Our Project Embraces Poems About Life and Death – And Everything in Between

If there is one thing that is often misunderstood, it’s poetry. Not just individual poems written by poets, but the art form as a whole. Some think of it as a pretentious, intellectual pursuit, while others view it as self-indulgent and even meaningless. Nevertheless, for the artist who puts pen to paper and bleeds inky emotions out into the world, it is a vulnerable exercise in self-expression. Poetry gives a voice to a thought, feeling, or vision before they become ghosts forever lost. Like photography, it captures a moment in time, a concentrated snapshot of human existence. The best part? It’s all subjective and the interpretation of poetry is as fluid as running water. We at The AVBOB Poetry Project appreciate the power of words, and how they embrace the seamless cycle of life and death – and every facet that flows forth from it.

Whether you are a budding young poet, a professional writer, or just an avid reader of what speaks to your soul, we invite you to our library. Free and open to all, you are welcomed in to take a seat and join thousands of South African artists who want to share their voice.

Poems About Birth and New Life

When a child is born, there is elation and excitement, but not until it leaves the womb and wails with strong lungs will anyone breathe a sigh of relief that there is healthy life. A baby’s first cry – a testament to the power of the voice. The symbol of birth has been a core element to poetry and other art forms since humankind could create, and it continues to fascinate us today. Birth is not just about bearing a child, though. It is conceiving an idea, delivering on a dream, and nurturing your goals. It is new beginnings, the first day of spring, and bringing good things to fruition for yourself. We are all creators who breathe life into places once dead. Poetry about birth and life is as much about appreciating creators as it is about celebrating the created.

Poems About Love Lost and Found

Is there a mightier tether between people than love? It anchors humanity in empathy and embrace of the other – often with no regard to the well-being of the self. Many spend their whole lives seeking love, wanting to connect, understand, and feel understood. Love is a bond almost unbreakable – but it can break, and when it does, the grief is paralysing. Of the timeless themes that inspire poets to write, love seems to be the greatest muse of all. It is whimsical and wild and sets the heart free. Our collection of poems on love features laments of heartbreak, ballads sung by infatuated hearts, and kinship love strong enough to wreck cities.

Poems About Hope Renewed and Restored

For many, these are dark times. The global pandemic has been a period of stress, burnout, and fatigue. Seeing death and feeling alone has become a reality for many. It is during these times that art is needed most. Poetry permits people to say what is on their minds, and a world silenced by loneliness and grief needs this. Poems about hope are not just optimistic plasters that cover up the bad, they explore real and valid pain and ways of working through this. Hopeful and inspiring art never suggests that all is well, but rather that there are islands of wellness upon which to rest when seas become rough.

Poems About Death and Goodbyes

Grief is a language we all speak because death is, eventually, a thing we all see. We think of death as a disempowering entity because it strips us of all control, taking forcefully from us what ought not to be taken. But it inevitably knocks on each door and grappling with the emotions that arise within us when it does, is important. Poems about death may not offer closure or healing, but they can be soothing balms for the soul in times of inconsolable mourning. Most impressive about our library collection of poems about death is how loss is a universally shared experience, but one that we all deal with differently.

If you, too, would like inspiration for your own poetry, or even to relate to others navigating loss, love, and life, then take a look at our extraordinary collection here.