poems for extended essay

Explore the Greatest Poetry

10 of the best (and easiest) poems to analyze .

A great deal of classical and contemporary writing is a pleasure to indulge in. A few of the best examples are included in the list below.

A great deal of the poetry produced since we started putting our thoughts on paper drowns itself out in complex metaphors , indecipherable decades after they were written. Or, contains language that has fallen out of common use or is a better example of a poet’s desire to sound educated, through the twisting and manipulating of syntax , than it is an expression of any theme worth delving into.  

These poems were selected for their ease of understanding, their clear representation of various poetic techniques, and their interesting historical backgrounds. If you’re looking for a powerful, but easy, poem to analyze, this article is for you.  

Best/Easiest Poems to Analyze

• 1 Fire and Ice by Robert Frost 
• 2 Mother to Son by Langston Hughes 
• 3 A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allan Poe 
• 4 Still I Rise by Maya Angelou 
• 5 Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
• 6 The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus 
• 7 If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda 
• 8 The Tyger by William Blake
• 9 Daffodils by William Wordsworth 
• 10 Trees by Joyce Kilmer 

Fire and Ice by Robert Frost  

Not Robert Frost ’s best-known work, but wonderful all the same, ‘Fire and Ice’ is the perfect choice for someone who is interested in analyzing a poem that speaks on themes of life, death, and opposites. The text is short, only nine lines, and repetition , juxtaposition and rhyme play important roles. Frost’s diction is clear and the syntax is straightforward.  

Read an analysis of  ‘Fire and Ice’  here.

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes  

This poem was first published in December of 1922 in the magazine, Crisis. It was also included in Langston Hughes ’ collection, The Weary Blues, published four years later. Within the text, Hughes uses the metaphor of a staircase to depict the difficulties and dangers one will face in life. The major themes are determination and wisdom. Told from the perspective of a mother, directing her words to her son, this piece is universally relatable. It clearly depicts themes and issues that are just as relevant today as they were when 100 years ago.  

Read an analysis of  ‘Mother to Son’  here.

A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allan Poe  

Lovers of poetry, and even those who only enjoy it occasionally, will immediately recognize the line, “All that we see or seem / is but a dream within a dream.” Many examples of Edgar Allan Poe ’s poetry are complex, filled with seemingly indecipherable images and mental landscapes, this piece is much simpler. The speaker knows that life is purposeless, there is no love nor is there reason to keep going. It has all turned into a dream state that he floats, and at the same time struggles, through.

Read an analysis of  ‘A Dream Within a Dream’  here.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou  

At its most basic level, ‘Still I Rise’ is a poem about confidence and empowerment. The speaker stands up to prejudice and preconceived notions of who she should be. Through the refrain , “I rise,” the reader should sense power building in the text. Repetition is used skillfully and effectively. This is likely Maya Angelou’ s’ most anthologized work, making it a perfect option for those interested in analyzing a piece of her poetry.  

Read an analysis of  ‘Still I Rise’  here .

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas’ best-known work, ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ is a universally relatable poem that has appeared multiple times popular media since its publication. ‘Do not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’   was first published in 1951. Through powerful and skillfully composed language, Thomas encourages his father to realize the importance of his life by fighting back against the dark. Additionally, this piece had an important personal meaning to the poet, adding another layer of information you might choose to write about.  

Read an analysis of  ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’  here.

The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus  

With an important historical context , Emma Lazarus’   ‘The New Colossus’ is another example of how poetry does not need to be complex and filled with complicated images to convey deep meaning. In ‘The New Colossus’ Lazarus speaks about the Statue of Liberty and the fundamental beliefs the statue is supposed to represent. Plus, with all the historical details connected to this piece, there is a great deal for a prospective analyzer to write about.  

Read an analysis of ‘The New Colossus’  here.

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda  

This is a love poem for those who aren’t interested in analyzing traditional stories of loss and heartbreak. Within ‘If You Forget Me’ Pablo Neruda speaks from a first-person perceptive and addresses his lover. He uses metaphors to compare their love to natural imagery and challenges them to forget him. If they do, he’ll have already “forgotten them”. Neruda uses accessible images and diction that makes this poem an interesting read and a great piece to take a deep dive into and analyze.

Read an analysis of  ‘If You Forget Me’  here.

The Tyger by William Blake

Usually read alongside ‘ The Lamb ,’ this piece is William Blake ’s famous description of the darker, more dangerous side of God’s creation. Within the text, he juxtaposes the tiger with the kinder elements of the world, such as the lamb. Blake’s speaker asks the tiger where its eyes were made. As well as how any divine being could’ve made the decision to craft it in such a way. Although admitting his own fear of this creature, he also acknowledges its beauty and the skill it would’ve taken to create it. This piece is likely Blake’s most commonly anthologized. This means there is a great deal of information available about its composition and publication.  

Read an analysis of  ‘The Tyger’  here.

Daffodils by William Wordsworth  

Also known as ‘I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud,’ this piece is one of William Wordsworth ’s most popular. It describes one speaker’s progression through fields and hills on which he observes a “host, of golden daffodils”. The natural imagery is quite strong and depicted clearly. Using metaphors and similes Wordsworth also speaks on his own state of being while in natural environments. Then, how he takes that experience back into his less invigorating moments. The consistent rhyme scheme imbues ‘Daffodils’ with an even rhythm , taking the reader calmly and smoothly through the lines. As with most of the poems on this list, there is information readily available about this poem making analyzing it all the simpler.

Read an analysis ‘Daffodils’ here.

Trees by Joyce Kilmer  

With its straightforward syntax and clear diction, ‘Trees’ is the perfect poem to analyze if you’re interested in themes of nature, poetic writing, and creation. The poem was written in February of 1913 and was first published in Poetry: A Magazine of Verse . It was then included in Trees and Other Poems , one of Joyce Kilmer ’s most popular volumes. Within this piece, Kilmer depicts a single tree standing in as a representative for all trees. It is, he states, lovelier than any poem he, or anyone else, could ever write. Throughout the text, he praises God’s creation and speaks on man’s inability to create anything close to as majestic.

Read an analysis of ‘Trees’  here .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

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Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

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Extended Essay: Language and Literature

• Step 1 - Choosing a Subject
• Step 2 - Choosing a Topic
• Step 3 - Draft a Research Question
• Step 4 - Finding Sources
• Step 5 - Evaluating Information
• Step 6 - Bibliography & Citation
• Step 7 - Organizing Information
• The Arts: Visual Arts
• Individuals & Societies: Business Management
• Individuals & Societies: History
• Individuals & Societies: Psychology
• Language Acquisition

Language and Literature

• Sciences: Biology
• Sciences: Sports, Exercise, and Health Sciences
• Interdisciplinary Papers: World Studies
• Assessment Criteria
• Research Questions
• Investigation

Extended Essays in Language and Literature

Choosing a topic.

• Categories 1 & 2

Categories 1 & 2

***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English***

Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.  

NB: When investigating a film in category 2, the film must be analyzed for its literary value, not filmic. Filmic analysis is allowed in category 3.

Category 3 papers also analyze works, however they are not restricted to literary works! Topics in Category 3 emphasize the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.

Approaches to Research

Categories 1 and 2

**Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but analyze works not written in English**

Primary research in Language and Literature may require close reading of one or more texts. Secondary research may also be necessary for information like historical context, biographical information,  and established literary criticism. Students should consider things like the effect of the work, the devices it uses, or the way it is written.

Students should give a focused analysis of the texts being considered. The approach should be balanced, coherently argued, use relevant examples to illustrated the point.

Examples of language in a cultural context

Examples of language and mass communication

Language and Literature Sources

Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established literary interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.

Essay Types

An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A

Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

Assessed Student Work

• An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita
• How did the World State government in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World impact the individuality of the citizens residing in it?
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IB English A (Lang & Lit) EE examples

Filter exemplars, how does everything everywhere all at once explore the impact of generational trauma on the expression of individuality using stylistic devices, to what extent do the contrasting themes of feminism and power intersect throughout the literary texts of macbeth and the handmaid’s tale, want to get full marks for your ee allow us to review it for you 🎯, how does jeffrey eugenides explore the theme of decay in the virgin suicides, to what extent does the author’s perception of reality affect the portrayal of the american dream’s futility in death of a salesman and of mice and men, how and why do albert camus in the outsider and john barth in lost in the funhouse explore absurdist themes through characterization and narrative perspective to comment upon humans’ reactions to societal turning points, fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how and to what effect do patterns in speech and behavior demonstrate internalized misogyny in season 4 of bravo’s reality tv show the real housewives of beverly hills, how do symbolism and dystopian atmosphere communicate john wyndham’s fear in ‘the day of the triffids, how does carol ann duffy construct the female voice in “mrs. quasimodo”, “pilate’s wife”, and “medusa” in her anthology “the world’s wife”, how are the revolutionaries and aristocracy of the french revolution characterised through shared symbolism in charles dickens’ a tale of two cities and baroness orzcy’s the scarlet pimpernel, to represent their differing social perceptions, how is art portrayed as a coping mechanism in emily st. john mandel’s station eleven, gender: the skinning of identity how is the characterization of clarice and buffalo bill in “silence of the lambs” used to critique societal perspectives and expectations of gender identity, how is visual imagery used to portray the black women experience in the poetry of audre lorde and maya angelou, how does george r.r. martin use the characters sansa and arya stark to represent the outcomes of challenging or aligning with gender-based societal norms in westerosi society, how does lewis carroll portray the theme of growing up through the perspective of the child protagonist, alice, in through the looking-glass, how does the recurring motif of absence in integral traditional customs of society impact the treatment of morality in “oryx and crake”, how do martin luther king jr’s eulogy for the martyred children and queen elizabeth i’s speech at tilbury compare in the methods used to achieve their respective purposes, in what ways do heathcliff from wuthering heights conform or differ from the aristotelian depiction of a tragic hero, to what extent are the remains of middle english present in the english we speak today based on the analysis of vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling in geoffrey chaucer’s the canterbury tales: the general prologue, how can the idolization of technology alter human behavior according to jungian theories, as portrayed through the use of film techniques and language in the episodes “nosedive” and “men against fire” from the netflix series black mirror, how does f. scott fitzgerald explore man’s downfall in pursuit of the american dream in the novel 'tender is the night', how are the black female characters in the novel the color purple used by alice walker to resist the narratives forced upon black women, how does t.s. eliot use the technique of linguistic code-switching (lcs) to contribute to the content and form of the waste land, how does khaled hosseini’s characterization of women in his novel ‘a thousand splendid suns’ challenge the stereotypical notion of afghan women as being ‘weak & oppressed’, how effective is the language and the visuals in the documentary the game changers in persuading viewers about the benefits of veganism, how does maya angelou portray feminism in her famous poems, ‘still i rise’, ‘phenomenal woman’ and ‘i know why the caged bird sings’, to what extent has the godfather portrayed the idea of the great american dream, and how does the movie challenge the myths related to this american ideal, how do female characters in kate chopin’s the awakening utilize music to constitute rebellion against nineteenth century patriarchal social expectations, to what extent does disney propagate heteronormativity in their g-rated movie the princess and the frog, to what extent can friends portrayal of gender and sexuality be considered problematic for modern viewers, how does kendrick lamar depict racial discrimination against african americans in his album to pimp a butterfly (tpab) through both the album cover photo and a song titled alright, how is suicide presented in the tragic plays 'hamlet' and ajax', how do dreams characterize winston smith in george orwell’s 1984 and rodion raskolnikov in fyodor dostoevsky’s crime and punishment, exploring the theme of covid-19 in advertising campaigns, how and to what effect were the connotations to the pandemic transformed in the #socialiseresponsibly campaign into representing values, how is the theme of female friendship portrayed in khaled hosseini's a thousand splendid suns in regard to a patriarchal society, how does george saunders’ the brief and frightening reign of phil utilize satire to portray the corruption and power imbalances present within us society during the 2001-2005 administration of george w. bush, what role do odours and tastes play in the evaluation of core memories in "10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world" by elif shafak, to what extent does madeline miller challenge the traditional gender roles of males through the representations in the song of achilles, in her novel banana heart summer, how does merlinda bobis explore the nature of personal belief through the character of nenita and her participation in systems of belief, in what ways are themes of feminism portrayed in the play, “hedda gabler” by henrik ibsen and the poem “the drunken husband” by marilyn chin.

