social commentary

There's a rich history of poetry serving as social commentary, intended to inspire calls to action.

People in Glass Houses
People in Glass Houses People in glass houses, living shattered lives, they smile through thin reflections, pretending truth survives.
By ♿ V+ Marie381Uk about a year ago in Poets
Sea Shanty
I feel I have become Some kind of figment A ghost The torturous screams Of the terminal Skid row victims Captured and brutalized for
By K.B. Silver about a year ago in Poets
Where the Rails Forgot to Run
Once, a train passed through here. Its whistle cut the silence of the woods, and iron rails carved certainty into earth’s wild skin.
By Jawad Aliabout a year ago in Poets
Light from the Shadows
Light from the Shadows A Journey from Despair to Destiny In a forgotten corner of a coastal town, where the sea whispered promises it never kept, lived a boy named Kiran. At ten, he wandered the fish markets, sorting rotten catch for pennies to feed his widowed mother and younger sister. Their home was a shack of driftwood and tarp, trembling against monsoon winds. Hunger was a constant companion, but Kiran’s mind flickered with a restless curiosity, sparked by the broken radios and wires he salvaged from the shore.
By Shohel Ranaabout a year ago in Poets
Sea Urchin
I had read of Echinodermata, the phylum of spiny marine creatures, had seen sea stars and sea cucumbers. But then one summer afternoon,
By Seema Patelabout a year ago in Poets
Monarch Butterfly
This is the time of year when monarch butterflies appear. It’s been about a month, I see them every day in my garden, neighborhood,
By Seema Patelabout a year ago in Poets
Fireball
Orange flames rising higher, Flaming my heart's desire, Cheeks burning, Dripping in sweat, As my skin, To ashes it shreds,
By Carol Ann Townendabout a year ago in Poets
The Language of Scars. Content Warning.
My scar tissue speaks in bated breaths like a whisper caught in the back of your throat. A voice crack lets their crimson language
By Lolly Vieiraabout a year ago in Poets
Pareidolia
A gift it is, this Mystery, Branches from the cosmic tree. A puzzle we can choose to solve, If answers would just please resolve,
By J. Otis Haasabout a year ago in Poets
Vagari
An untethered soul strolls through the wind No end Nowhere to begin Sinking and swimming with the tide Finding any place that will abide their vibe
By Atomic Historianabout a year ago in Poets
When Shit Stops Happening, You're Going the Right Direction. Top Story - July 2025.
Every nasty name I wanna call you won't fit inside my mouth Hence The Arsenal: Mace Pepper spray Sharpened steel/oakwood long staff/chain whip/
By The Dani Writerabout a year ago in Poets
Roar, Woman, Roar.
Do you know how many things I’ve never said out loud just so I could make my daddy proud? Do you know how many words I’ve learned to say
By Mikayla Roseabout a year ago in Poets