Queer poetry is not a monolith. From love poems to political tirades, from diaristic confessions to radical experiments in language, LGBTQ+ writers’ contributions to the poetic canon are as dynamic and varied as the queer experience itself. These ten poems from the past century showcase the breadth, intensity, and innovation of queer poetic voices. As always, all are free to download.
“The Moose,” Elizabeth Bishop
Bishop was a master of physical description, and “The Moose” showcases her talent. With long, winding syntax and deceptively straightforward diction, she transforms a bus ride through the New England countryside into a meditation on community, solitude, and the unexpected moments that bind people together.
“Origins and History of Consciousness,” Adrienne Rich
A poet sits at her desk, trying to write. It’s a familiar scene, but here Adrienne Rich sheds new light on the poet’s desire to create, as she states in the poem, “the dream of a common language.” Rich often bridges intimate experience with larger political realities, and this poem is an excellent example.
“A Poem for Women in Rage,” Audre Lorde
Lorde described herself as “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” and those intersecting identities are on full display in “A Poem for Women in Rage.” With stark imagery and clear-eyed anger, Lorde recounts a violent racist encounter on the street, exposing the enduring psychological wounds of racial oppression and misogyny.
“Giant Snowballs,” Ari Banias
In “Giant Snowballs,” a childlike observation in a schoolyard opens into an examination of gender, alienation, and loneliness. “I’m trying not to say ‘snowman’,” the speaker states, “but we know. He’s blank / and numb and separated / so much from himself.”
“I Had a Dream About You,” Richard Siken
Siken won the Yale Younger Poets Prize for his book, Crush, a landmark collection that explores obsession, desire, shame, panic, and the violent eroticism of queer love and grief. “I Had a Dream About You” is a prime example of the emotionally charged, confessional style that characterizes the book.
“Eileen’s Vision,” Eileen Myles
Eileen Myles is known for their short-lined autobiographical poems that invite the reader in with a casual, conversational tone. “Eileen’s Vision” features their gift for finding the poetic in mundane daily life.
“Winter,” Chen Chen
In “Winter,” Chen Chen embraces the messiness of the body. With tonal agility and a conversational voice, he moves from gross-out comedy to playful irreverence to political anger to heartfelt expressions of love.
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“Queer,” Frank Bidart
In emotional, plainspoken lines, Bidart reflects on growing up gay in mid-twentieth-century America. The poem lays bare the tensions between institutional homophobia and a deeply felt internal truth.
“Poem about Police Violence,” June Jordan
Jordan was a poet, essayist, playwright, and activist who worked across genres to explore issues of race, gender, identity, and more. In “Poem about Police Violence,” she uses direct, plainspoken language to confront institutional racism and police brutality.
“Prayer for the Newly Damned,” Ocean Vuong
Vuong uses the form of a prayer both to invoke the divine and his own father in “Prayer for the Newly Damned.” The result is an emotional, complex examination of the tangled lines between devotion, pain, and love.