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English Extended Essay: The Complete Guide for IB Students

by  Antony W

March 13, 2023

Group 1 Extended Essay subjects give IB students the opportunity to conduct independent research into a topic of interest in English, Language, and Literature.

Apart from promoting creativity and intellectual discovery, the subject group helps you to appreciate the value of advanced research and improve your writing skills.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about English Extended Essay.

In particular, we will look at the definition of English EE, English EE categories, and some English Extended Essay topics to get you started.

English Extended Essay Categories

Category 1: language.

This category focuses on the analysis of some aspects of English.

Topics such as national language policies of English speaking countries, the influence of technology on English vocabulary, and use of dialects and ascents would fit into this category.

The primary sources of information for this category would be newspapers, interviews, and websites. You secondary sources would be articles and journals.

Category 2: Culture and Society

We divide Culture and Society further into two sub-categories.

In the first sub-category, the focus is on the effect of cultural change on a language in a particular issue on the use or form of the language itself.

In this case, your essay can focus on topic to do with gender, communities, or social groups.

For example:

• Does language reflect a shift in gender roles in the workplace?
• To what extend has the rise and use of slang among teenagers affected the English language?

Such are important and interesting questions that your Extended Essay can focus on if you choose to work on this sub-category.

The second sub-category focuses on artefacts. While this sub-category is general in its cultural nature, it must be specific to a country or community that speaks the language.

To research topics in this sub-category, you will have to use cultural artefacts, which can be visual documents (such as architectures and films), written documents (such as newspapers, articles, adverts, and magazines), spoken documents (such as interviews and screenplays), and fashion icons (such as food dishes or brands).

Category 3: Literature

This category of English Extended Essay is based on a specific work of literature wit text written in the English language.

How to Write English Extended Essay

Writing a 4,000-word essay takes time. You have to identify a topic of interest, develop a research question, determine what to base your research on, and find the right information to include in the essay.

In the following section, you’ll learn how to write a comprehensive English Extended Essay using an easy to follow, systematic approach – even if you think your topic of interest in the subject looks complicated.

Step 1: Pick a Topic of Meaningful Interest to You

Explore the topics and themes taught in you English class and pick one that’s not only of interest to you but also one you’d like to know more about.

Generally, the English EE topic you choose should:

• Be something you’re keen to investigate
• Allow you to formulate a relevant research question
• A subject that you can answer in 4,000 words

After identifying your area of interest and the topic that you would like to explore, it should be easy for you to develop a relevant research question to explore.

Step 2: Develop a Research Question

Many IB students fail Extended Essay because they get the research question part completely wrong. Quite too often, they choose narrow or broad topics that they can’t answer in 4,000 words.

You shouldn’t make the same mistake with your English Extended Essay. What you need is a workable research question with a clear focus that you can answer within the word limits of an Extended Essay.

To arrive at more concise topic to explore in your English Extended Essay, it’s best to employ relevant limiting factors to the broad topic.

For example, the theme “how technology and social media impact our lives” is obviously too broad because it doesn’t tell us what part or component of our lives social media affects exactly.

By applying limiting factor to this theme, we can come up with a more focused research question that will be easily to evaluate within the limits of the expected word count.

A question such as “ to what extent social media corrupted or contributed or corrupted the English language” would be an interesting and more specific topic to explore in your EE.

Step 3: Choose What to Base Your Research On

The third step to writing an English Extended Essay is to find relevant sources to support your research into the topic you selected in step 1.

Start by determine which English category you wish to base your Extended Essay on. That’s because there are minimum expectations when it comes to primary as well as secondary sourcing.

Step 4: Find More Information for Your Extended Essay

If you’ve ticked all the boxes in step one to three, schedule an appointment with your supervisor for more guidance on how to proceed further with your research project.

English Extended Essay Topics

You shouldn’t worry too much if you feel stuck on choosing the best topic for your English Extended Essay . We’ve put together a list of some topic ideas that cover different areas in literary themes, literature, and the English language.

English Extended Essay Topics for College and University

• Is the English a language of customs and traditions with no hard and fast rules unlike other languages in the world?
• How is the American English different from British English, and which one is superior to the other?
• Has globalization played a role in the development of the English language?

English Extended Essay Topics on English Poetry

• Was poetry a text of upper classes in English literature in the classical age and in the era of renaissance?
• Why are there fragmentation and lack of interconnectivity between the stanzas of poems in modern poetry?

English EE Topics on American Literature

• Do various American novels and other literary texts show how the American dream proves to be a complete failure?
• Why were slaves against the anti-slavery movement in the United States of America?

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

IBDP English B

Website by David Ripley & Joseph O'Callaghan

Updated 8 June 2024

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• An excellent EE
• Extended Essay 2018

The Extended Essay that provides the basis for this page was awarded an A. This means that it pretty well fulfilled the expectations that the IB has for how to handle the EE task. It can, therefore be seen as some kind of model. Although ... let us be very careful about the idea of a 'model' : EEs can be done in many different ways, depending on the subject matter and the approach, and it would be quite wrong to simply imitate this example in some mindless way.

It was written by Paulina Robino Meehan, who studied the IB at the Mark Twain School in Cordoba, Argentina. Paulina's mother, Patsy, is a long-distance friend and examiner colleague of mine, and when the two of them visited Barcelona, we went out to have a paella in my favourite restaurant on the beach. Chatting to Paulina, getting to know her, we got on to the subject of her Extended Essay ... and what started as polite enquiry became active curiosity because I found the subject matter and the approach really interesting. So, I asked her to send me a copy when she got back home. She did - and I was impressed. Hence this page...

My analysis

I would stress that this is a personal commentary, intended to highlight the strengths of this essay, so that we can all learn from them. This is not a discussion about marking. I don't have access to the detailed marks awarded, and anyway what would be the point of arguing the toss about marks already finalised?

The list of key points below is organised basically by following the sequence of reading the essay - but it also suggests an order in which you might discuss issues with the student you are supervising. These key points are ideas that a student should grasp and take on board, because they are precisely the elements which attract the examiner's attention and will thus influence the marking.

You might also link these key ideas with the analysis of the criteria in the page 2018 Criteria, analysed .

So, here are striking features of Paulina's essay...

a topic worth discussing, with significant anglophone value ... Ireland is an anglophone society, of course, and the 'Troubles' over the last fifty years or so form a hugely important element of Ireland's dramatic, tragic history. Anyone who knows anything about Ireland will immediately understand that there will be serious issues to discuss here, and that these issues should tell us something about how anglophone culture works.

an intriguing approach to the topic ... the idea of looking at songs about the Troubles is instantly attractive, since popular songs are likely to tell us something about the popular attitudes and values that they express. Such songs, one feels, are likely to tell us more about the human experience of the Troubles than any dry list of socio-economic statistics. So, the essay is likely to be lively and imaginative.

a restricted subject area & time-span ... the research question focuses in on 'protest songs' (i.e. NOT 'the arts' or 'the media', which would be far too wide and vague); and there are clear beginning and end dates, limiting the area of research (i.e. NOT 'in the twentieth century' or, heaven help us, 'in Irish history'). Such a tight focus means that neither the student during the research, nor the reader, should be distracted by lots of material that is only vaguely relevant.

a good source of material ...  in this context, 'good' must mean both 'appropriate' and 'accessible'. The material is appropriate because the essay is based on a specific type of 'cultural artifact': song lyrics - and the IB's official list defining what are recognised as 'cultural artifacts' includes song lyrics specifically (see the page Cat.2 clarified ). These lyrics are accessible because, as the Appendices show, the 55 lyrics used were all found on the internet - presumably after some lengthy searching!

the title / research question ... possibly the weakest element, because it is not actually a question. However, the phrase "analysis of the purpose" implies the question form 'what was the purpose?', and so the focus of the research is generally clear. Other ways to phrase a research question might have been 'In what ways did the songs reflect the Troubles...' or 'To what extent did the songs reflect..'   It must be good practice to make sure that the 'title' is in fact a question, since the 'research question' is so prominently required.

well structured ... the logic of the argument is evident, in basic terms, in the Table of Contents - although the full sense of the argument only becomes clear once you have read the essay and understand the significance of the four periods mentioned. What is clear is a methodical approach - the term 'protest songs' is defined (B) ... 'criteria for classification and analysis' are explained (C) ... detailed analysis is reported (D 1-4) ... results of analysis are compared (E).

a clear and efficient introduction ... explaining in three paragraphs (i) the basic premise, that "songs ... deliver political messages"; (ii) the historical context, through a concise history of the Troubles; and (iii) what the essay is going to do. This lays out a clear framework for what follows. 

the theoretical background ... section B provides definitions, by quoting authoritative academic sources. Particularly important is that the categories to be used ("deliberative and epideictic") are explained, thus providing a logical justification for sorting out the material researched.

good use of quotes ... throughout, statements are consistently supported by well-selected quotations from the songs - thus providing concrete examples to back up the general argument.

methodical, meticulous use of footnotes ... have a look at the first page, for example, which has 6 footnotes. These are methodical in that they explain anything that the reader might possibly not know (e.g. acronyms like 'NICRA'); and meticulous in that all information needed to cross-check references is provided, including in the case of internet links the date in which the source was consulted (sensible as the internet sources may change through re-editing).

a rigorous overall approach ... the essay employs a disciplined academic procedure, apparent in (i) the limited corpus of songs, which (ii) are subjected to a degree of mathematical analysis, which in turn (iii) results in tables presenting the distribution of the evidence. This conveys a sense of lucid presentation of hard facts ... as opposed to woolly impressions!

a concise, efficient conclusion ... summing up the evidence that has been researched, and offering some (tentative) interpretations.

a very full bibliography + appendices ... the bibliography is sensibly organised - primary sources for the song lyrics; book sources for the major research into the context; and other online sources for general background. The appendices are ... well, lavish, since they provide the full lyrics of all the songs considered in the research process. This might almost be excessive (who's going to read through all those?), but it does suggest that the author really has looked at all of her source material.

Any objections?

Is this a perfect Extended Essay? Well ... for the reasons given above, it should be seen as close to perfect in terms of the techniques of academic writing indicated by the criteria of the Extended Essay Subject Guide. But ... 'perfect', overall?

I felt a certain dissatisfaction at the end, largely because I felt that the Conclusion was a little too tentative. I wanted to see some acute explanations of why there were different types of songs produced in different periods, but there wasn't much. Indeed, there were hints of complex explanations which weren't developed fully - for instance, that there were fewer condemnation songs "...because there was less freedom of expression and fear of punishment" . This is a serious allegation, but why "less freedom of expression"? where? and what sort of punishment, by whom, against whom?

In addition, the essay handles the limited sample of 55 songs in some detail and very efficiently - but surely a different type of essay based on the same primary sources might have discussed the images and language of the songs in order to explore the experiences of the Troubles.

But hang on, hang on! What can we really expect from an Extended Essay? This is an exercise in academic writing required of students at the end of secondary education. We really shouldn't expect grand theories in an EE. My minor complaints above are not really fair to Paulina, who has handled a sensibly restricted subject area extremely well, and been rewarded with top marks. After all, historians and sociologists and political scientists have been struggling with the appalling complexities of the Troubles for decades now, and still have not arrived at neat comprehensive explanations ...

