This site exists for one purpose only: to help dispel the ugly and absolutely untrue myth that poetry is boring. Granted, a lot of poetry is boring, but you won't find it here. At Your Daily Poem, you'll find poetry that is touching, funny, provocative, inspiring, uplifting, and surprising. It may punch you in the gut, it may bring tears to your eyes, it may make you laugh out loud, but it most assuredly will not bore you.

Poetry on YDP—by poets living and long dead, famous to completely unknown--is specially selected for accessibility and appeal. Thanks so much for visiting—and remember: a poem a day keeps the doldrums away!

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English poet and playwright whose work has arguably had more influence on the world--certainly the English-speaking part of it--than any other writer. Popular enough during his lifetime, William’s reputation and renown began to flourish in the 1800s and he is today considered one of the greatest writers of all times. While we don’t know how much of his work may have been lost over the centuries, nearly 40 plays, 154 sonnets, and a handful of other poems are currently identified as the work of "The Bard of Avon." His humor has withstood the test of time and virtually every great actor includes a Shakespearean monologue in his or her repertoire.