"Wild Geese" - Mary Oliver This poem is a comfort. Meanwhile the world goes on. http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/maryoliver.html#anchor_14792
"Desiderata" - attributed to Max Ehrman You grow up hearing a lot of "No!" This poem offers the opposite. This site also offers the real story on the history of the poem. http://www.cs.cornell.edu/people/adg/html/desiderata.html
"The Journey" - Mary Oliver In the end, if you don't save your own life ... who will? http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/MaryOliver.html
"Song" - Adrienne Rich I love the final image of the boat, which does not merely have the potential, but a true "gift" for burning. http://www.southerncrossreview.org/41/rich.htm
"Having It Out With Melancholy" - Jane Kenyon This beautifully describes depression, without savaging or romanticizing the experience of the disease. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15920
"Not Waving But Drowning" - Stevie Smith Ah, ain't defense mechanisms great? http://www.palace.net/~llama/poetry/drowning
"Eating Poetry" - Mark Strand http://www.palace.net/~llama/poetry/strand1
"In A Classroom" - Adrienne Rich http://www.palace.net/~llama/poetry/classroom
"Burn Center" - Sharon Olds I am awed at Olds' ability to manipulate my emotions with the language of this poem. Scroll down for it, it's worth it. www.cmps.edu/pdf/SharonOldsPoetry.pdf
"There is Some Kiss We Want" - Rumi This 12th century poet is astounding. http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/celebrations/there_is_some_kiss.html
"Gretel in Darkness" - Louise Gluck Fairy tales ... they're dark stuff. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/gretel-in-darkness/
"Purgatory" - Maxine Kumin Ever wonder about alternative endings to Romeo and Juliet? http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15651
"Variation on the Word 'Sleep'" - Margaret Atwood The two last lines http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16221
"The Fish" - Elizabeth Bishop http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/poetry/fish_elements.html
"Private Eye Lettuce" - Richard Brautigan Some days you just need that Douglas-Adams-esque sense of humor. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16197
"So, you want to be a writer?" - Charles Bukowski http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16549
"Souls on Ice" - Mark Doty (a reflection before "A Display of Mackerel" http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15847
"Theme for English B" - Langston Hughes http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15614
"Facing It" - Yusek Komunyakaa http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15830
"Red Poppy" - Tess Gallagher http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15502
"The Red Poppy" - Louise Gluck http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15604
"Poppies" - Sandra Mc Pherson http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15491
"The Secret" - Denise Levertov http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15371
"City That Does Not Sleep" - Federico Garcia Lorca Lorca is language on crack. "Unbelievable alligator quiet" http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15869
"Testy Pony" by Zachary Schomburg "It is the wrong kind of pony." http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/21895
"Monologue of a Dog Ensnared in History" by Wislawa Szymborska Yes, it is exactly what you think it's about. Kind of makes interesting that line about being the person your dog thinks you are. http://www.ralphmag.org/DZ/dog.html