If a student can manage an original and perceptive insight into the subject, then, wonderful - but that is really over and beyond what is expected in an EE.

And two footnotes:

** Paulina pays a warm tribute to her supervisor, Claudia Brunetto, who "guided me a lot" in all of the successful aspects of the EE - so, hats off to Claudia!

** The conclusion wasn't great, comments Paulina, because "By that time I was really exhausted so I think that I only wanted to finish..." Yes, we should not forget how much effort students put into doing a good EE.

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A Guide to Lyric Essay Writing: 4 Evocative Essays and Prompts to Learn From

Poets can learn a lot from blurring genres. Whether getting inspiration from fiction proves effective in building characters or song-writing provides a musical tone, poetry intersects with a broader literary landscape. This shines through especially in lyric essays, a form that has inspired articles from the Poetry Foundation and Purdue Writing Lab , as well as become the concept for a 2015 anthology titled We Might as Well Call it the Lyric Essay.  

Put simply, the lyric essay is a hybrid, creative nonfiction form that combines the rich figurative language of poetry with the longer-form analysis and narrative of essay or memoir. Oftentimes, it emerges as a way to explore a big-picture idea with both imagery and rigor. These four examples provide an introduction to the writing style, as well as spotlight tips for creating your own.

1. Draft a “braided essay,” like Michelle Zauner in this excerpt from Crying in H Mart .

Before Crying in H Mart became a bestselling memoir, Michelle Zauner—a writer and frontwoman of the band Japanese Breakfast—published an essay of the same name in The New Yorker . It opens with the fascinating and emotional sentence, “Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart.” This first line not only immediately propels the reader into Zauner’s grief, but it also reveals an example of the popular “braided essay” technique, which weaves together two distinct but somehow related experiences. 

Throughout the work, Zauner establishes a parallel between her and her mother’s relationship and traditional Korean food. “You’ll likely find me crying by the banchan refrigerators, remembering the taste of my mom’s soy-sauce eggs and cold radish soup,” Zauner writes, illuminating the deeply personal and mystifying experience of grieving through direct, sensory imagery.

2. Experiment with nonfiction forms , like Hadara Bar-Nadav in “ Selections from Babyland . ”

Lyric essays blend poetic qualities and nonfiction qualities. Hadara Bar-Nadav illustrates this experimental nature in Selections from Babyland , a multi-part lyric essay that delves into experiences with infertility. Though Bar-Nadav’s writing throughout this piece showcases rhythmic anaphora—a definite poetic skill—it also plays with nonfiction forms not typically seen in poetry, including bullet points and a multiple-choice list. 

For example, when recounting unsolicited advice from others, Bar-Nadav presents their dialogue in the following way:

I heard about this great _____________.

a. acupuncturist

b. chiropractor

d. shamanic healer

e. orthodontist ( can straighter teeth really make me pregnant ?)

This unexpected visual approach feels reminiscent of an article or quiz—both popular nonfiction forms—and adds dimension and white space to the lyric essay.

3. Travel through time , like Nina Boutsikaris in “ Some Sort of Union .”

Nina Boutsikaris is the author of I’m Trying to Tell You I’m Sorry: An Intimacy Triptych , and her work has also appeared in an anthology of the best flash nonfiction. Her essay “Some Sort of Union,” published in Hippocampus Magazine , was a finalist in the magazine’s Best Creative Nonfiction contest. 

Since lyric essays are typically longer and more free verse than poems, they can be a way to address a larger idea or broader time period. Boutsikaris does this in “Some Sort of Union,” where the speaker drifts from an interaction with a romantic interest to her childhood. 

“They were neighbors, the girl and the air force paramedic. She could have seen his front door from her high-rise window if her window faced west rather than east,” Boutsikaris describes. “When she first met him two weeks ago, she’d been wearing all white, buying a wedge of cheap brie at the corner market.”

In the very next paragraph, Boutskiras shifts this perspective and timeline, writing, “The girl’s mother had been angry with her when she was a child. She had needed something from the girl that the girl did not know how to give. Not the way her mother hoped she would.”

As this example reveals, examining different perspectives and timelines within a lyric essay can flesh out a broader understanding of who a character is.

4. Bring in research, history, and data, like Roxane Gay in “ What Fullness Is .”

Like any other form of writing, lyric essays benefit from in-depth research. And while journalistic or scientific details can sometimes throw off the concise ecosystem and syntax of a poem, the lyric essay has room for this sprawling information.

In “What Fullness Is,” award-winning writer Roxane Gay contextualizes her own ideas and experiences with weight loss surgery through the history and culture surrounding the procedure. 

“The first weight-loss surgery was performed during the 10th century, on D. Sancho, the king of León, Spain,” Gay details. “He was so fat that he lost his throne, so he was taken to Córdoba, where a doctor sewed his lips shut. Only able to drink through a straw, the former king lost enough weight after a time to return home and reclaim his kingdom.”

“The notion that thinness—and the attempt to force the fat body toward a state of culturally mandated discipline—begets great rewards is centuries old.”

Researching and knowing this history empowers Gay to make a strong central point in her essay.

Bonus prompt: Choose one of the techniques above to emulate in your own take on the lyric essay. Happy writing!

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IB English A Extended Essay Topics

Hello IB scholars! As someone deeply immersed in the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for years, I’ve mastered the challenging IB DP English A course . Today, I’m excited to share my insights into writing an outstanding English A extended essay. This assignment, a cornerstone of the IB diploma, requires creativity, critical thinking, and a strategic approach. Today, I will give you some ideas for English A extended essay topics.

Understanding the English A Extended Essay

First, it’s important to understand what makes the English A Extended Essay different. This 4,000-word research project offers you a unique opportunity to investigate a literary topic of personal interest. In line with general IB criteria, your essay should demonstrate a comprehensive analysis, deep understanding, and critical approach to your chosen literary works. Remember, your passion for the topic will be the light that guides your research.

The English A extended essay stands as a formidable component of the IB Diploma Programme, offering students an unmatched opportunity to dig into literary topics that ignite their intellectual curiosity. According to the general IB criteria, this assignment requires a comprehensive analysis, a deep understanding, and a critical approach to your selected literary works. It’s a unique platform where your passion fuels your research and enlightens your pathway with insights. Now, let’s highlight a few important points:

• Choose a topic that resonates with you. Your engagement with the subject matter can significantly influence your essay’s depth of inquiry and the quality of analysis.
• It’s imperative not just to describe or summarize the literary works but to engage with them critically. Analyze themes, characters, narrative techniques, and the socio-cultural context to offer insightful perspectives.
• The IB values original thought and novel analysis. Approach your topic from unique angles that reflect your creativity and intellectual independence.
• A high-quality extended essay is underpinned by thorough and effective research. Demonstrate your ability to source relevant information, evaluate its credibility, and integrate it coherently into your argument.
• A well-organized essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion enhances readability and demonstrates your ability to present complex ideas logically.

Moreover, the reflection sessions, part of the extended essay process, are invaluable. They offer you a chance to pause, assess your progress, and refine your thoughts with your supervisor’s guidance.

English A Extended Essay Topics and Research Questions

Here are topic ideas, along with research questions, that can spark the curiosity of any IB student passionate about English literature. Each topic is written to inspire and provoke deep analytical thought, drawing on various texts and literary forms:

• The Evolution of the Tragic Hero in Shakespearean Drama . How has the tragic hero’s character evolved across Shakespeare’s works from “Hamlet” to “Macbeth”?
• The Role of Setting in Creating Atmospheric Tension in Gothic Novels . How does the setting contribute to the development of atmospheric tension in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”?
• Feminism in Early 20th Century Literature . In what ways do the novels of Virginia Woolf and D.H. Lawrence reflect feminist ideas of their time?
• The Depiction of War in Postmodern Literature . How do postmodern novels depict the concept and consequences of war differently than modernist literature?
• The Influence of Culture on Magical Realism in Latin American Literature . How is magical realism influenced by Latin American cultural elements in the works of Gabriel García Márquez and Isabel Allende?
• Comparative Analysis of Heroism in Classic vs. Modern Epic Tales . How does the portrayal of heroism in Homer’s “Odyssey” compare to that in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”?
• Narrative Techniques in Stream of Consciousness Writing . What narrative techniques are employed in the stream-of-consciousness writing of James Joyce’s “Ulysses” and Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway,” and how do they affect the reader’s understanding of the characters?
• The Role of Nature in Romantic Poetry . How do William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge use nature as a motif in their poetry, and what does it signify about their perspective on the human experience?
• Dystopian Visions: A Reflection of Societal Fears . How do Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and George Orwell’s “1984” reflect societal fears of their respective times?
• The Intersection of Race and Gender in African American Literature . How do Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” research the intersection of race and gender?
• The Literary Research of Mental Illness . How is mental illness depicted and researched in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” and Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”?
• Satire and Social Critique in the Novels of Charles Dickens . How does Charles Dickens employ satire as a tool for social critique in “Hard Times” and “Oliver Twist”?
• The Concept of the Anti-hero in Modern Literature . How is the anti-hero character archetype developed in the works of Bret Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk?
• Mythology in Modern Fantasy Literature . In what ways do Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” series and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series draw upon classical mythology to develop their respective narratives?
• Identity and Exile in Post-Colonial Literature . How do themes of identity and exile manifest in the post-colonial literature of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah” and Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake”?
• The Intersection of Technology and Humanity in Science Fiction . How do Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and Isaac Asimov’s “I, Robot” depict the relationship between technology and humanity?
• The Psychological Depth of Characters in Russian Novels . How do Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” and Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” show the psychological depth of their characters?
• The Bildungsroman and Its Evolution in English Literature . How has the bildungsroman genre evolved from Charles Dickens’s “Great Expectations” to J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”?
• Portrayals of Colonialism and Its Aftermath in African Literature . How do Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s “A Grain of Wheat” portray the effects of colonialism on African societies?
• The Literary Representation of LGBTQ+ Identities . How do contemporary novels represent LGBTQ+ identities, particularly in the works of Jeanette Winterson and David Levithan?
• Existentialism in the Works of Albert Camus and Franz Kafka . How do Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” and Franz Kafka’s “The Trial” reflect existentialist themes?
• The Influence of Historical Events on American Literature . How have significant historical events, such as the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement, influenced American literature, particularly in the works of John Steinbeck and James Baldwin?
• Magic and Myth in Indigenous Storytelling . How is magic used to convey cultural myths and values in the storytelling traditions of Indigenous peoples, as seen in the works of Leslie Marmon Silko and Thomas King?
• Eco-criticism in Contemporary Poetry . How do contemporary poets like Mary Oliver and Wendell Berry use their work to address environmental issues through an eco-critical lens?
• The Role of Women in Renaissance Literature . How do the roles and depictions of women in Renaissance literature, particularly in the works of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, reflect the societal attitudes of the time?
• Narratives of Displacement and Migration in Modern Novels . How do novels like Mohsin Hamid’s “Exit West” and Valeria Luiselli’s “Lost Children Archive” depict the experiences of displacement and migration?
• The Revival of Fairy Tales in Modern Literature . How do authors like Angela Carter and Neil Gaiman reinterpret classic fairy tales for modern audiences?
• Post-Apartheid South African Literature . How do post-apartheid South African authors like J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer discuss themes of identity, reconciliation, and memory in their works?
• The Tragicomedy Genre in Playwriting . How do modern plays like Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” and Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” exemplify the tragicomedy genre?
• Literary Depictions of Utopias and Dystopias . How do utopian and dystopian themes manifest in literature, particularly in Thomas More’s “Utopia” and Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games”?
• Duality of Human Nature in Gothic Literature . How is the duality of human nature researched through Gothic elements in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” and Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• The Portrayal of Social Inequality in Dickensian London . How does Charles Dickens critique social inequality and class struggles in Victorian London through “Bleak House” and “Oliver Twist”?
• The Impact of Cultural Hybridity on Identity in Diaspora Literature . How do authors like Zadie Smith in “White Teeth” and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in “Americanah” depict the impact of cultural hybridity on the identity of diaspora individuals?
• Narrative Innovation in Post-Colonial African Novels . In what ways do post-colonial African novels, such as Ben Okri’s “The Famished Road” and Yvonne Vera’s “Butterfly Burning,” innovate traditional narrative structures to convey themes of memory, history, and identity?
• The Evolution of the Female Protagonist in British Novels . How have female protagonists evolved in British literature from Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” to Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall”, particularly in their agency and complexity?
• Symbolism in Modern American Poetry . How is symbolism employed in the works of Sylvia Plath and Langston Hughes to address themes of identity and societal expectations?
• Postmodern Elements in Contemporary Graphic Novels . How do graphic novels like Alan Moore’s “Watchmen” and Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” incorporate postmodern elements to redefine traditional storytelling?
• The Portrayal of Existentialism in European Theatre . How is existentialism portrayed in the plays of Samuel Beckett and Jean-Paul Sartre?
• Evolving Feminine Identities in Post-War Japanese Literature . How do female authors like Banana Yoshimoto and Yoko Ogawa depict women’s identities in post-war Japanese society?
• The Use of Allegory in Medieval English Literature . How do Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” and Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene” use allegory to comment on societal norms and values?
• Historical Contexts in the Novels of Hilary Mantel . How does Hilary Mantel use historical contexts to enhance character development and plot in “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies”?
• Narrative Complexity in South Asian Novels . How do novels by Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy use complex narrative structures to enhance themes of cultural conflict and identity?
• Ecofeminism in Contemporary Literature . How do Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Barbara Kingsolver’s “Prodigal Summer” weave ecofeminist themes into their narratives?
• The Influence of the Supernatural in Victorian Novels . How do Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre” and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” incorporate supernatural elements to influence themes and character development?
• Challenges of Translation in World Literature . How do translated works from authors like Haruki Murakami and Gabriel García Márquez challenge the reader’s interpretation due to cultural and linguistic differences?
• Modern Retellings of Ancient Myths . How do contemporary authors like Madeline Miller in “Circe” and Pat Barker in “The Silence of the Girls” reinterpret ancient myths?
• The Role of the Anti-Hero in British Dramas . How do modern British dramas, such as those by Jez Butterworth and Martin McDonagh, depict the role of the anti-hero in contemporary society?
• The Representation of Mental Health in Young Adult Literature . How is mental health represented in young adult literature by authors like John Green and Ned Vizzini?
• Political Satire in 20th-Century British Literature . How do George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” use political satire to critique their respective societies?
• Cross-Cultural Influences in Modernist Literature . How do T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” and Ezra Pound’s “Cantos” reflect cross-cultural influences and contribute to the development of modernist poetry?

