1. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—"
A haunting classic that embodies the eerie atmosphere of Halloween, “The Raven” is renowned for its mesmerizing rhythm and dark themes of loss and madness.
2. “Theme in Yellow” by Carl Sandburg
"I spot the hills
With yellow balls in autumn.
I light the prairie cornfields
Orange and tawny gold clusters"
Sandburg’s poem beautifully captures the essence of autumn and Halloween, personifying pumpkins in a whimsical yet slightly eerie manner.
3. “All Souls'” by Edith Wharton
"Thin shapes flickered on the air
Like memories of last year's leaves—"
This poem delves into the spiritual realm, evoking the presence of departed souls on All Souls’ Night, a perfect read for a Halloween evening.
4. “The Witch of Coos” by Robert Frost
"The only fault my husband found with me—
I went to sleep before I went to bed,"
Frost’s narrative poem tells a chilling tale of a witch and a skeleton, blending supernatural elements with human emotions.
5. “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti
"We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:"
Though not strictly a Halloween poem, Rossetti’s work is filled with fantastical and slightly sinister creatures, perfect for the season.
6. “The Haunted Palace” by Edgar Allan Poe
"Banners yellow, glorious, golden,
On its roof did float and flow"
Another masterpiece by Poe, this poem uses the metaphor of a palace to describe the descent into madness, creating a truly haunting atmosphere.
7. “Halloween” by Robert Burns
"Upon that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,"
Burns’ classic poem captures the folkloric traditions of Halloween in Scotland, bringing a touch of cultural history to the list.
8. “The Hag” by Robert Herrick
"The Hag is astride,
This night for to ride;"
A short but powerful poem that vividly describes a witch’s nighttime flight, perfect for invoking the spirit of Halloween.
9. “The Listeners” by Walter de la Mare
"'Is there anybody there?' said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door;"
De la Mare’s poem creates an eerie atmosphere of abandonment and mystery, ideal for a Halloween night reading.
10. “The Witch” by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge
"I have walked a great while over the snow,
And I am not tall nor strong."
This poem offers a unique perspective on witches, presenting a more sympathetic view that adds depth to Halloween lore.
11. “Spirits of the Dead” by Edgar Allan Poe
"Thy soul shall find itself alone
'Mid dark thoughts of the grey tomb-stone;"
Poe’s haunting exploration of death and the afterlife perfectly captures the somber side of Halloween.
12. “The Vampire” by Conrad Aiken
"She rose among us where we lay.
She wept, we put our work away."
Aiken’s poem brings the classic Halloween creature of the vampire to life in a subtly chilling manner.
13. “All Hallows” by Louise Glück
"Even now this landscape is assembling.
The hills darken. The oxen
Sleep in their blue yoke,"
Glück’s modern take on Halloween imagery blends natural and supernatural elements to create a haunting atmosphere.
14. “The Spell of the Jack-O’-Lantern” by Bliss Carman
"Bring forth the pumpkin, shapen fair,
And carve it in a face of fear,"
This poem celebrates the tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns, capturing the festive spirit of Halloween.
15. “The Haunted House” by Thomas Hood
“A jolly place,” said he, “in times of old,But something ails it now: the spot is curst.”
Hood’s poem paints a vivid picture of a haunted house, a staple of Halloween imagery and storytelling.
16. “The Witch’s Life” by Anne Sexton
"When I was a child
there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch."
Sexton’s poem offers a more nuanced view of witches, blending childhood memories with adult reflections.
17. “The Ghoul” by James Whitcomb Riley
"The ghoul that from the coffin lid
At midnight raised its drowsy head"
Riley’s poem brings the ghoul, a lesser-known Halloween creature, to life in chilling detail.
18. “The Elf and the Dormouse” by Oliver Herford
"Under a toadstool crept a wee Elf,
Out of the rain to shelter himself."
This whimsical poem adds a touch of fairy-tale magic to the Halloween mix, perfect for younger readers.
19. “Little Orphant Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley
"An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
Ef you Don't Watch Out!"
Riley’s classic cautionary tale is perfect for Halloween, with its warnings about goblins and other creatures of the night.
20. “Song of the Witches” by William Shakespeare
"Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble."
From “Macbeth,” this iconic witch’s chant is a Halloween staple, capturing the essence of witchcraft in literature.
21. “The Skeleton in Armor” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
"Speak! speak! thou fearful guest!
Who, with thy hollow breast"
Longfellow’s narrative poem brings a historical touch to Halloween, with its tale of a Viking ghost.
22. “The Stolen Child” by W.B. Yeats
"Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild"
While not strictly a Halloween poem, Yeats’ work captures the allure and danger of the supernatural world.
23. “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes
"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas."
This narrative poem’s ghostly imagery and tragic love story make it perfect for a Halloween reading.
24. “Antigonish” by Hughes Mearns
"Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there"
Also known as “The Little Man Who Wasn’t There,” this short, eerie poem is ideal for creating a spooky atmosphere.
25. “The Conqueror Worm” by Edgar Allan Poe
"Lo! 't is a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years!"
We end with another Poe masterpiece, a dark meditation on death that embodies the spirit of Halloween.
