Music and poetry share a deep bond. They both speak directly to your heart using rhythm, sound, and emotion. This collection brings you powerful poems about music, from classic verses you may know to fresh, modern works. These poems try to capture the magic of a melody, the ache of a blues note, and the joy of a favourite song putting those pure feelings into words you can hold onto.
Why Music and Poetry Are Soulmates
Music and poetry work together perfectly because they come from the same place: the human need to express deep feelings. A poems about music has natural music in its lines, a beat you can feel when you read it out loud. A song is built on lyrics, which are really just poetry set to a melody. This partnership is ancient. Thousands of years ago, storytellers like Homer sang their epic poems. In the Middle Ages, traveling poets called troubadours performed their verses with musical accompaniment.
Today, the best songwriters from Bob Dylan to Taylor Swift are celebrated for their poetic lyrics. When you read a great poem about music, you see this beautiful friendship in action. The poem uses words to describe a sound, and in doing so, creates a new kind of music on the page.
15 Best Classic Poems About Music
Some poems have stood the test of time because they capture the universal power of music so perfectly. Here are some of the best poems about music ever written, the true classics.
1. “Music, When Soft Voices Die” Percy Bysshe Shelley
This short, beautiful poems about music makes a simple but stunning point: real music never truly disappears. Even after the last note fades, the memory of it keeps vibrating in your mind and heart, just like love for someone endures. Shelley connects music directly to lasting emotion with his famous lines: “Music, when soft voices die, / Vibrates in the memory” .
2. “The Guitar” Federico García Lorca
Lorca, a Spanish poet, pours the soul of flamenco music into this poem. He personifies the guitar, turning it into a living being that weeps and mourns. The poem begins with the instrument’s cry, a sound so powerful and full of ancient sorrow that it cannot be stopped: “Now begins the cry / Of the guitar. / It is useless to silence it.”
3. “Sonnet 8” William Shakespeare
In this sonnet, Shakespeare uses music as a metaphor for harmony in life and love. He gently scolds a young man who seems sad and single, arguing that just as several strings played together create a sweet chord, a man should marry and have children to create his own perfect, harmonious family.
4. “That Music Always Round Me” Walt Whitman
The great American poet Whitman hears a divine, all-encompassing music in everything. For him, it’s not just in concert halls but in the opera of the everyday world in the wind, the waves, and the voices of people. He feels this music as a physical, bathing presence: “pouring and pouring all over me,” showing how it saturates his entire being.
5. “I Am In Need of Music” Elizabeth Bishop
This is a poem of deep craving. Bishop doesn’t just like music; she needs it. She describes a desire for music to wash over her, to “shed its drops” on her forehead and “dissolve” her, seeing it as a necessary, almost sacred remedy for the soul’s weariness .
The list of classics is rich and long. It includes Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Eolian Harp,” where the wind playing over a stringed instrument becomes a metaphor for poetic inspiration. Emily Dickinson’s “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain” uses the relentless, pounding rhythm of a funeral march to describe a mental breakdown. John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightingale” is about being transported to a state of ecstatic, timeless beauty by a bird’s song. Exploring these works shows how poets across centuries have reached for music to explain the deepest human experiences.
20 Contemporary Poems About Music
Today’s poets continue this great conversation, finding muses in everything from jazz and hip-hop to pop songs and silent retreats.
1. “She Sang My Soul Back Together” Cleo Wade
Wade’s poem is a modern testament to music’s healing power. It frames a singer’s voice not just as entertainment, but as a restorative, almost magical force that can mend a person’s fractured spirit and make them whole again.
2. “Latin & Soul” Victor Hernández Cruz
Cruz’s poetry is infused with musicality. His words carry the rhythms of salsa, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean beats. Reading his work feels like listening to a skilled band the language dances, improvises, and swings with a vibrant, cultural pulse.
3. “Things I Strongly Believe In” Rudy Francisco
The spoken word artist Rudy Francisco includes music in his list of core beliefs. In his clear, impactful style, he captures how music functions in daily life as a companion, a memory trigger, and a source of strength, grounding it in real, relatable moments.