These topics can be a foundation for your extended essay and invite you to investigate literature through various perspectives, encouraging a deeper understanding of themes, techniques, and cultural contexts. Remember, a well-chosen topic is the first step to a rewarding research experience.

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Great poetry can be any length: long poems can sprawl across pages like interstate highways, but short poems can be just as moving and powerful. Short form poetry, which includes forms like micropoetry, pack lots of meaning in a small amount of space.

The best short poems make each word carry tremendous weight, and this article is all about how to write a short poem powerfully.

How do poets condense so much meaning in such a small space? Let’s take a deeper look at short form poetry, including some famous short poems and strategies for how to write a short poem.

Qualities of Short Poems

Micropoetry, famous short poems, how to write a short poem in 6 easy steps, features of short poems.

There’s no commonly accepted definition for what makes short poetry short. In fact, it’s not even a genre of poetry. Unlike long poetry—which comprises epic and narrative poems , as well as much of Modernist poetry—short poems don’t have specific conventions ascribed to them.

In other words, if you ask different poets what counts as a short poem, you’ll get many different answers.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll define short form poetry as anything 9 lines and under, OR any poem that uses 60 words or less. This definition is somewhat arbitrary, but poetry that is over 9 lines and/or 60 words tends to use both abstract and concrete images to explore an idea. As we discuss later, short poetry should focus on the concrete.

We define short form poetry as anything 9 lines and under, or any poem that uses 60 words or less.

The sonnet , for example, is a 14-line poem that often grapples with love , and though sonnets are by no means “long,” they often have abstract qualities not found in short poems.

Short poems are, well, short. But the best short poems share certain qualities that make them potent pieces of literature.

Short form poetry should have all or most of the following features:

• Concision: In addition to omitting needless words , every word should do a lot of work in the poem. Small words, like articles and conjunctions and adverbs, should be sparse and only used to connect concrete nouns and verbs.
• Concreteness: Short poems should present clear, concrete images. Often, these concrete images will work as symbols, representing abstract ideas in juxtaposition with each other.
• Ephemerality: Often, short poems will represent fleeting moments of emotion—feelings that occur in a concrete moment of time. Short form poetry presents slices of life: moments of emotions crystalized into language.
• Simplicity: A short poem should be easy to understand. The language should be accessible, and the ideas should be clear to the reader, even if they’re abstract and open-ended.

Short form poetry presents slices of life: moments of emotions crystalized into language.

Common literary devices in short poetry are metaphor, symbolism, and juxtaposition.

Types of Short Form Poetry

Many examples of short poems are free verse , meaning they don’t follow a specific form, style, length, or rhyme scheme. Additionally, there are a few forms of poetry that are always short. These include:

You can explore some of these forms at our article What is Form in Poetry? 10 Poetic Forms to Try .

One contemporary type of short form poetry is the micropoem. Micropoetry (sometimes stylized as micro poetry) is a distinctly 21st century invention, and its prominence has risen alongside the world of text messaging and microblogging.

A micropoem is a poem that fits within the confines of modern messaging tools. Examples of micropoetry include poems that fit inside tweets, captchas, or SMS messages. Many micropoems are also haikus or monostiches .

A micropoem is a poem that fits within the confines of modern messaging tools.

You’ll find micropoetry most frequently on sites like Twitter, such as these uplifting pieces . There are also certain literary journals dedicated to the publication of micropoetry, many of which are listed here at Poets & Writers .

Before we discuss how to write a short poem, let’s look at some famous short poems in action.

For each example, we’ll examine how it fits within the 4 main qualities of short form poetry, as well as the poem’s use of literary devices.

Dreams By Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was a prominent Jazz Poet and member of the Harlem Renaissance . His poetry embodied black life and was written specifically for a black audience, transcribing his daily experiences in brief, emotive language.

An important feature of Jazz Poetry is its serendipity: the Jazz Poem is not planned for, it simply emerges, following the improvisations of the writer like a jazz musician experiments with instruments. Many works of Jazz Poetry, including much of Hughes’ work, counts as short form poetry.

In “Dreams,” Hughes presents two simple metaphors. Life without dreams is both “a broken-winged bird” and “a barren field / frozen with snow.” Each image is equally haunting: a bird without flight has no meaningful life to live, and a barren field cannot support life even after the seasons change.

In many ways, this poem is a warning: once a life loses its dreams, it is near-impossible to retrieve those dreams. The images in this poem are paradoxical, forcing the reader to consider if a life without dreams is life at all.

• Concision: The poem is 8 lines and 33 words. Within this, the poem offers two stark images, each of which presents a similar metaphor, and each metaphor building a sense of irony and caution.
• Concreteness: The poem’s central images are a flightless bird and a frozen, barren field. Each image invoked is haunting and absolute. One cannot help but consider a winter of the soul.
• Ephemerality: The poem’s brevity highlights the fleeting nature of dreams, and the imperative to hold them as tight as possible.
• Simplicity: The language of the poem is clear and accessible. It is structured so that an image and metaphor are presented in two sets of four lines, and when juxtaposed, those images reinforce each other.
• Literary Devices: “Dreams” makes powerful use of metaphor, juxtaposition, and paradox.

Old Pond By Matsuo Bashō

An old silent pond… A frog jumps into the pond, splash! Silence again.

“Old Pond” is a beautiful, striking poem—but much of that beauty is lost in translation. The haiku , like many short poems, is near-impossible to translate meaningfully, so some background is necessary here.

Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) was a prominent poet of Japan’s Edo period and is considered a master of the haiku form. Haiku were used to summarize a longer passage of prose, often acting as prologue to larger works.

Additionally, the haiku tradition often involves reminiscences about nature, juxtaposing two images before linking them in some surprising way. Bashō’s haiku combine Japanese symbolism with his own experiences travelling through the wilderness.

Although it’s not apparent in the poem’s word choice, “Old Pond” is actually about the changing of the seasons. In Japanese poetry, frogs symbolize the springtime; here, a frog (Spring) jumps (suddenly arrives) into an old silent pond (Winter). In other words, the frog is breaking the ice over an immobile pond, and the “splash!” is both a literal and symbolic celebration. Winter is truly over; the world rejoices.

The “silence again” leaves the haiku open-ended. Different translations of the haiku don’t include this part, and it may have been written to adapt the poem to 5/7/5 syllables in English. Nonetheless, “silence again” might suggest the dead quiet of the coming summertime, or else the quickness with which seasons change before the long quiet of Winter.

• Concision: The poem is 3 lines and 17 syllables, which is common of most haiku (though variations exist in translation and among different poetry schools).
• Concreteness: The poem provides a simple concrete image: a frog splashing in water.
• Ephemerality: “Old Pond” focuses on a brief moment in time, using this moment to signify the passing of seasons.
• Simplicity: Bashō’s haiku is written and translated in accessible language, using a clear image to represent a global idea.
• Literary Devices: In keeping with the haiku tradition, “Old Pond” makes use of symbolism to tell a story.

Triad By Adelaide Crapsey

These be Three silent things: The falling snow… the hour Before the dawn… the mouth of one Just dead.

Adelaide Crapsey (1878-1914) is widely heralded as the inventor of the modern cinquain . This form—like the poem “Triad” above—is composed of 5 lines. The first and fifth line have 2 syllables; the second line has 4 syllables, the third 6, and the fourth 8.

Following this 2/4/6/8/2 format, “Triad” juxtaposes three images which, though seemingly unalike, are each united in their quietude.

The “falling snow” and “the hour / Before the dawn” are both natural images, each hushed in their own way. This makes the image of “the mouth of one / Just dead” all the more surprising. Perhaps by juxtaposing images of nature, the cinquain suggests that there’s still a moment of life in the dead mouth, though it remains forever silenced.

• Concision: “Triad” is 5 lines, 22 syllables, and 19 words. Three images are cleverly juxtaposed in this limited space.
• Concreteness: The poem presents three images, each concrete and unique in their own way.
• Ephemerality: Each image in “Triad” is a brief moment in time. The central image of a dead person’s mouth reinforces this sense of ephemerality: it has just happened and yet suggests something fleeting.
• Simplicity: The cinquain’s language is accessible and its images are cleanly juxtaposed.
• Literary Devices: “Triad” makes use of juxtaposition to suggest likeness between three different images.

My Heart Leaps Up By William Wordsworth

My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I shall grow old, Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man; And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety.

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a prominent poet of the English Romantics. As a poetic movement, Romanticism rejected Enlightenment ideals, praised the beauty of the natural world, and sought to embody “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

[Poetry is] the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. —William Wordsworth

“My Heart Leaps Up” achieves these 3 goals. The central image of the poem is a rainbow, but the poem itself focuses on the speaker’s emotions in that moment of recognizing the rainbow. In praising the rainbow’s beauty, the speaker hopes never to lose that child-like awe of nature—going so far as to say that “The Child is father of the Man”, or that adults learn how to love the world through children.

