This poem by Sinéad Morrissey looks at how genetics shape our identity.

This poem by Ciaran Carson is about how the confusion of a riot causes psychological confusion.

This poem by Simon Armitage addresses the theme of coming of age through Robin’s relationship with Batman.

This poem by Seamus Heaney describes a Belfast Docker.

A commonly misunderstood poem by Robert Frost in which the speaker considers choices, uncertainty and how we conjure stories about these things to tell ourselves and others.

Shakespeare's sonnet where he bemoans his lack of wealth or status, but then muses on how the love of the person to whom the sonnet is addressed makes his life worthwhile.

William Ernest Henley's short, powerful statement about staying strong and in control, even when life is painful or unfair.

Philip Larkin's poem where he unexpectedly finds himself in his old hometown; his sense of disconnection leads him to list features of a childhood he never experienced.

A nostalgic poem about the pleasure and safety the poet felt in her childhood classroom, and how she outgrew it as she got older

Catrin by Gillian Clarke is a personal poem about the emotional bond between a mother and daughter. It shows the tension between love and the need for independence.

RS Thomas wrote a first person reflection on guilt, violence, and the struggle to reconcile beliefs with actions.

An unnamed speaker observes the sea at night, gradually becoming immersed in the idea of how the world is changing in unpredictable and worrying ways. Written by Matthew Arnold

Paul Maddern's poem reflects on the distance he feels from a past love allows him to more fully accept his own identity.

A poem in which the speaker is overcome by a flood of memories from childhood when hearing a woman sing accompanied by piano music. Written by DH Lawrence

An unborn child relates their fears about the world they will soon enter, and pleads for protection and guidance in their future. Written by by Louis MacNeice