Contemporary poetry about music is vast. You can find Claudia Rankine meditating on jazz and identity, Billy Collins writing witty, observant poems about listening to old records, and Natalie Diaz weaving the rhythms of rock music with the pulses of her Indigenous heritage. These poems prove that the drive to write about music is as alive now as ever.
Poems About Music by Theme
Grouping poems by theme helps you find exactly what resonates with your own musical love.
Poems About the Power of Music
These poems treat music as a transformative, almost supernatural force. They explore how a song can change a mood, resurrect a memory, or provide solace. Tracy K. Smith’s “The Universe as Primal Scream” considers music on a cosmic scale, while a poem like Matthew Arnold’s “The Buried Life” suggests music can tap into emotions we can’t even name.
Poems About Jazz & Blues
This genre has inspired some of the most rhythmically inventive poetry. Langston Hughes is the foundational figure; his poem “The Weary Blues” masterfully mimics the slow, rolling cadence of a blues piano. Later poets like Yusef Komunyakaa (“Blue Light Lounge Sutra”) and Sonia Sanchez (“a/coltrane/poem”) capture jazz’s improvisational genius and the deep, rooted sorrow of the blues.
Poems About Classical Music
Poets often approach classical music with a sense of awe. Mark Doty’s “Ludwig van Beethoven’s Return to Vienna” is a stunning dramatic monologue written in Beethoven’s voice. Sylvia Plath, in poems like “Black Rook in Rainy Weather,” writes about moments of sudden, almost miraculous beauty, much like the revelation in a piece of classical music.
Poems About Rock & Pop Music
These poems tap into the energy, nostalgia, and rebellion of popular music. Frank O’Hara’s “The Day Lady Died” is an iconic, snapshot-style poem about hearing of Billie Holiday’s death, blending the mundane with the monumental. Many modern poets write about the raw power of a rock concert or the personal history tied to a pop song on the radio.
Poems About Hip-Hop & Rap
Hip-hop, with its focus on wordplay, rhythm, and social commentary, is poetry in motion. Poets like Terrance Hayes (“Hip Logic”) play brilliantly with the form’s cleverness and cadence. Patricia Smith’s performance poems embody the powerful storytelling and driving beat of the best rap verses.
Poems About Love and Music
The link between love and music is timeless. Poets naturally use one to describe the other. E.E. Cummings’s “love is more thicker than forget” has a musical, sing-song quality that embodies its playful, deep affection. Pablo Neruda’s love sonnets often use the guitar as a metaphor for the beloved’s body and heart, his lines thrumming with passionate rhythm.
12 Short Poems About Music
Sometimes a few perfect words are all you need. These short poems about music pack a lot of feeling into a tiny space.
- From “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” by Robert Browning: “Rats! / They fought the dogs and killed the cats… / And beat the kettledrums!” – Captures the chaotic, compelling power of Piper’s music.
- “Music” by Walter de la Mare: “Hark! Is that music in the air? / Is it the rain, or is it tears?” – Beautifully blurs the line between sound and emotion.
- “A Jukebox Love Song” by Langston Hughes: “Could make the whole world / Stand up and sing!” – Celebrates music’s universal, joyful power.
- “Song” by Adrienne Rich: “You’re wondering if I’m lonely… / The truth is, I’m often listening to music.” – A simple, honest statement of music as a companion.
- “The Dance” by William Carlos Williams: While about a Bruegel painting, its short, stepping lines create a profoundly musical rhythm.
- “He Heard a Song on the Radio” by Michael Hofmann: A tiny, potent story of a sudden memory triggered by a forgotten tune.
- “Rain” by Kazim Ali: Treats the sound of rain as a form of natural, minimalist music.
- “B-Side” by Kevin Young: A quick ode to the hidden track, the forgotten gem on a record.
- “Harmonica” by Paul Durcan: A whimsical, image-rich snapshot of the instrument and its player.
- “Guitar” by Ted Kooser: A quiet, lovely personification of a guitar waiting in the corner to be played.
- “Earworm” by Aimee Nezhukumatathil: Playfully describes the funny agony of a song stuck in your head.
- “Practice” by Carl Phillips: A concise, insightful look at the repetition and discipline behind musical mastery.