• Concision: “My Heart Leaps Up” is 9 lines and 61 words. It just borders our definition of short form poetry; even at this length, the poem starts to deal with abstract concepts like “natural piety.” Nonetheless, Wordsworth walks us through a philosophy of life—appreciating nature’s beauty—using simply the image of a rainbow.
• Concreteness: In addition to the main image of a rainbow, the poem offers us the line “The Child is father of the Man.” It seems as though Wordsworth is imploring the reader to picture the rainbow for themselves: imagine a rainbow so radiant and mysterious that it invokes a child’s sense of awe.
• Ephemerality: In the moment of observing this rainbow, the speaker’s “heart leaps up,” meaning this poem examines merely a heartbeat. This keeps with Wordsworth’s definition of poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”
• Simplicity: “My Heart Leaps Up” uses accessible language, which isn’t always true of Romantic-Era poetry. Additionally, it only focuses on one core image, keeping it clear in the reader’s mind.
• Literary Devices: Wordsworth uses personification to describe his heart’s reaction to the rainbow. Additionally, the rainbow is juxtaposed with the image of a child being father to man.

We Real Cool By Gwendolyn Brooks

The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel.

We real cool. We Left school. We

Lurk late. We Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We Die soon.

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was a prolific poet of the 20th century, transcribing inner city life into 20 collections of poetry. Written in 1959, “We Real Cool” is one of the the most famous short poems of Jazz Poetry, and the poem inspired Terrance Hayes’ invention of The Golden Shovel form.

As suggested by the poem’s subtitle, “We Real Cool” is about seven boys playing pool at a bar called The Golden Shovel. The poem explains why the boys think they’re “real cool”—they leave school, stay up late, get in fights, drink, etc. Through this, the final line comes as a surprise: “We / Die soon” is unexpected coming from the speaker, given the poem’s boastful nature. This final, climactic line shows us the poet’s tone towards these truant boys, underscoring the poem’s themes of youth and rebellion.

Perhaps most intriguing about the poem is that most lines end with “we.” The conventional advice given to poets is to end each line on concrete nouns and verbs. So, why end 7 lines with a pronoun? In interviews , Brooks has said that the “we” should be read softly, perhaps suggesting the boys’ lack of identity outside of their debauchery. “We” also connects each line, suggesting that the boys’ revelry is goaded on by each other.

• Concision: “We Real Cool” is 8 lines and 32 words long (including the subtitle). Despite this brevity, it covers themes of youth and rebellion.
• Concreteness: In addition to the subtitle, which sets the scene of the poem, “We Real Cool” includes images of late nights, fist fights, gin, and leaving school.
• Ephemerality: The poem doesn’t linger on any specific image. This is to emulate the speed at which these boys live life, flitting from one pleasure to another, as well as the speed with which they seem to careen towards death.
• Simplicity: The language of the poem is clear and accessible, as well as lyrical and compelling. The only phrase which may be confusing is “Jazz June.” Some readers have interpreted “Jazz” in a sexual way, though Brooks included this line simply to set the scene (Jazz music in June).
• Literary Devices: “We Real Cool” makes use of juxtaposition, symbolism, and epistrophe, which is the use of the same word or phrase at the end of a line. Several lines of the poem are allusions to the Seven Deadly Sins.

[you fit into me] By Margaret Atwood

you fit into me like a hook into an eye

a fish hook an open eye

Margaret Atwood (1939- ) is a prolific poet and author. Best known for her novel The Handmaid’s Tale , Atwood has also published numerous collections of poetry.

[you fit into me] was written in 1971. (The title is in brackets because it is also the poem’s first line.) The first stanza describes a simple image: a hook in an eye. This is a sewing reference: hooks and eyes are small metal devices that discreetly fasten ripped or undone clothes. In other words, the first stanza suggests that “you” and “me” fit each other perfectly.

The second stanza alters this image entirely. A fish hook in an open eye presents an uncomfortable and disquieting image: something trapped, sharp, painful.

This poem exposes Atwood’s mastery of short form poetry. She presents two very different images that use very similar language, suggesting that “you” and “me” have a seemingly perfect relationship, but it’s actually agonizing for the speaker, the “eye.” Additionally, the “open eye” suggests that the speaker is fully aware of this agony, watching herself be punctured by the hook, but is trapped beneath the surface of their perfect-sounding relationship.

Atwood has a knack for word play and gutting imagery, which she shows us in this concise example of short poetry.

• Concision: [you fit in me] is 4 lines, 2 stanzas, and 16 words long. It presents two contrasting images, each with similar word choice. This poem is micropoetry length, though the micropoetry genre is a 21st century invention.
• Concreteness: Both images are expressed clearly to the reader. Though the reader may not be familiar with the sewing terminology in the first stanza, the second stanza’s imagery is uncomfortable and painful.
• Ephemerality: This poem’s brevity highlights the painful intensity of the speaker’s relationship, and the soundless pain of a hook fitting in an eye.
• Simplicity: The word choice in [you fit in me] is clear and accessible, with each image using similar words but presenting starkly different images.
• Literary Devices: Despite its brevity, this poem is heavy with symbolism. “Hook” represents “you” and “eye” represents “me.” The juxtaposition of these two images further describes the speaker’s intense feelings.

Did you find yourself inspired by these famous short poems? Want to write short form poetry or micropoetry yourself? Follow these 6 steps.

1. Consider Short Poetry Forms

You may decide to write your short poems in free verse, but first do some research on poetry forms. You might decide you like the challenge of the haiku, the cinquain, or the triolet, and having a form to work with can help you think critically about your word choice .

2. Start with a Moment of Emotion

In most of our examples of short poems, the speaker considers a simple moment in time: the sight of a rainbow, a frog leaping in a pond, the mouth of someone who just died, etc.

Follow this example. Think of a brief moment you’ve observed that led to some powerful emotions. Observe the image in your mind and consider your feelings: what thoughts, ideas, or sentiments bubble to the surface?

For more on this writing process, you may be interested in our article Writing for Mindfulness .

3. Describe That Moment with Concrete Imagery

Start writing down your observations in that moment. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel?

You don’t need to describe the moment itself—you can also embody your emotions in concrete language. When Langston Hughes describes life without dreams as “a barren field / Frozen with snow”, he’s probably not observing that field directly, but experiencing and transcribing his emotions through imagery.

Some short form poetry has only one central image, but many pieces juxtapose multiple images together. Jot down the sensations you experience—without trying to be “poetic” or sophisticated—and let the poem take shape of its own accord.

4. Experiment with the Placement of Those Images

Juxtaposition is a powerful tool in the hands of poets, especially writers of short poems. Play around with the images you’ve written down, paying attention to how each image interacts with the other.

Juxtaposition is a powerful tool in the hands of poets.

You may find that different juxtapositions result in different stories and emotions; observe this, consider each placement thoroughly, and let the poem decide what’s best. Eschew the impulse to control the poem’s meaning, and allow the poem to sweep you off your feet. You’ll know how to place these images based on how they resonate in your heart.

5. Look for Literary Devices

The best short poems use imagery to build metaphors and symbols. Does your poem’s imagery represent something deeper or more abstract? Can you insert “like” or “as” to make similes? Can you insert “is,” “was,” “are,” “were” or other being verbs to make metaphors?

The best short poems use imagery to build metaphors and symbols.

Don’t try to force literary devices into the poem, but use them to highlight meanings that are already taking shape.

6. Cut or Add Words Where Necessary

Lastly, consider the poem’s sound. Does it flow from line to line? Does its musicality capture the rhythm of your emotions? You may have to add, cut, or edit words to make this happen. Continue to experiment with word choice, play with sounds relentlessly, and consider the weight of each word.

Chipping and refining the poem like this will feel like cutting a diamond with another diamond: using words to sharpen other words, the poem’s final form emerges.

For additional advice on how to write a short poem, check out our article How to Write a Poem, Step-by-Step .

Write Brilliant Short Poems at Writers.com

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Sean Glatch

13 comments.

This information was very appreciated! It has been far too much time passed since I first learned about short forms of poetry in school. Hopefully I can experiment with these different writing styles and push that block out of my way!

thanks for the tips they are real handy

slowly and sadly we laid him down in the field of his fame, fresh and gory And we carved not a line and we raised not a stone But we left him a.one in his glory

who wrote this?

Hoping someone remembers this quote ! Thanks

That’s “The Burial Of Sir John Moore At Corunna” by Charles Wolfe. 🙂

So, the poems with 2 stanzas be called short poems?

Good question! “Short” relates more with the number of lines, not the number of stanzas. A two stanza poem might be short, but if both stanzas had 12 lines, for example, then it would not be a short poem (as based on our somewhat-arbitrary definition).

I love that we real cool. I’ll try writing my own version of it.

https://grand-little-things.com/submission-information/

Site to publish short poems.

I appreciate your helpful articles on poetry. I would like to print them out and keep them all together. Is there a way to get PDF copies? I wish they were compiled in a book 🙂

I’m so glad you find these articles helpful! You can save a PDF by Typing “CTRL+P” (on a mac: “command+P”)—this will pull up the “print” page, where you can save the article as a PDF onto your computer.

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IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

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Essays on Poetic Theory

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This section collects famous historical essays about poetry that have greatly influenced the art. Written by poets and critics from a wide range of historical, cultural, and aesthetic perspectives, the essays address the purpose of poetry, the possibilities of language, and the role of the poet in the world. They are arranged in chronological order.

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Projective Verse

PROJECTIVE                                                                           VERSE[1]                                            (projectile          (percussive          (prospective                      ...

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Talk given at the University of Washington, 1948 Let’s begin by quoting Mr. Auden—(from The Orators ): “Need I remind you that you’re no longer living in ancient Egypt?” I’m going to say...

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Extended Metaphor in Literature | Definition, Types & Examples

Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. She has been teaching English in Canada and Taiwan for seven years.

Katie has a Master's degree in English and has taught college level classes for ten years.

Table of Contents

What is an extended metaphor, extended metaphor examples, how do metaphors and extended metaphors differ, types of extended metaphors, how to write an extended metaphor, lesson summary.

What is an extended metaphor ? Before getting to an extended metaphor definition, it is important to be clear on what a metaphor is. Metaphor is a literary term for comparisons between two dissimilar things. Unlike similes, metaphors make their comparisons without using ''like'' or ''as.'' Metaphors compare things directly, often stating that one thing is another thing. An extended metaphor, therefore, is a metaphor that a writer continues to apply for several sentences or lines of a poem. Usually, extended metaphors will find several points of comparison between the two things instead of just one. Extended metaphors can be powerful ways for writers to express a strong comparison while also creating a striking visual for readers.

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• 0:01 Extended Metaphor Definition
• 1:22 Examples
• 4:38 Summary

Extended metaphors that can be found in a wide variety of literary works including poems, prose, and even songs and other parts of pop culture. One of the most famous uses of extended metaphor comes from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet . Romeo uses an extended metaphor to compare Juliet to the sun:

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon

This extended metaphor example serves to highlight Juliet's beauty and make it clear that Romeo is thoroughly smitten with her. In addition to being a metaphor, this is also a good example of hyperbole as it deliberately exaggerates Juliet's beauty for poetic effect.

Extended Metaphors in Poems

While extended metaphors can be found in many kinds of literature, they are most common in poetry. This is largely due to the relative lack of constraints that poets have to work with and the emphasis on figurative language in poetry. There are many extended metaphor poems in which the entirety of the poem functions as one long metaphor. A great example is the poem ''What I Didn't Know Before'' by Ada Limón:

What I Didn't Know Before

was how horses simply give birth to other

horses. Not a baby by any means, not

a creature of liminal spaces, but a four-legged

beast hellbent on walking, scrambling after

the mother. A horse gives way to another

horse and then suddenly there are two horses,

just like that. That's how I loved you. You,

off the long train from Red Bank carrying

a coffee as big as your arm, a bag with two

computers swinging in it unwieldily at your

side. I remember we broke into laughter

when we saw each other. What was between

us wasn't a fragile thing to be coddled, cooed

over. It came out fully formed, ready to run.

