30+ W.H. Auden Poems, Ranked by Poetry Experts

Funeral Blues

‘Funeral Blues,’ also known as ‘Stop all the Clocks,’ is arguably Auden’s most famous poem. It was first published in Poems of To-Day in 1938.

Widely accepted as Auden's most iconic poem, 'Funeral Blues' has become one of the most commonly referenced poems ever produced and is one of the defining poetic renderings of grief and loss. The depth of feeling evoked in the poem is equal to that of any writer in Auden's era. The poem has been referenced countless times in other works and famously featured in the 1990s romantic comedy, Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Lullaby

‘Lullaby’ by W.H. Auden describes the love that one speaker has for his imperfect “beloved” and how that love will be enough to content them both.

W.H. Auden's 'Lullaby' is a tender exploration of love's acceptance of imperfection. This poem stands out as one of Auden's finest love pieces, weaving a narrative where love triumphs over human flaws and the mundane. It delves into themes of unconditional love, the transient nature of life, and the dismissal of divine intervention in favor of cherishing human connection. Auden's masterful use of language and imagery elevates the poem, making it a poignant ode to love's enduring power.

Beauty, midnight, vision dies:

Let the winds of dawn that blow

Softly round your dreaming head

Such a day of welcome show

Autumn Song

‘Autumn Song’ by W.H. Auden masterfully intertwines beauty with bleakness, portraying Autumn as a metaphor for loneliness, death, and insurmountable challenges.

W.H. Auden's 'Autumn Song' juxtaposes the beauty of Autumn with its bleak aspects, symbolizing loneliness, death, and life’s challenges. The poem depicts creatures lacking sustenance and absent angels, highlighting the season's grimness. Auden uses vivid imagery to illustrate life's transience and the looming presence of insurmountable obstacles. This piece is a poignant reflection on the complexities of life and nature, showcasing Auden's skill in weaving deep themes into his poetic narrative.

Now the leaves are falling fast,

Nurse’s flowers will not last;

Nurses to the graves are gone,

And the prams go rolling on.

Night Mail

W.H. Auden’s ‘Night Mail’ blends rhythmic cadence with human connection, mirroring a train’s journey and exploring the lives touched by its passing.

Crafted by W.H. Auden in 1936 for a film, 'Night Mail' uniquely aligns its rhythm with a train's journey from London to Scotland. The poem, set to music in the film, focuses on the diverse recipients of letters, from rich to poor. Auden captures the train's calming, methodical presence, symbolizing consistent communication amidst the varied tapestry of human lives. This piece eloquently illustrates the impact of simple connections in the everyday life of ordinary people.

This is the night mail crossing the Border,

Bringing the cheque and the postal order,

Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,

The shop at the corner, the girl next door.

Musee des Beaux Arts

‘Musee des Beaux Arts’ by W.H. Auden describes, through the use of one specific artwork, the impact of suffering on humankind.

'Musée des Beaux Arts,' penned by W.H. Auden in 1938, reflects on suffering's role in the human condition through Pieter Bruegel the Elder's painting. Written in Brussels and initially published as 'Palais des beaux arts,' the poem draws inspiration from the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Auden's contemplative verses explore the subtlety of pain amidst everyday life, as depicted by the 'Old Masters,' highlighting the undercurrent of suffering in the backdrop of human existence.

About suffering they were never wrong,

The old Masters: how well they understood

Its human position: how it takes place

While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;

In Memory of W.B. Yeats

Amidst the sorrow of W.B. Yeats’ passing, Auden delves into the essence of poetry, pondering its purpose and significance in the lives of ordinary readers, questioning the very essence of poetic creation.

This poem is generally regarded to be among Auden's finest and is a fitting tribute to one of the twentieth century's finest poetic minds: William Butler Yeats. Auden made clear his admiration for Yeats during the latter's lifetime, but also saw fit to eulogize the great Irish writer in this poem. It contains some of Auden's most memorable lines.

Earth, receive an honoured guest:

William Yeats is laid to rest.

Let the Irish vessel lie

Emptied of its poetry.

The Shield of Achilles

Auden’s ‘The Shield of Achilles’ reimagines an episode from Homer’s ‘Iliad’ where Thetis watches over Hephaestus crafting armor for Achilles.