10 Famous Poets Who Wrote About Music
Classical Era Music Poets:
William Shakespeare, John Milton (“At a Solemn Music”), and Alexander Pope (“Ode on St. Cecilia’s Day”) often used music as a symbol for divine order and harmony in the universe and human life.
Modern Music Poets:
The 19th and 20th centuries saw an explosion. The Romantic poets like Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats wrote of music’s intimate, emotional power. American innovators Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson explored its spiritual and private dimensions. The Harlem Renaissance brought us Langston Hughes, who fundamentally wove the rhythms of jazz and blues into the fabric of American poetry.
Contemporary & Spoken Word Artists:
Today, the tradition is vibrant and diverse. Poets like Paisley Rekdal and Ocean Vuong write piercingly about how music shapes personal and cultural memory. Spoken word icons like Sarah Kay and Saul Williams perform poems that are inherently musical, often touching directly on the songs and sounds that define our current moment.
How to Write Your Own Poem About Music
Finding Your Musical Muse
Start with active, mindful listening. What song always changes your mood? What instrument’s shape or sound fascinates you? Does a certain lyric feel like it was written just for you? Jot down the images, memories, or feelings that arise. Your personal, honest connection to the music is the perfect raw material for your poem.
Using Rhythm, Sound & Meter
Let the music you’re describing influence your poem’s form. A poem about a drum solo might use short, punchy words and abrupt line breaks. A poem about a lullaby might use soft sounds and a gentle, rocking rhythm. Use literary devices that create sound: alliteration (the soft sigh of strings), assonance (the slow moan of a horn), and onomatopoeia (the crash of cymbals).
5 Writing Prompts Inspired by Music :
- The Lifeline: Describe the one song that felt like a lifeline to you during a hard time. What did it sound like inside your chest?
- Instrument’s Story: Personify an instrument. If this old piano in a bar could talk, what stories would it tell about the hands that have touched it?
- Soundtrack Poem: Write a poem where each stanza is a “track” from the soundtrack of your life, titled with a song that marks a specific chapter.
- The Silence After: Capture the powerful, ringing silence in the seconds after a stunning concert ends. What fills that space?
- Genre Conversation: Imagine a dialogue between two different types of music (e.g., a quiet folk song and a thunderous heavy metal track). What would they argue about? What would they agree on?
Where to Read More Poems About Music
Best Poetry Anthologies on Music: Look for themed collections like “The Music Lover’s Poetry Anthology” or “Jazz Poetry: From the 1920s to the Present.” These books gather the best works in one place.
Online Poetry Collections: The Poetry Foundation (poetryfoundation.org) and the Academy of American Poets (poets.org) are incredible free resources. Use their search functions to explore their vast archives by themes like “music,” “jazz,” or “blues.”
Poetry Magazines Featuring Music: Literary journals such as The Paris Review, Granta, and The New Yorker often publish poems with musical themes. Music magazines like Rolling Stone also occasionally feature poetry.
Frequently Asked Questions About Poems and Music
What is the most famous poem about music?
Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Music, When Soft Voices Die” and John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightingale” are among the most famous and frequently quoted classic poems centered on music.
Who wrote the best poem about jazz?
Langston Hughes is widely regarded as the poet who most authentically and powerfully captured the spirit, rhythm, and soul of jazz and blues in poetic form, with “The Weary Blues” standing as his masterpiece in this genre.
Can a song be considered a poem?
Absolutely. When song lyrics possess strong imagery, emotional depth, and can stand alone on the page without their melody while still creating a powerful effect, they function as poetry. This is why artists like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell are celebrated as both legendary songwriters and poets.
Where can I find modern poems about music?
Beyond the poets listed here, follow contemporary poetry presses like Graywolf, Copper Canyon, and Haymarket Books. Engage with spoken word on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Literary magazines online are also where many exciting new voices publishing poems about music first appear.
Share Your Favourite Music Poem
The conversation between music and poetry never ends. It’s a dialogue that grows with every new song and every new poem. What’s the verse that makes you think of your favourite melody? Is there a poet who perfectly puts your feelings about a guitar solo or a symphony into words? Share that poem with a friend, post it online, or just write it down for yourself. By sharing, we keep the harmony between these two soulful arts alive and resonating.
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