This poem compares the love that the speaker feels to a newborn horse, which are two things that are not often compared. The main similarity between the horse and her feelings of love is that they both arrived in the world very suddenly and that they are both ready to exist in the world, no matter how strange and new they might seem.

Other poems that have famously used extended metaphors include "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson, which compares hope to a bird; ''Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird'' by Wallace Stevens, which uses blackbirds for a variety of extended metaphors; and ''Fog'' by Carl Sandburg, which compares fog to a cat:

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

There are hundreds of other examples of extended metaphor in poetry that create vivid and expressive comparisons between unrelated subjects.

Extended Metaphors in Prose

Extended metaphors are not only the realm of poetry. They can also be used in prose, often to great effect. Some writers use extended metaphors that continue for entire chapters or for a whole book instead of just a few lines or sentences. One excellent example of extended metaphor in prose is found in the novel Embassytown by China Miéville. In the book, language itself is a metaphor for sentience and participation in the world: readers are introduced to an alien species incapable of understanding figurative language, like metaphors. In a striking passage that culminates the extended metaphor, the book highlights how versatile metaphors can be when used creatively:

You'll be able to say how the city is a pit and a hill and a standard and an animal that hunts and a vessel on the sea and the sea and how we are fish in it, not like the man who swims weekly with fish but the fish with which he swims, the water, the pool. I love you, you light me, warm me, you are suns.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby , there is an extended metaphor woven throughout the book that compares Gatsby himself to the American Dream; when Gatsby dies, the American Dream metaphorically dies with him.

Extended Metaphors in Pop Culture

Pop culture, including contemporary music and television, is by no means exempt from the use of extended metaphor. The song Shrike by Hozier consists of an extended metaphor comparing the love between two people to a shrike and a thorn. Shrikes are small but vicious birds that impale their prey on thorns. For this reason, they are often called ''murderbirds.'' Hozier's lyrics compare the loves to a shrike and a thorn respectively at multiple points in the song:

Remember me, love

When I'm reborn

As a shrike to your sharp

And glorious thorn

Television shows also use extended metaphors. The 2018 horror drama show The Terror , itself based on the novel of the same name by Dan Simmons, uses a monstrous, supernatural bear as an extended metaphor for the dangers of colonialism and the brutality of an Arctic environment. The bear's actions throughout the series are closely tied to the choices that the characters, who are British men in the Arctic, make.

Understanding the importance of extended metaphors is one thing, but how do metaphors and extended metaphors differ? Regular metaphors are usually used only once in a given work and usually only provide one point of comparison between the two things being compared. Extended metaphors find several points of comparison and are emphasized for much longer to make the comparison clear and explicit. A regular metaphor might compare sleeping to being underwater, while an extended metaphor might mention that waking up is like breaking the surface of the water, or might compare dreams to fish or nightmares to drowning.

Parts of a Metaphor: Tenor and Vehicle

Typically, it is understood that there are two parts to any metaphor. These are called the tenor and the vehicle . The tenor of a metaphor is the thing being described, while the vehicle is the comparison that is being made to something unrelated. Take the example from Romeo and Juliet again: in this case, the tenor of the metaphor is Juliet, while the vehicle is the sun. The metaphor needs both of these things in order to function. In the poem by Carl Sandburg , the fog is the tenor and the cat is the vehicle.

There are several types of extended metaphor, meaning that writers have a lot of leeway in creating the figurative imagery that they want. There are also literary devices that are similar to metaphors. These include conceit , allegory , and mixed metaphors .

In literature, a conceit is another word for a metaphor, but a metaphor that is particularly unusual, logically complex, and intellectual. Conceits are often extended metaphors and are most commonly used in poetry. A great example of a literary conceit can be found in John Donne's ''A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning'' which is a poem where two lovers are compared to the points of a compass: no matter how far apart they may be physically, they are always connected to one another by their love. Therefore, the poem argues, they should not be sad to be parted as they can never really be separated.

Allegories are literary works in which many aspects of the story are standing in for something else. A story that appears to be about one thing on the surface is really about a completely different topic, often a historical event or another literary work. Allegorical stories effectively function as complex extended metaphors. An example that many people will be familiar with is C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia . These books are about the magical world of Narnia and the characters who visit and inhabit it, but it is actually an allegory for Christianity featuring many stories from the Christian bible. Aslan, for instance, is an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ.

Mixed Metaphors

A mixed metaphor is a combination of two incompatible metaphors that can produce humorous or confusing results. Unlike extended metaphors, mixed metaphors are generally discouraged in writing unless they are used for deliberate comedic effect. An example of a mixed metaphor might be this quote from Conservative MP David Burrowes: ''It would open up a can of worms and a legal minefield.'' Describing something as opening a can of worms or as a minefield is common, but combining them is unusual.

Writing an extended metaphor can be tricky but if mastered, it can be highly effective. Here are some steps for learning how to write an extended metaphor:

• Consider the point you would like to make. Do you want to say that someone is beautiful? Do you want to say that something happened very quickly?
• Identify the tenor of your metaphor. Examine it from many angles. What qualities does it have? What qualities do you want to highlight?
• Consider several possible vehicles for the metaphor. List the connections to be made between the tenor and the vehicle. Identify the strongest connections.
• Write the extended metaphor and edit it carefully to make sure it expresses the extended metaphor meaning that will have the greatest effect in the work.

Extended metaphors are a great way to exercise creativity as a writer; very unusual comparisons are not a bad thing and can be a great way to challenge readers and engage imaginations.

William Shakespeare is known for the extended metaphors in his plays, but many other writers have also used this interesting literary device. While a regular metaphor is any comparison between two unlike things, an extended metaphor is a metaphor that carries on for several lines or even longer. There are a few important terms to keep in mind when studying extended metaphors:

• Conceit is a term for an unusual and intellectual, often extended, metaphor.
• Allegory is a term for works that use extended metaphors to compare different stories.
• Mixed metaphors involve the use of two incompatible metaphors and should usually be avoided.
• A tenor is the main element of a metaphor.
• A vehicle is the thing to which the tenor is compared using figurative language.

Extended metaphors are most common in poetry but can be found in any text. These metaphors can create strong comparisons and visuals in writing.

Video Transcript

Extended metaphor definition.

In his 2003 Harvard Commencement Address, Will Ferrell said, 'I graduated from the University of Life, all right? I received a degree from the School of Hard Knocks. Our colors were black and blue, baby. I had office hours with the Dean of Bloody Noses, all right? I borrowed my class notes from Professor Knuckle Sandwich and his teaching assistant, Ms. Fat Lip Thahn Nguyen. That's the kind of school I went to for real, okay?'

While it may be obvious that Will Ferrell is practicing his comedy; it is also an example of extended metaphor. In his speech, Ferrell is comparing two unlike things, education and the 'School of Hard Knocks', to show that they are alike. He continues his comparison through several sentences to really show his audience what he means. By doing so, he is able to create stronger examples to help us understand his metaphor.

A metaphor , is a comparison between two unlike subjects. An extended metaphor is when an author uses a metaphor throughout a long passage or even an entire poem. An author would use an extended metaphor to create a clearer comparison between the two items. It also allows the audience to visualize an idea more clearly and can make something that may be complex a little more simple.

Examples of Extended Metaphors

William shakespeare.

Extended metaphor is found quite often in poetry. William Shakespeare used it in many of his plays. For example, in his play Romeo and Juliet , Shakespeare writes: 'But Soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief.' In these lines, Romeo is comparing Juliet to the sun, and he continues to do so through several lines. He even says the moon is jealous of her brightness.

In another one of his plays, As You Like It , Shakespeare writes, 'All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.' In this passage, Shakespeare is comparing living life to being in a play. In his example, he names all of us actors and our actions part of the play. We all play different parts throughout our lives.

Emily Dickinson

While some authors may use extended metaphor in several lines, other poets may use it throughout the entire poem. In her poem, 'Hope Is the Thing With Feathers', Emily Dickinson writes:

'Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune --without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.'

In this poem, Dickinson is creating a metaphor of hope through descriptions of a bird. The hope that is within the speaker is much like a bird that continues to fly inside her. The message of the poem is that while we may all experience some dark times, hope can offer some encouragement.

The poem opens with the line, 'Hope is the thing with feathers'. This starts the comparison of a bird. The rest of the stanza reads, 'That perches in the soul/And sings the tune without words/And never stops-at all'. For the speaker, the hope that is inside continues to sing at all times. Even when there are no words to sing, the bird continues to create a song. For the speaker, hope stays present, always singing, always flying.

The second stanza creates some opposition for the bird (hope) but shows that hope can become strong in a storm. Dickinson writes, 'And sore must be the storm/That could abash the little bird/That kept so many warm'. In order for hope to feel abashed or embarrassed, the storm would have to be very strong. It would only be the most severe storms that would affect the bird.

Finally, in the last stanza, Dickinson shows that hope can be everywhere. It has been in 'the chillest land/And on the strangest sea'. The speaker continues to hear hope in the darkest of times. She ends the poem writing: 'Yet, never, in extremity/It asked a crumb of me'. The bird never stops singing, and it never even asks for a crumb. Hope is present in the speaker and expects nothing in return.

An extended metaphor is a metaphor that extends through several lines or even an entire poem. An author may use an extended metaphor to create stronger examples and to help an audience visualize the topic more clearly. Examples of extended metaphor can be found throughout poetry, but it was used quite often by William Shakespeare. A good example of an extended metaphor that carries throughout a poem is Emily Dickinson's 'Hope Is the Thing With Feathers'. She compares hope to a bird and creates examples to make this image stronger.

Learning Outcomes

After you have finished, you should be able to:

• Explain what an extended metaphor is and why it is used
• Identify examples of extended metaphor
• Analyze the use of extended metaphor in the work of Emily Dickinson and Shakespeare

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Extended Metaphor

Extended Metaphor Definition

What is an extended metaphor? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of multiple interrelated metaphors within an overarching one. So while "life is a highway" is a simple metaphor, it becomes an extended metaphor when you say: "Life is a highway that takes us through green pastures, vast deserts, and rocky mountains. Sometimes your car breaks down or you run out of gas, and sometimes you get lost. Friends are the roadmaps that help you get where you're going." Now you've spread the idea of "life = highway" across multiple sentences and related ideas, and created an extended metaphor.

Some additional key details about extended metaphors:

• Extended metaphors are distinguished from regular metaphors by their complexity (or how many different metaphors they contain) as well as their length. Extended metaphors can span an entire story or poem, or just a few clauses of the same sentence.
• As in a regular metaphor, the comparisons created in an extended metaphor are not meant to be taken literally. For instance, nobody is suggesting that life is literally a highway when they use that common metaphor. Rather, extended metaphors are figurative —they create meaning beyond the literal meanings of their words.
• The terms "conceit" and "extended metaphor" can be used interchangeably, though "conceit" is also sometimes used in an even more specialized way than "extended metaphor" is.

Extended Metaphor Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce extended metaphor: ex- tend -id met -uh-fore

Extended Metaphors in Depth

All metaphors can be broken down into two elements: a tenor and a vehicle.

• The tenor is the thing a metaphor describes.
• The vehicle is the thing to which the tenor is compared.

For instance, in the metaphor " Life is a highway ," life is the tenor because it's the thing being described, while "highway" is the vehicle because it's the thing life is being compared to. The metaphor operates by borrowing key attributes from the vehicle and attributing them to the tenor. The "Life is a highway" metaphor takes the attributes of a highway—including its association with journeys, adventures, speed, and the fact that we all travel them side-by-side—and connects them to life.

The Structure of Extended Metaphors

Extended metaphors have a main tenor and vehicle that make up the overarching or primary metaphor, but they also make use of other tenors and vehicles as the metaphor becomes more elaborate. Let's continue to use the example from above:

Life is a highway that takes us through green pastures, vast deserts, and rocky mountains. Sometimes your car breaks down or you run out of gas, and sometimes you get lost. Friends are the roadmaps that help you get where you're going.

Within the overarching metaphor of "life is a highway," several other metaphors make up the extended metaphor, and each one has its own tenor and vehicle : the various stages of life are like the varied landscapes of a large country; the challenges of life are like car troubles ; friends are like road maps .

Extended Metaphor and Related Terms

People often use the term extended metaphor to refer to things that aren't actually extended metaphors. Here are a couple things that people often—and understandably—confuse for extended metaphors:

• Recurring metaphors: An extended metaphor is not just a single metaphor that repeats throughout a text. For instance, in Shakespeare's Othello , the image of a monster is used several times throughout the book as a metaphor for jealousy. The repeated use of the same metaphor in multiple places throughout a text does not make it an example of an extended metaphor; an extended metaphor must contain different tenors and vehicles, that together fit into the metaphor of the overarching tenor and vehicle.
• Symbolism: Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something more abstract. A famous example of a symbol in literature occurs in To Kill a Mockingbird , when Atticus tells his children Jem and Scout that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds cause no harm to anyone; they just sing. Because of these traits, mockingbirds in the novel symbolize innocence and beauty, while killing a mockingbird symbolizes an act of senseless cruelty. Although it might seem like this constitutes an extended metaphor, it doesn't. The main reason is that the story about the mockingbird is supposed to be literally true—it's not a figurative use of language to illustrate or describe something else. Furthermore, in stories that use symbolism, writers don't clearly state what a symbol represents, whereas in metaphor they typically do, making it clear that the use of language is actually figurative.
• Allegories: An allegory is a story in which essentially every character and event have symbolic meanings. The main difference between an allegory and an extended metaphor is that, in allegories, writers don't clearly state what each character or event represents, whereas in a metaphor they typically would, making it clear that the use of language is figurative. Also, metaphors state or imply that one thing is another thing, while in allegories (as with symbolism more generally), one thing might stand for another thing, but it isn't said to actually be that other thing.

Extended Metaphor and Conceit

Conceit is a term that is similar to extended metaphor. In fact, conceit is often used as a synonym for metaphor—and to use it in that way is perfectly correct. However, conceit also has another, slightly more complicated definition. Here's a quick run-down of the two different ways the terms can be used:

• Conceit can be a synonym for extended metaphor: Most often, conceit is used interchangeably with extended metaphor to describe any metaphor or analogy that spans a longer passage in a work of literature.
• Conceit can refer to a particularly fanciful or even strained extended metaphor: However, for some people (and literary critics in particular) the word conceit carries the connotation of a fanciful or elaborate extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained comparison is made between two things. The term is most often used to refer to such metaphors in Renaissance literature and the poetry of the 17th century (such as "metaphysical poetry"). To learn more about this definition, take a look at our entry on conceit .

Extended Metaphor Examples

The following examples of extended metaphors are taken from literature, music, and speeches, showing just how prevalent extended metaphors are in all sorts of writing.

Extended Metaphor in Frost's "The Road Not Taken"

Robert Frost's famous poem is an example of an extended metaphor in which the tenor (or the thing being spoken about) is never stated explicitly—but it's clear that the poet is using the road less traveled as a metaphor for leading an unconventional way of life. The entire poem, then, is an extended metaphor.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Extended Metaphor in As You Like It

This passage, spoken by the character Jaques in Shakespeare's As You Like It , has become rather famous for its initial metaphor of "All the world's a stage." But not as many people know that the famous line is just the beginning of an extended metaphor, which contains several metaphors within it, using the language of scenes, actors, and parts. Over all, the lines develop an extended metaphor of remarkable breadth.

JAQUES: All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.... ...Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

To analyze just one part of this extended metaphor, in the final sentence Jaques speaks of the "last scene of all," referencing death—when each of us "plays the part" of someone who has regressed to a childlike state, having lost everything: teeth, vision, taste, and, finally, life.

Extended Metaphor in Romeo and Juliet

Romeo delivers this monologue in Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , after sneaking into Juliet's garden and catching a glimpse of her on her balcony. Romeo compares Juliet to a radiant sun, and then extends the metaphor by entreating her to "kill the envious moon."

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

The moon is used here as a symbol of virginity, so when Romeo states that Juliet is the moon's maid, he means that she's still a virgin, and when he entreats her to "kill the moon" and "cast off" its vestal livery (a garment worn by virgins), he's suggesting that she should part with her virginity. The metaphor of the sun (Juliet) killing the moon (her virginity) works because the sun can be said to "kill the moon" each day—in the sense that its bright light drowns out the light of the moon in the sky, making it invisible.

Extended Metaphor in Katy Perry's "Firework"

In "Firework," Perry uses an extended metaphor to compare a firework to an inner "spark" of resilience which, in the context of the song, stands in opposition to the dreary experience of life and the difficulty of communicating with others. Here's an excerpt of the lyrics that captures the extended metaphor in action:

Do you know that there's still a chance for you? 'Cause there's a spark in you You just gotta ignite the light And let it shine Just own the night Like the Fourth of July 'Cause baby, you're a firework C'mon, show 'em what you're worth Make 'em go "Aah, aah, aah" As you shoot across the sky Baby, you're a firework C'mon, let your colors burst Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah" You're gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awe

Extended Metaphor in Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" Speech

The following quote from Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech is a clear example of extended metaphor, as MLK builds upon the initial metaphor of "cashing a check" in each successive sentence:

In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

Why Do Writers Use Extended Metaphors?

Writers use extended metaphors for many of the same reasons they use metaphors in general:

• To explain or describe an abstract concept in vivid and memorable terms.
• To help the reader make a new, insightful connection between two different entities that might not have seemed related.
• To help communicate personal or imaginary experiences in terms to which readers can relate.
• To lead the reader to surprising and important discoveries by connecting different spheres of experience and language. The figurative meaning that metaphors create can help a reader to see the world or a concept in a new way.

Other Helpful Extended Metaphor Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Extended Metaphor : An in-depth explanation of metaphor, its history, and how it relates to other figures of speech.
• The Dictionary Definition of Metaphor : A basic definition and etymology of the term—it comes from the Greek metaphora, meaning "a transfer."
• Extended Metaphors on YouTube : A video of Jaques' famous "seven ages" monologue, as delivered by Kevin Kline, in Kenneth Branagh's As You Like It .
• The Road Not Taken aloud : Audio of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken."

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1941 LitCharts Lit Guides
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• Explanations and citation info for 40,925 quotes across 1941 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play
• Figurative Language
• Onomatopoeia
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Protagonist
• Point of View
• Climax (Figure of Speech)
• Connotation
• Personification
• Common Meter
• End-Stopped Line
• Anadiplosis

10 Best Examples of Extended Metaphors in Poetry

hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune – without words, And never stops at all, And the sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm. I’ve heard it in the chilliest land, And on the strangest sea; Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; […] I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

 Poetry is music to your mind. It rhymes and flows. It settles you and comforts you. Poetry triggers thought. It flies through your mind. Poetry had a pattern to it. Poetry is music

A football game is war. It’s like going against your enemy. You don’t want to go down. It’s like you are protecting your base. You want to take them back. Your quarterback is a General. It’s your choice to win or lose You don’t give up until it is over. At the end the winner is who is standing. You make peace with the enemy then you go back home until another game.

Snow is butter, smooth but rough. As I come down hills, I am a bullet. As I travel up, I’m a flowing stream. My board is my legs, as walking comes natural. Ready to go, I am free.

 My room is heaven with its clouds on the walls that are lit with a luminous glow from the gentle morning sun. That light is the key that opens my eyes. The pillows on my bed are as fluffy as clouds and as soft as a baby’s bottom. The birds’ chirping is like angels singing in my ears I am a God in my room and nothing else matters.

Children are flowers, Always growing Bright, Cheery Making people happy They are all different. Blooming at their own time when they are ready to show Eventually they will die. They need nurturing to thrive. Helpless Waiting for approval.

Longing, is sharp knife equal an expert butcher carves meat perfectly

A little bird I am, Shut from the fields of air, And in my cage I sit and sing To Him who placed me there; Well pleased a prisoner to be, Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee Nought have I else to do, I sing the whole day long; And He whom most I love to please Doth listen to my song; He caught and bound my wandering wing; But still He bends to hear me sing.

Example #10

I sit and sew—a useless task it seems, My hands grown tired, my head weighed down with dreams — The panoply of war, the martial tred of men, Grim-faced, stern-eyed, gazing beyond the ken Of lesser souls, whose eyes have not seen Death, Nor learned to hold their lives but as a breath— But—I must sit and sew.

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Writing about Writing: An Extended Metaphor Assignment

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Useful at key points in a term, such as the beginning or end of the term, this lesson asks students to reflect on their writing process, and helps the teacher learn more about students' habits and techniques as writers. Students begin by reading and analyzing the poem "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur, particularly discussing the use of extended metaphor. Students then reflect on their own writing habits, compare themselves as writers to the writer in the poem, and brainstorm possible metaphors for themselves as writers. Finally, students complete one of several recommended projects to extend the metaphor describing themselves as writers. Throughout the process, students share their work in small groups.

Featured Resources

"The Writer" by Richard Wilbur : Analysis of this poem sets the stage for students' work with extended metaphor.

Writing Habits Journal Questions : Use these questions to help students reflect on their own habits as writers.

Writing Metaphor Assignment : This assignment offers several projects that students can choose to extend a metaphor describing themselves as writers, including creating a scrapbook, designing a CD cover, writing a paper, or writing a short story.

From Theory to Practice

This project asks students to think deeply about their writing and how they work as writers. This process of deep reflection helps students improve as writers. Dawn Swartzendruber-Putnam explains:

"Reflection is a form of metacognition-thinking about thinking. It means looking back with new eyes in order to discover-in this case, looking back on writing. As Pianko states, ‘The ability to reflect on what is begin written seems to be the essence of the difference between able and not so able writers from their initial writing experience onward' (qtd. in Yancey 4)" (88).

Rather than reflecting on a single piece of writing, this activity asks students to analyze the trends and patterns in their own writing. By exploring their work, they identify the habits that work well and those that need rethought.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
• Writing Habits Journal Questions
• Writing Metaphor Assignment
• Writing Metaphor Rubric
• "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur

Preparation

• Make copies of the Writing Habits Journal Questions , Writing Metaphor Assignment , and Writing Metaphor Rubric . If the poem is not available in your class text, either make an overhead or copies of "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur .
• Decide how to position this activity in your curriculum. Students may compose multimodal projects, polished papers, informal papers, or even journal entries. The Writing Metaphor Assignment lists a range of options for more formal projects. To narrow the focus, you might choose only a few of the options rather than giving out the entire list. Just keep in mind that the important goal is for students to discover more about themselves as writers and to share their discoveries with others in the classroom writing community.
• Review the Writing Habits Journal Questions , and decide whether to use the entire sheet or a shortened version. If you narrow the list, it's important for the full activity for students to consider questions 6, 9, and 10 at a minimum.
• Acrostic Poems
• Letter Generator
• Plot Diagram
• Literary Elements Map
• ReadWriteThink Printing Press
• Be sure to test the student materials on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• analyze a poem, in particular paying attention to metaphor.
• reflect on their writing process.
• build community by sharing their writing habits with others.
• compose a text based on a metaphor they have chosen for themselves as writers.

