Poetry has the power to touch hearts and change minds with just a few words.
Throughout history, talented writers have turned simple words into beautiful phrases that can make people feel happy, sad, or inspired.
These skilled poets knew how to capture big emotions and important ideas in short verses. Their words continue to move readers around the world today.
Below, you will find out the stories of these legendary poets who shaped the world of literature forever.
Ancient and Classical (Before 500 CE)
Here is a list of famous poets from the classical period, 500 CE:
1. Virgil (70–19 BCE, Rome)
Virgil, considered Rome’s greatest poet, is best known for his pastoral poetry. His work has deeply inspired Western literature, particularly in shaping the narrative of Rome’s mythic and historical past.
He was born in Andes, near Mantua (in modern-day Italy), and lived through the early years of the Roman Empire under Augustus.
Top Poems:
- The Aeneid: Virgil’s poem about the foundation of Rome, combining mythology and Roman history. It is considered one of the greatest works of Latin literature.
2. Ovid (43 BCE–17 CE, Rome)
Ovid was a Roman poet whose talent in mythological and love poetry made him one of the most celebrated writers of his time.
Born in Sulmo, Ovid was a contemporary of Virgil and Horace, but he stood apart with his lighter, more playful approach to literature.
Top Poem:
- Metamorphoses: A 15-book poem that tells the stories of creation and mythological transitions, often focusing on love, jealousy, and vengeance.
3. Kalidasa (4th–5th Century CE, India)
Kalidasa is regarded as India’s greatest classical poet and dramatist, whose work is revered for its rich imagery, philosophical depth, and mastery of Sanskrit.
Little is known about his personal life, and much of the information comes from legends, but he is widely considered to have lived during the Gupta period, a golden age of Indian culture.
Top Poem:
- Meghaduta: A lyrical poem about a lovesick yaksha (a nature spirit) who sends a message to his wife through a passing cloud. It is a sad expression of longing and separation.
Medieval Era (500–1500)
Here is a list of famous poets from medieval times:
4. Dante Alighieri (1265–1321, Italy)
Dante Alighieri is widely regarded as one of Italy’s greatest poets and one of the most important figures in European literature.
Born in Florence, Italy, in 1265, Dante is best known for shaping the Italian language and making it a prominent literary medium during the Middle Ages.
Top Poem:
- The Divine Comedy: Dante’s magnum opus, a vast and visionary narrative about the pathway of a soul through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
5. Rumi (1207–1273, Persia)
Rumi, a Sufi mystic, is widely recognized as one of the most inspirational poets in world literature. Born in Balkh, Rumi spent much of his life in Konya.
His work focuses on the spiritual path of seeking union with the divine, expressed through lyrical poetry that is universal and relates to people from all walks of life.
Top Poem:
- Masnavi: Often referred to as the “Spiritual Quran in Persian,” this monumental work consists of six books of poetry that explain the depths of Sufi teachings.
6. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400, England)
Geoffrey Chaucer is known as the father of English literature and is regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Middle Ages.
Born around 1343 in London, Chaucer is best remembered for his vernacular poetry, which made him a pioneer in the use of Middle English in literary works.
Top Poem:
- The Canterbury Tales: This collection of stories told by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury is a groundbreaking work in English literature.
Renaissance (14th–17th Centuries)
Here’s a list of famous poets from the Renaissance time around the 14th to 17th centuries:
7. William Shakespeare (1564–1616, England)
William Shakespeare is widely considered the most famous playwright and poet in English literature.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Shakespeare’s extensive body of work has inspired not just literature but also theater, film, and the arts for centuries.
Top Poems:
- Sonnet 18: Perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous sonnet, it expresses themes of love, beauty, and the immortality of art.
- Venus and Adonis: A narrative poem that tells the story of the goddess Venus falling in love with the beautiful young hunter Adonis.
8. John Donne (1572–1631, England)
John Donne is widely regarded as the leading poet of the Metaphysical poets in 17th-century England.