This poem showcases Auden's appreciation for classical mythology and the works of Homer but also demonstrates his ability to use those stories and characters to comment on his contemporary situation. The blurring of history, myth and the calamitous events of the twentieth century ensures the poem ranks among his most profoundly affecting and memorable.

She looked over his shoulder

For vines and olive trees,

Marble well-governed cities

And ships upon untamed seas,

September 1, 1939

Amidst the turmoil of World War II’s inception, Auden pens ‘September 1, 1939′, echoing Yeats’ ‘Easter, 1916’, lamenting historical failures while hinting at future glimmers of hope.

Written to mark the outbreak of the Second World War, Auden had a complicated relationship with this poem, even going so far as to exclude it from later collections of his work. This only serves to remind us that writers do not control their literary legacies, as this poem is undeniably one of Auden's best and one of the most haunting poems of a century that produced countless contenders for the title.

And darkened lands of the earth,

Obsessing our private lives;

The unmentionable odour of death

Offends the September night.

On the Circuit

W.H. Auden’s piece, written in his later years, reflects his life experiences. It portrays a traveling intellectual, disillusioned with his reading tours.

W.H. Auden's 'On the Circuit' tells a story, similar to the poet's own life experiences, of a traveling intellectual. He spends his days going from place to place on what seems to be a reading tour, hating every minute of it. The speaker looks down on himself for marketing his work in this way and on the audience for attending his readings.

Among pelagian travelers,

Lost on their lewd conceited way

To Massachusetts, Michigan,

Miami or L.A.,

The Unknown Citizen

‘The Unknown Citizen,’ a popular work by W.H. Auden, satirically depicts a dystopian report on a man’s life, exploring individuality and government power.

‘The Unknown Citizen’ describes, through the form of a dystopian report, the life of an unknown man. The poem was written while the poet was moving from England to the United States. This was an important turning point in his life. Not only was his residence changing, but so too were his opinions about the importance of the powers of his written words.

Except for the War till the day he retired

He worked in a factory and never got fired,

Explore more poems from W.H. Auden

If I Could Tell You

‘If I Could Tell You,’ a villanelle by W.H. Auden, delves into time’s role in life, emphasizing learning from mistakes and the futility of worrying about the uncontrollable.

'If I Could Tell You,' a villanelle by W.H. Auden, discusses time's critical role in human life, from early stages to later years. It illustrates how time aids in learning from mistakes and personal development. The poem's core message is the importance of time in gaining understanding and the futility of worrying about uncontrollable events, as they will occur in their own time.

Time will say nothing but I told you so,

Time only knows the price we have to pay;

If I could tell you I would let you know.

The Fall of Rome

W.H. Auden’s ‘The Fall of Rome’ explores the downfall of civilization following World War II and the independence of India.

'The Fall of Rome' is one of the best poems Auden produced after the 1930s and takes the collapse of the Roman Empire as its inspiration. The timing of its conception, in 1947, and its use of anachronistic details ensures the poem can be read as a comment on the fate of all great civilizations, which allows it to retain its power in many different contexts.

The piers are pummelled by the waves;

In a lonely field the rain

Lashes an abandoned train;

Outlaws fill the mountain caves.

Look, Stranger

‘Look, Stranger’ by W. H. Auden captures the beauty of a moment observed by the speaker and reveals the very human desire to commit it to memory.

This poem by W. H. Auden underscores the modernist poet's ability to create a vividly arresting scene, while also highlighting his idiosyncratic style when it comes to structure and line breaks. It is a beautiful poem that is devoted to communicating the simple but irreconcilable desire to capture the very essence of a moment for future reflection.

Look, stranger, on this island now

The leaping light for your delight discovers,

Stand stable here

And silent be,

A Walk After Dark

W.H. Auden’s ‘A Walk After Dark’ explores time, grief, and self-reflection through metaphors during an evening stroll.

After a tiring day

The clockwork spectacle is

Impressive in a slightly boring

Eighteenth-century way.

Adolescence

‘Adolescence’ by W.H. Auden is an interesting and complex poem. In it, the speaker analyzes and describes the life and experiences of a young man.

By landscape reminded once of his mother's figure

The mountain heights he remembers get bigger and bigger:

With the finest of mapping pens he fondly traces

All the family names on the familiar places.

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