Session One

• Pass out copies of "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur , and introduce the poem to the class.
• Read through the poem completely one time.
• Ask students to share any immediate reactions.
• Read through the poem more slowly, pausing to define any unfamiliar words for the class. Because they are important to the poem's imagery be sure that students understand the meaning of the key words that relate to nautical imagery—prow, gunwale, cargo, and passage.
• Who is the speaker? Who is telling the story in this poem?
• Where is the speaker when the events in the poem take place?
• Which parts are from the present, and which are from memories?
• What are the speaker's emotions?
• How do the speaker's feelings influence the message?
• What is the speaker talking about?
• What is the message in the poem?
• What is the speaker trying to communicate?
• Read through the poem again, asking students to listen for comparisons in the poem (e.g., places where one object is compared to another).
• Have students share their observations, recording their comments on the board or on white paper.
• What words and ideas in the poem have to do with ships and boats?
• How do the words that describe sounds in the poem work (e.g., "commotion," "stillness," "silent")? What comparisons do they suggest?
• How is the starling in the poem a comparison?
• Read through the list, and ask students to identify comparisons that relate to the subject of the poem.
• Once the list has been narrowed, ask students to discuss how accurate the comparisons are and what they tell readers about the speaker and the subject of the poem. Introduce the concept of metaphors, using this simple explanation or the information in OWL's Using Metaphors in Creative Writing .
• To ensure connections between the poem and the writing activities that students will complete, ask them to explain what the poem communicates about writers and writing in general, as well as in the particular situation that the poem describes.
• Pass out copies of the Writing Habits Journal Questions , and ask students to answer the questions for homework. Read through the questions as a group, and make any adjustments or add any suggestions. If desired, students can create their informal outlines (for question 6 on the journal questions handout) using the ReadWriteThink Notetaker .
• If time allows, provide answers to the questions based on your own writing experience, or discuss one of the questions as a class.

Session Two

• Arrange students in small groups, and ask them to share their answers to the Writing Habits Journal Questions with one another.
• Ask groups to choose answers to three questions to share with the rest of the class.
• Monitor student progress, and provide feedback and support as they discuss their writing processes.
• Once the groups are ready, gather the class and work through the questions one-by-one. Students can share any observations in general, and groups should be prepared to share the answers that they have chosen.
• After sharing their responses, focus the class's attention on noticing the many varied ways that writers work while at the same time listening for practices that many writers use. Have students recall stories and details from the class discussion that show variety as well as those that demonstrate similarities.
• Return discussion to "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur . Based on the class discussion, ask students to compare themselves as writers to the writer in the poem. Encourage students to point to details in the poem and to connect to specific information about their own writing.
• Pass out the Writing Metaphor Assignment (or the options that you have chosen), and read through the assignment with the class. Be sure to draw clear connections to the poem that the class has explored in the previous session. Students might also find OWL's  Using Metaphors in Creative Writing helpful as they begin thinking about creating metaphors for themselves as writers.
• Ask students to review the responses that they wrote to the Writing Habits Journal Questions and brainstorm a list of possible metaphors that they can use to describe themselves as writers. Encourage students to identify at least three to five ideas.
• Once students have a list of possibilities, have them freewrite on connections for each possible metaphor. Remind students to use their journal responses as a resource as they work.
• With ten to fifteen minutes left in the class, arrange students in small groups, and have them share their metaphors with one another. Students can provide feedback and support.
• For homework, ask students to write a brief description (in their journals or on a separate piece of paper) of the metaphor they have chosen and the project that they will complete.

Sessions Three to Five

• Either collect students' descriptions of their plans for the project or ask them to share their ideas with the class or in small groups. Provide feedback as appropriate.
• Pass out the Writing Metaphor Rubric and discuss the criteria for the projects. You may add criteria depending on the projects that students choose.
• If students have not done so earlier, you might have them create their more complete outlines of their general composing process, using the ReadWriteThink Notetaker .
• Answer any questions that students have about the project; then, have students spend the period working on their assignment.
• Acrostic Poems : Gather students working on acrostics. Ensure that they understand the format, and then work through an example metaphor using the tool.
• Letter Generator : Discuss the difference between business and friendly letters with students who choose to write a letter to the class about their process. Using the online tool, review the parts of a letter (e.g., salutation, greeting). Use the tool to work through the process of publishing a letter.
• Plot Diagram and Literary Elements Map : Review literary elements with students who choose to write a short story or silent movie script. You can use the Elements of Fiction Overview to shape the discussion. Demonstrate the two tools, and discuss how students can use the tools to gather ideas for the projects and plan their structure.
• ReadWriteThink Printing Press : Demonstrate the Printing Press for students completing the tabloid exposé option. Students can use the newspaper layouts to publish their pieces.
• Be sure to demonstrate PowerPoint as well, if students can use the software for the projects they have chosen.
• As students work, encourage sharing and feedback. Cultivate a writing workshop atmosphere, where students share drafts and solve problems together.
• At the end of the fifth session, ask students to submit their projects for your review. Alternatively, ask students to share their metaphor projects with the class or small groups during an optional sixth session.
• If students complete this activity early in a term, retain a copy. At the end of the term, pass the copies back out and ask students to revisit their metaphors, focusing on how they would revise or change their metaphors based on the experience over the course of the term. Students might submit revised projects as a final examination.
• Have students explore Modern American Poetry: Richard Wilbur to learn more about the poet. This University of Illinois site includes a brief biography and background information on Wilbur as well as the poet's commentary on his poems. The site also includes a transcript of a 1995 interview.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Observe students for their participation during the exploration and discussion of their writing process and their metaphors. In class discussions and conferences, watch for evidence that students are able to describe specific details about their writing and prompt them to reflect on why they write as they do. Monitor students’ progress and process as they work on their writing metaphor projects. For formal assessment, use the Writing Metaphor Rubric .

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Students focus on the figurative language in Heaney's poem, "Digging," and discuss the speaker's attitude, and how metaphor, simile, and image contribute to the poem.

Useful for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, this outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information.

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Welcome to the new Ploughshares website! To learn more about logging in and what to expect, read here .

Regular Reading Period

Ploughshares welcomes unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction during our regular reading period,  open from June 1 to January 15   at noon EST . The literary journal is published four times a year: blended poetry and prose issues in the Winter and Spring, a prose issue in the Summer, and a special longform prose issue in the Fall. Our Spring and Summer issues are guest-edited by different writers of prominence.  To submit to the journal, including the Fall Longform Issue, please see our  guidelines here .

Our Look2 essay series seeks to publish essays about under-appreciated or overlooked writers. The Look2 essay should take stock of a writer’s entire oeuvre with the goal of bringing critical attention to the neglected writer and his or her relevance to a contemporary audience.  To submit a Look2 essay query to the journal, see the  guidelines here .

Emerging Writer’s Contest

In the spirit of the journal’s founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. We consider authors “emerging” if they haven’t published or self-published a book.  The 2024 contest—judged by Dantiel W. Moniz in fiction, Porsha Olayiwola in poetry, and Augusten Burroughs in nonfiction—has closed. The winners will be announced this fall.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/records-tumble-as-early-heat-wave-scorches-southwest-u-s

Records tumble as early heat wave scorches Southwest U.S.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The first heat wave of the year is expected to maintain its grip on the U.S. Southwest for at least another day Friday, after records tumbled across the region with temperatures soaring past 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) from California to Arizona.

READ MORE: More severe weather batters Texas, killing one and causing severe damage

Although the official start of summer is still two weeks away, roughly half of Arizona and Nevada were under an excessive heat alert, which the National Weather Service extended until Friday evening. The alert was extended through Saturday in Las Vegas, where it’s never been hotter this early in the year.

“High temperatures as much as 10 to 15 degrees above normal can be expected, with record high temperatures likely for some sites through Friday,” the weather service in Las Vegas said. Temperatures will slowly retreat over the weekend, but will remain above normal into early next week.

“It’s so hot,” said Eleanor Wallace, 9, who was visiting Phoenix from northern Utah on Thursday on a hike celebrating her birthday with her mother, Megan Wallace.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix, where the new record high of 113 F (45 C) on Thursday leap-frogged the old mark of 111 F (44 C) set in 2016, called the conditions “dangerously hot.”

There were no immediate reports of any heat-related deaths or serious injuries.

But at a campaign rally for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Phoenix, 11 people fell ill from heat exhaustion by late afternoon and were taken to the hospital, where they were treated and released, fire officials said.

And in Las Vegas, with a new record of 111 F (43.8 C) Thursday that also equaled the earliest time of year the high reached at least 110 (43.3 C), the Clark County Fire Department said it had responded to at least 12 calls for heat exposure since midnight Wednesday. Nine of those calls resulted in a patient needing hospital treatment.

Several other areas of Arizona, California and Nevada also broke records by a degree or two, including Death Valley National Park with a record high for the date of 122 F (50 C) topping the 121 F (49.4 C) dating to 1996 in the desert that sits 194 feet (59 meters) below sea level near the California-Nevada line. Records there date to 1911.

The heat has arrived weeks earlier than usual even in places farther to the north at higher elevations — areas typically a dozen degrees cooler. That includes Reno, where the normal high of 81 F (27 C) for this time of year soared to a record 98 F (37 C) on Thursday. Records there date to 1888.

The National Weather Service forecast mild cooling regionwide this weekend, but only by a few degrees. In central and southern Arizona, that will still mean triple-digit highs, even up to 110 F (43 C).

On Thursday in Phoenix , the unseasonably hot weather did not prevent Oscar Tomasio of Cleveland, Ohio, from proposing to his girlfriend, Megan McCracken, as they sweltered to the peak of a trail on Camelback Mountain with 3 liters of water each in tow.

“It was a grueling hike,” Tomasio told The Associated Press. “It was extra hot, so we started extra early.”

“The views were beautiful. We didn’t make it quite to the top because she was a little nervous with the heat,” he said. “So I proposed to her when the sun rose.”

McCracken confirmed they’d planned a sunrise hike and awoke about 5 a.m. in an effort to beat the heat and an impending closure of the trail.

“Probably not early enough,” she said.

Megan Wallace, mother of the birthday girl from Utah who also came packing water bottles, said: “We started just a few minutes after 6 and it’s like we came prepared, but we got through all of our water and it was hot — was hotter than we’re used to.”

Associated Press writers Anita Snow and Ty O’Neil in Phoenix, and Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

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What’s behind recent extreme heat events and record high temperatures

World May 31

A Careful Dance: How Hezbollah and Israel Have Kept the Lid on a Wider War

Both sides have their reasons for calibrating their attacks to avoid a regional conflict.

Mourners at a funeral for a member of Hezbollah who was killed in an Israeli attack in Lebanon last month. Credit...

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By Neil MacFarquhar ,  Hwaida Saad and Euan Ward

Photographs by Diego Ibarra Sanchez

• June 7, 2024

Set to a peppy electronic soundtrack, a recent video clip showed what the Hezbollah militia said was a missile-firing drone, a new weapon in its arsenal as it ratchets up its strikes on Israel.

Flaunting a new weapon is the type of muscle flexing that Hassan Nasrallah, the organization’s elusive leader, crows about. “What protects you is your strength, your courage, your fists, your weapons, your missiles and your presence in the field,” he said in an address earlier this year.

Hezbollah’s attacks, which started last October in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza war, have gradually intensified as the group uses larger and more sophisticated weapons to strike more often and deeper beyond the border between Israel and Lebanon. Israel, too, is hitting targets farther into Lebanon.

The latest surge by Hezbollah came this week, with a series of daily drone strikes by the militia hitting some civilian targets well into Israel. Senior officials starting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stoked their rhetorical threats against Hezbollah, suggesting that a day of reckoning was close at hand.

Yet whenever the fighting escalates, both Hezbollah and Israel seem to calibrate their tit-for-tat attacks so that no strike starts a larger conflict. While concerns about a wider war remain, both sides appear hamstrung in different ways that force restraint.

The video clip — released by Hezbollah’s military media office in May — illustrates how in some ways, the group has never been stronger. Its main patron, Iran, has supplied an increasingly powerful range of missiles. Plus Hezbollah gained valuable battlefield experience after years of deploying what is believed to be at least 2,500 special forces troops in Syria to help shore up the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

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