Political poetry

Updated on Dec 25, 2024

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Political poetry brings together politics and poetry. Politics is the process of resolving conflicts and deciding who gets what, when, and how. Poetry is a written expression on an individual’s feelings, ambitions, or views. When both come together you have what we call "political poetry" and it is a creative way to exercise one’s right to freedom of expression, all while expressing yourself in the same process. The writer accomplishes his goal to express his views on the world all while impacting the readers lives teaching them, allowing them to derive their own meaning out of it. The following is a sample of political poems and poets, on the worldly issues today.

Poems/poets A-Z

A Time of Change.: Richard McWilliam - Looks at the possible causes of 9/11. Talks about poverty and alienation being the roots of this unfortunate event

Black Workers.: Hughes, Langston – Gives a theology about the body also leaves behnd the bees, and the bees go out and do the work. while others take away from the bees and all they have done. Also noting that the horrible treatment would one day cease.

World Peace: Athol Williams aka AE Ballakisten - describes how the politics of identity influences beliefs and behavior, and can ultimately lead to conflict. Redefining identity can lead to peace.

Chicken Hawk: Macwilliam, Richard – Talks about the Chicken Hawk being strong, but when it actually comes to a struggle or war he leads from the back of the pack. More loud in his talk than actual actions.

Democracy: Macwilliam, Richard – This talks about Democracy being gained at the expense of other countries. How taking other countries resources for themselves will make their life better, while they manipulate, and cheat to keep hold of it until their hope eventually dies. Seeking power over them, and promoting their democratic ways because they feel it’s the best way to govern.

Enemy: Hughes, Langston – Being a slave was like a living hell, and this poem shares the expression of the writer of how it would be nice to see the slave owners get what they deserve as the slave emerges from years of torment.

Freedom Dust: Macwilliam, Richard – A tricky poem, analyzes the words “Freedom Dust” and individuals perceptions on it. How one can become content with their lives and not fully comprehend how significant it actually is, taking it for granite.

God Bless America: Macwilliam, Richard – Talks about America becoming narrow minded and believing that they are the only ones in the world which matter to God. Believing that their victories are blessings and so forth, guns are a blessing too.

How to Create a Ghetto: Macwilliam, Richard – This poem talks about the ingredients so to say on creating a ghetto. Richard gives a recipe with a step by step approach, stating things such as taking away their morals, stirring in low educational goals, and throwing in drugs. The end result what we see in today’s society.

Its Somebody Else’s Turn: Macwilliam, Richard – This poem refers to almost every country having an empire at one point in time; it goes onto naming a handful. Then it talks about the USA corrupting the world with their foreign affairs, and what will they do to help the world, and the legacy they will leave behind.

Jerusalem: Blake, William – This poem talks about the holy land Jerusalem and how sacred it is. Also how they will fight to protect such a blessed land.

Katrina: Macwilliam, Richard – On this tragic day a devastating hurricane hit the lands of New Orleans. The impact on the people was so brutal killing many, and wiping away the hopes and dreams of the rest all in the same process. On the rescue mission, the smell of racism was in the air, while the fellow white culture was rescued, serving them while the blacks suffered and watched and waited in desperation.

La la la Tanzania: Macwilliam, Richard – This one talks about the poverty in Tanzania, also low quality politicians who were later involved in the Iraq war.

Mrs. Conservative: Macwilliam, Richard - This poem talks about the ideal lady, very clean in appearance and thoughts. Living an ideal life until one day somebody gets underneath her skin and her “demon” as they put it comes out, and her friends worked together to take away her hate and spread it out among races, countries, and neighbors until her smile appears once more.

Next To of Course God America: Cummings, E. E. – Commentary on blind patriotism and the glorification of death in battle.

Open Letter to the South: Hughes, Langston – A treaty of peace in a sense, promoting unification instead of separation.

عملية Operación Opération Operation 行动 Oперация: Surani, Moez – Booklength poem collecting together the codenames of military operations by the 193 UN-member countries, from the founding of the UN in 1945 to 2006.

Poor Young Men: Macwilliam, Richard – A bunch of men sexually deprived that it turns into anger and aggression among women. They join the religious police and demean women to satisfy their own frustration.

Quiet Desperation: Portolano, Charles – The speaker of the poem is examining a boy on the train. Talking about his life and how great it was, and at the end he watches his flame slowly diminish.

Reconciliation: Whitman, Walt – War taking the ones we love, and their heroic deeds of that day eventually forgotten in time, washed away by death and night.

Suicide Bomber: Macwilliam, Richard – This talks about how people do not become suicide bombers because they think it would be fun to do. Rather all the problems and injustices of the world building up that a person can no longer live in the world that harbors it all.

The War: Macwilliam, Richard – This poem explains how prominent wars were in the Thatcher years, and how it affected the lives of people.

Updike, John: Born March 18, 1932, and American novelist, poet, and short story writer. Some of his works include: The Carpentered Hen, and Posthumous Endpoint.

Vachel Lindsay: Born December 5, 1931, an American poet thought of to be the father of “singing poetry.” Some of his works include: Abraham Lincoln Walks at Night, On the Garden Wall, and Why I voted the socialist ticket.

Welcome to Woomera: Macwilliam, Richard – A prison camp in Australia for the non – whites. Talks about the hate stored in the land and what they have done to immigrants over the years.

References

Political poetry Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA