Favorite Poems

I'm currently working on creating a new poetry unit, and I'm going to do "A Poem A Day" with my kids. I'm finding some poems that I really enjoy, so I'm going to share them with you for the next month or so.

My first favorite poem is Sonnet 27 by Shakespeare. Many of my favorite poems will be one of his sonnets, so be prepared for that!

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,
The dear repose for limbs with travel tired,
But then begins a journey in my head
To work my mind, when body's work's expired;
For then my thoughts (from far where I abide)
Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,
And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,
Looking on darkness which the blind do see;
Save that my soul's imaginary sight
Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,
Which like a jewel hung in the ghastly night,
Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.
Lo thus by day my limbs, by night my mind,
For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

I'm a hopeless romantic, and I love this poem because the speaker is dreaming of going to his love, and describing it as a pilgrimage, which shows the importance of that journey, if in nothing at least in his dream, and that the dream of his love makes night better, and beautiful.

This sonnet is the one I created an illumination project while I was at the Folger this summer. It's hard to say if this is my favorite sonnet, but it is one of them. I'm looking at my Riverside Shakespeare right now, and I'm finding many of them that I can relate to, so I'm sure I'm going to put more up later.

Does anyone have favorite poems they'd like to recommend?

Cheers!