In this poetry slam, three teenage voices tackle topics some would not even want to speak of – rape, racism, social stratification, education and equality. The spoken word poem offers perspectives on current affairs in the US from a teenage perspective and critically reflects the US school system. The empowering and passionate lines of Belissa […]

A poem about responsibly shaping a future between diversity and unity, this optimistic work by 22-year-old Gorman took the world by storm when she presented it at US-President Biden’s inauguration ceremony. It is both an honest depiction of the challenges her country faces – racial injustice as well as threats to both health and democracy […]

Richard Williams aka ‘Prince Ea’ reflects in his critical spoken-word-poem on the importance of education, the limitations and inequalities of the current school system in the US and the blindness of educational authorities and politicians. The voice, taking the role of a lawyer, who sues the school system, accuses that nothing had changed for the […]

Richard Williams aka ‘Prince Ea’ reflects in his powerful and ecocritical spoken-word-poem on a dystopian future of our world, which was destroyed by environmental pollution, the devastating deforestation of the rainforests and exhausted consumerism. The speaker apologises in front of the ‘future generation’ for not taking responsibility for the planet’s biodiversity – for putting profit […]

This collection of poems by Tolkien is packed with imagination, beautiful illustrations and smooth storytelling. While some of the characters and creatures can be recognized from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, each story stands alone. With its wide range of themes and length, there’s something for everyone. The Oliphaunt describes a grey animal, whose name […]

A fascinating collection of interconnected poems by Saul Williams reflecting on the demise of his relationship with Marcia Jones, his girlfriend, with whom he has a daughter, for several years. The speaker ruminates over freedom, ‘love’s suffering addiction’, the problems a lack of communication can cause and the visible and invisible scars a relationship can […]

In this poem about loss, grief, the fragility of happiness and growing up, the author processes the death of his younger brother who died at the age of four in a road accident. He describes the feelings and impressions when he takes a break from college to visit his family’s home. There he encounters his […]

A collection of poetry and prose originally published in 1970 that critically reflects the past, present and future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. The lines of Oodgeroo – also known as Kath Walker – problematise Australia’s colonial history, demand for Aboriginal rights, respect, justice and offer hope and reconciliation. The […]

A Christmas poem on peace, faith and diversity written for the tree-lighting ceremony of the USA’s White House in 2005. It paints the festive season as a time of harmony, an absence of hatred and calls on people from all kinds of backgrounds to take part in the peaceful calm of this special time of […]

Moore’s classic rhymes remind the reader of the excitement of having to wait one final night until Christmas Day, “when all through the house/Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse”. The Night Before Christmas conveys the joy of looking forward to the festive season as well as it manifests nothing less than today’s […]

This illustrated book of Christmas carols offers a wide variety of songs suitable for all age groups. Ranging from Jingle Bells to We Three Kings, there’s something for everyone. It’s not only wonderful for the English classroom but can of course also be utilised in subjects such as Music or Religion.

A classic rhyming tale about the meaning of Christmas and commerce. The sheer thought of the nearing festivities so enrages the green monster everyone knows as simply the Grinch that he plans to steal the whole celebration in the middle of the night.

Written in three stanzas, this romantic poem on the power of nature, the consolation of beauty, mortality and transformation, reflects on three different aspects of autumn. The first stanza praises autumn’s fruitfulness and describes the harvest season. The second stanza describes the labour performed in autumn. The final stanza describes late autumn as a time […]

John Lennon’s song “Imagine” encourages listeners to envision a world at peace. He describes how without the barriers of religion, nationality or material possessions, humans could finally live together harmoniously. During the Vietnam War, it became a protest song and symbol for the peace movement. The song is suitable for interdisciplinary teaching with regard to […]

This long poem about the devastating nature of war and the hope for peace is one of the most significant works of modernist literature. Influenced by the breakdown of European civilisation during World War I and the increasing alienation in Western societies, this poem expresses psychological fragmentation and a quest for meaning. The poem might […]

A short children’s poem about four young girls exploring the beach. While each of them encounters something different, they are all able to find themselves “in the sea”. The illustrated collection of poems and poetry offers a variety of rhymes from traditional classics to more recent examples for learners on different language levels – from […]

This verse novel explores the author’s childhood in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s and 1970s: Growing up as an African American woman both with the aftermath of Jim Crow laws and the beginning Civil Rights movement. Her poems feature topics of racism, religion, spiritualism, family, history and the power of memory, storytelling, […]

In this verse novel about homelessness, friendship and the willingness to help, 16-year-old Billy runs away from his abusive father – he much rather lives in an old railroad carriage than at what used to be ‘home’. There he meets a man called Old Bill, an alcoholic, and Caitlin, a rich but deeply dissatisfied girl. […]