In a world saturated with headlines of conflict, climate anxiety, and digital fatigue, poetry offers a return—not to silence, but to stillness. At Poets & Peace, we believe that poetry is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. A form of resistance. A form of healing. And, perhaps, the purest language of peace.
But what is peace? It’s more than the absence of war. It is the presence of understanding. Of breath. Of community. Of dignity. Peace can be global or deeply personal. It can be found in a forest or in forgiveness.
We’ve curated ten poems—classic and contemporary—that don’t just talk about peace, they breathe it. Read them slowly. Revisit them often. Share them widely.
1. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry
When human fears feel too heavy, Berry turns to the quiet assurance of nature.
Key line: “I come into the peace of wild things / who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.”
2. “Desert” by Adonis (Ali Ahmad Said Esber)
Often considered the Arab world’s greatest living poet, Adonis explores war, myth, and the modern Arab condition. His works call for inner awakening as a precursor to peace.
Key idea: Peace is not given — it must be created through cultural renewal.
3. “Where the Mind is Without Fear” by Rabindranath Tagore (India)
From Gitanjali, originally writteen in Bengali, this iconic prayer for a fearless, awakened nation transcends time and borders.
Key line: “Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”
4. “Dove” by Alice Walker
Walker’s dove is not a cliché, but a courageous messenger of hope and renewal.
Key line: “Dove of peace / fly through my heart.”
5. “Imagine” by John Lennon (Lyrics as Poem)
Before it was a song, it was a vision—a poetic blueprint for a borderless world.
Key line: “You may say I’m a dreamer / But I’m not the only one…”
6. “A Prayer for My Daughter” by W. B. Yeats
Yeats imagines a world of balance and beauty for the next generation—where peace is inherited, not fought for.
Key line: “May she be granted beauty and yet not / Beauty to make a stranger’s eye distraught.”
7. “Rauhallinen ilta” by Eeva Kilpi (Finland)
Kilpi’s work often explores the quiet beauty of peace in contrast to war and displacement.
Key line: “I wish us all a peaceful evening.”A poem of fierce dignity that asserts personal peace as an act of resistance.
8. “Peace” by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Hopkins pleads for peace not as a vague idea but as an urgent presence.
Key line: “And when Peace here does house / He comes with work to do…”
9. “E se” by Gianni Rodari (Italy)
A playful yet powerful Italian poem that imagines a world with no war—just children, laughter, and cake.
Key line: “Se io avessi una botteguccia / fatta di una sola stanza…”
10. “Poem on Peace” by Langston Hughes
Hughes challenges us to see peace as action, not passivity.
Key line:“Peace is more than a still white dove / More than a dove that rests from flight.”
What These Poems Remind Us
Peace isn’t passive. It asks us to notice. To nurture. To remember. Whether it’s found in the rustle of wild leaves, the rhythm of a resilient voice, or the hush after grief — poetry reminds us that peace is both a personal practice and a collective promise.
This selection / list reminds us that peace is humanity’s shared verse, no matter the meter or language. At Poets & Peace, we’re committed to holding space for diverse voices. Infact, that’s the very reason why we started Poets & Peace. To create a space where poetry isn’t just read — it’s felt, lived, and shared. One poem at a time, one reader at a time, one breath at a time.
– Aashi Singh
