Poem archive
Read poems by Arizona and Southwestern writers, plus classic work preserved in the AZPoetry literary archive.
Search by poem title, poet, or a phrase you remember. Each archive page is designed to lead readers toward more poets and related work.
2026
“WITH WILL THERE WAS ALWAYS A WAY” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, love and relationships. Its imagery is anchored in California. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“GROUNDING OUT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, family. Its imagery is anchored in Pasadena, California. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“I'm Going Through” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, identity. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“50 Deep Breaths” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on memory, love and relationships, family. Its imagery is anchored in Arctic Ocean. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Time” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, nature. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Uptown World” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on place and geography, love and relationships, family. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Gentle Reminders” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on arizona, family, identity. Its imagery is anchored in Phoenix. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“In this Surreal Moment” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, music. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“UPTOWN” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, love and relationships. Its imagery is anchored in Chicago, Uptown Chicago. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“IJS” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, love and relationships. Its imagery is anchored in Alaska, Lake Michigan. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Kitchen Conversations” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on memory, love and relationships, family. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“I'm Down” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, music. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Wonder of Woman” by Jimmie Ware is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, identity. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Epiphany” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, music. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Astronaut” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on memory, love and relationships, family. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“When You Said I Wasn’t Perfect, You Were Right.” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on love and relationships, family, music. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Lefty” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on place and geography, love and relationships, family. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Burn” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on family, identity, aging. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Life Boat” by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson is a poem centered on family, mortality and loss, social justice. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“A POEM THAT ASKS THE MUSICAL QUESTION: IS JACK KEROUAC REALLY DEAD IN AMERICA?” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, family, mortality and loss. Its imagery is anchored in California. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“A FEW BARS ON A BAR-ROOM PIANO” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, love and relationships, family. Its imagery is anchored in Los Angeles, California. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“I MET HANK IN 1968” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, family. Its imagery is anchored in Chicago, Los Angeles. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“INNER BLUES ON THE OUTER DRIVE” by Michael C. Ford is a poem centered on place and geography, memory, family. Its imagery is anchored in Chicago, California. The poem develops its subject through recurring images and shifts in emotional pressure rather than reducing the experience to a single statement.
2026
“Gunslingers” by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis taking your place across from me. Oureyes meet, hands hover over the big ironon our hips. My sister, my identical twin. You makeme feel like a…
2025
I’m a bird.One day, the thru-hiker came byand tried guessing my name.She got it wrong. But birdbrains know how to spot beauty over faults.For the first time in my life, I didn’t w…
2025
"Haiku from Seventeen Syllables" by Hisaye Yamamoto it was so much easier to say yes, yes, even when one meant no. About the author Hisaye Yamamoto Haiku, Silence, and Struggle in…
2025
"Your Poem Is Not That Good Because (A Response)" by Christopher Fox Graham I Our poems were never that goodno one's wereor the world we talked aboutthe revolution we prophesiedwo…
2025
Behold!The laziest man in the world Damn I'm a pearlCountless bedsores adorn my soulCheck it, if you see my corpse walking round it's a hoaxCause in my head I'm at home Tomes tell…
2025
Benedicto: May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome,dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.May your rivers flow without end,meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling…
2025
"Get Back" by Paul McCartney Jojo was a man who thought he was a lonerBut he knew it couldn't lastJojo left his home in Tucson, ArizonaFor some California grass Get back, get back…
2025
"Arizona" by Clarence Urmy A land of mesas and of rocky spires, Of wondrous canyons and eternal fires, Of boundless spaces, mighty, grim, and grand, Where silence keeps the secret…
2025
"Desert Rain" by John Gould Fletcher Across the burnished mesas They march in lines of jade, The thunder-heads assembled To crush the light parade. The shadow of their wingspread…
2025
"The Song of the Sonoran Desert" by Sharlot Madbirdth Hall Sharlot Madbirdth Hall captures the essence of the desert in her work, bringing to life its beauty and mystery. Oh, land…
2025
When you turned your head, my heart tapped my head.It said.RUN.I don't know where this one is from.He's gonna render you dumb.Your lungs will become numb.Paralyzed in his eyes.His…
2024
Away up high in the Sierry Petes where the yeller Jack Pine grows tallOl’ Sandy Bob and Buster Jig had a rodeer camp last fall. Oh, They’d taken their hosses and their runnin’ iro…
2024
grandma and I are caught in Loops hiit's B I'm good how are you I live inLos Angeles and I love it traffic's badbut it gives me time to think my nameit's Beth I live in LA and it'…
2024
thanksgiving day november 28th, 1986 thanks for the wild turkey and passenger pigeonsdestined to be [ ] out through wholesome american guts thanks for a comment to despoil and poi…
2024
they don't love you like i love youmy mother said this to me long beforebeyonce lifted the lyrics from the yeah yeah yeahswhat my mother meant by don't straywas that she knew all…
2024
a house called tomorrow you are not 15or 12 or 17 you are a hundred wildcenturies and 15 bringing with you inevery breath and in every step everyonewho has come before you all the…
2024
A Cowboy's Prayer (Written for Mother) Oh Lord, I've never lived where churches grow.I love creation better as it stoodThat day You finished it so long agoAnd looked upon Your wor…
2024
Here’s what you do:You take every chance to make itNever say no to anythingIf you want itTake the minute to take that every effort‘cause chances not only comeBut they goHere’s whe…
2024
I'm your top prime cut of meat, I'm your choiceI wanna be electedI'm your yankee doodle dandy in a gold Rolls RoyceI wanna be electedKids want a savior, don't need a fakeI wanna b…
2024
This poem was a spoken word poem, often performed in poetry slams locally, and nationally by The Klute, and various other members of the Arizona poetry community, sometimes with t…
2024
My mother used to cook for meWhich bears comment, these daysDinner was a regimental affairthroughout my teen years. Spaghetti,jarred sauce,garlic breadand bagged salad. Beef tacos…
2024
I send letters and Bottles across bodiesof water or folded up and flown over thePeaks addressed to the summer summer isa star-eyed space cadet called meStardust in the making I wr…