Born in London, Donne was a clergyman, lawyer, and scholar, whose works explain deep, complex themes of love, faith, and death.
Top Poem:
- The Flea: A playful and clever poem in which the speaker uses the image of a flea, which has bitten both him and his lover, to argue that their shared blood means they are already intimately connected.
9. Luis de Góngora (1561–1627, Spain)
Luis de Góngora was a master of the Spanish Baroque style and one of the most inspirational poets of the Spanish Golden Age.
Known for his ornate and complex metaphors, Góngora’s works are marked by their intricate use of language and imagery, showcasing the height of Baroque poetic expression.
Top Poem:
- Solitudes: A long and complex poem that presents a pastoral narrative filled with intricate metaphors, symbolism, and natural imagery.
Famous Poets of The 18th Century
Here’s a list of famous poets from the 18th century:
10. Alexander Pope (1688–1744, England)
Alexander Pope is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the 18th century and a master of satire and the heroic couplet.
Born in London in 1688, Pope’s work is celebrated for its sharp wit, criticism of society, and ability to expose the moral and social shortcomings of his time.
Top Poem:
- The Rape of the Lock: A mock poem that satirizes the triviality and absurdity of 18th-century aristocratic society, focusing on the theft of a lady’s lock of hair.
11. William Blake (1757–1827, England)
William Blake was a visionary poet, painter, and printmaker of the Romantic era, whose work continues to be highly regarded for its imaginative and spiritual depth.
Born in London in 1757, Blake’s works show a mystical and visionary approach to both art and poetry.
Top Poem:
- The Tyger: One of Blake’s most famous poems, The Tyger explains the nature of creation, good and evil, and the mystery of the divine.
12. Olaudah Equiano (1745–1797, Nigeria/England)
Olaudah Equiano was a prominent African writer and abolitionist, best known for his autobiographical work The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.
Top Poems:
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: While Equiano is better known for his memoir rather than poetry, his writing powerfully conveys the emotional and physical toll of slavery.
Poets of The 19th Century
Here’s a list of famous poets from the 19th century:
13. Emily Dickinson (1830–1886, USA)
Emily Dickinson is regarded as one of America’s greatest poets, known for her unique, deeply personal style and her ability to express themes of death, immortality, nature, and the human soul.
Top Poem:
- Because I Could Not Stop for Death: A poem that personifies Death as a courteous suitor who escorts the speaker on a path, examining themes of mortality, the afterlife, and the inevitability of death.
14. Walt Whitman (1819–1892, USA)
Walt Whitman is considered the father of free verse in American poetry and is one of the country’s most inspirational poets.
Born in Long Island, New York, Whitman’s work accepted an expansive, inclusive vision of America and the human experience.
Top Poem:
- Song of Myself: A sweeping, expansive poem that explains the interconnectedness of all people and things, celebrating the individual while also emphasizing the unity of humanity.
15. Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941, India)
Rabindranath Tagore was a Nobel laureate in literature and a polymath whose contributions spanned poetry, music, philosophy, and art.
Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, Tagore is considered one of the most important figures in Bengali literature and Indian philosophy.
Top Poem:
- Gitanjali: A collection of poems expressing devotion, spirituality, and the soul’s relationship with the divine.
16. Paul Verlaine (1844–1896, France)
Paul Verlaine was a leading poet of the Symbolist movement in French literature. Known for his musicality, emotional depth, and clear imagery, Verlaine’s works had a profound impact on French poetry in the late 19th century.
Top Poem:
- Romances Sans Paroles: A collection of poems that capture a deep sense of personal emotion and lyricism, Verlaine uses music and sound to convey the subtleties of emotion, such as love, melancholy, and longing.
Famous 20th Century Poets
Here’s a list of famous poets from the 20th century:
17. Robert Frost (1874–1963, USA)
Robert Frost is one of America’s most celebrated poets, known for his deep connection to rural New England and his explanation of human nature, isolation, and the natural world.
