His first novel won the Harmon Foundation gold medal for literature in 1930.
Robert Frost
(1874-1963)
Spoke at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
Spoke at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
Jonathan Swift
(1667-1745)
Known as the foremost prose satirist in the English language.
Known as the foremost prose satirist in the English language.
Ivan Turgenev
(1818-1883)
Proponent of the abolition of serfdom.
Proponent of the abolition of serfdom.
Anne Spencer
(1882-1975)
One of three African American women included in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry.
One of three African American women included in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry.
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