Top Poem:
- The Road Not Taken: This legendary poem shows the theme of choices in life and how decisions, big or small, shape our future.
18. Pablo Neruda (1904–1973, Chile)
Pablo Neruda is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, widely acclaimed for his passionate and political verse.
Born in Parral, Chile, Neruda’s writing depicts both his deep love for humanity and his commitment to social justice.
Top Poem:
- Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair: A collection of deeply romantic and melancholic poems, expressing Neruda’s passion for love, loss, and longing.
19. W. B. Yeats (1865–1939, Ireland)
William Butler Yeats was a prominent Irish poet, playwright, and Nobel laureate, known for his contributions to Symbolism and Modernism.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Yeats played a central role in the Irish Literary Revival, which sought to revive Irish culture and literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Top Poem:
- The Second Coming: A powerful and prophetic poem that describes Yeats’ vision of a world in chaos, anticipating the decline of civilization.
20. Sylvia Plath (1932–1963, USA)
Sylvia Plath is one of the most well-known confessional poets of the 20th century.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Plath’s work is characterized by its intensity, emotional depth, and explanation of mental illness.
Her poetry digs deeply into themes of identity, depression, and death, often showing her personal struggles and tragic experiences.
Top Poem:
- Daddy: A highly emotional and controversial poem in which Plath confronts the death of her father and the impact it had on her life and identity.
21. T. S. Eliot (1888–1965, England/USA)
T. S. Eliot is one of the most prominent poets of the Modernist movement, renowned for his complex, allusive style in 20th-century poetry.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Eliot moved to England in 1914, where he spent much of his life and became a naturalized British citizen.
Top Poem:
- The Waste Land: The Waste Land is perhaps Eliot’s most famous work, widely considered one of the greatest poems of the 20th century.
21st Century and Contemporary
Here’s a list of famous poets from the 21st century:
22. Margaret Atwood (b. 1939, Canada)
Margaret Atwood is a renowned Canadian poet, novelist, and essayist best known for her sharp social commentary and insightful explanations of gender, identity, and power.
Top Poem:
- The Moment: A meditation on the fleeting nature of time and experience, capturing the emotional significance of a single moment in life.
23. Seamus Heaney (1939–2013, Ireland)
Seamus Heaney, an Irish Nobel laureate, is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.
His poetry, deeply rooted in the Irish landscape, history, and culture, captures the beauty, pain, and courage of rural Ireland.
Top Poem:
- Digging: One of Heaney’s most famous poems, Digging consists of themes of heritage and work, comparing the poet’s act of writing to the labor of his ancestors who worked the land.
24. Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955, UK)
Carol Ann Duffy is one of the leading voices in contemporary British poetry, known for her accessible yet powerful verse.
She made history in 2009 by becoming the first female UK Poet Laureate, a position that she held until 2019.
Top Poem:
- Valentine: In this poem, Duffy takes an unconventional approach to the theme of love, using a red onion as a metaphor for the layers of a romantic relationship.
25. Warsan Shire (b. 1988, Somalia/UK)
Warsan Shire is a contemporary Somali-British poet whose work focuses on themes of identity, migration, and displacement.
Born in Kenya to Somali parents and raised in the UK, Shire’s poetry tells the complexity of belonging, cultural conflict, and the immigrant experience.
Top Poem:
- Home: A powerful poem about the experience of displacement and exile, Home speaks to the trauma of being forced from one’s homeland and the search for a new sense of belonging.
Final Thoughts
From William Shakespeare to T.S. Eliot, these poets have used their words to share deep thoughts, big feelings, and moments that still speak to us today.
Each poet brings a different voice, style, and way of seeing the world, and reading their poems can open your heart and mind in ways you never expected.
You might feel seen, comforted, or even changed.
That is the quiet magic of poetry, and it is always waiting for you to read the next line.
