Abraham Lincoln is one of the most iconic figures in American history. His extraordinary life, from his humble beginnings in a log cabin to his tragic assassination, has long captivated poets and writers.
This article collects several original poems about Abraham Lincoln, written to inspire students to explore Lincoln’s remarkable story through poetry.
Students can learn how to bring historical figures to life through vivid imagery, emotional language, and sensory details by reading and analyzing these poems.
The poems also demonstrate how to convey the themes of Lincoln’s life, from loss and struggle to hope and resilience. Teachers can use these poems as models for students to emulate as they craft their poems honouring Lincoln’s enduring legacy.
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Alexander Hamilton here.
Abraham Lincoln: Five Free Verse Poems
The Rail-Splitter
His axe bites the wood,
Splitting logs under the hot Illinois sun.
Each crack echoes the frontier’s call
To a gangly youth who would be
Savior and reunifier.
The Orator
Words flow from his lips,
A river of reason sculpting the crowd.
With cadences born in the forest and field,
He elevates countrymen to common purpose,
Liberty and Union bound as one.
The Emancipator
With a stroke of the pen,
Millions unshackled, a people freed.
Justice writ large on the blood-stained page,
While victory’s end still obscured in the fog,
Courage lights the way.
The Fallen Leader
A crack of thunder on Good Friday eve,
The shepherd slain, his work now passed
To frail mortal hands. Grief’s black shroud
Envelops a nation saved but mourning
The gift now gone.
Everlasting
The marble gleams, timeless and austere.
Yet within, the vibrant heart
Of sacrifice and hope still beats.
His weathered face and haunted eyes
Gaze forever to horizons of promise.
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Barack Obama here.
Abraham Lincoln: Five Haiku Poems
The Frontiersman
Log cabin born
Axe in hand, words on his lips
Destiny awaits
The Statesman
Union unravels
Holding fast to liberty
Fate of nation weighed
The Emancipator
Shackles broken
Justice writ for millions bound
Freedom’s trumpet call
Grief’s Heavy Burden
A crack of thunder
The shepherd slain, a nation mourns
Black crepe on white hope
Everlasting Flame
Marble and memory
Honest Abe still lights the way
From history’s heart
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Donald Trump here.
Abraham Lincoln: Five Limericks
There once was a man from Kentucky
Who as President was quite lucky
He saved the Union
And freed each plantation
This man we call Honest Abe, plucky!
In Springfield a lawyer did dwell
Who had a great tale to tell
He rose to high office
Fulfilled his life’s purpose
This statesman who served his land well
The South was seceding with haste
The Union was coming unchased
But Lincoln stayed steady
And in actions already
The nation’s sad conflict outfaced
At Ford’s Theater a shot rang out
And grief then did spread throughout
The land Lincoln saved
In death now was laid
Lamenting the loss of its stout
Though gone for a century and half
In memory Lincoln still laughs
And leads by example
His virtues a temple
To freedom and unity’s staff
Five Tanka Poems About Abraham Lincoln
The Great Emancipator
Honor to Lincoln
Five score years since Gettysburg
Freedom’s hope held fast
Abe, the tall and true, who saved
The Union, and set men free
The Railsplitter
Splitting logs by hand
Honing a heart, a mind keen
For justice, moving
To mend a nation’s divide
Born in a humble cabin
The Wordsmith
Careful with his words
They were his tools, tempered steel
To keep a nation
Whole and strong, to end all wars
With malice toward none, with grace
The Lost Son
The gnawing pain of loss
Set deeper in a sapling’s soul
Early hollowed out
Bereft of his mother, sister
He grew wise and bent on justice
The President
Tall and thin with grace
Abe, the farmer president
Led with a steady hand
Through a civil war’s fierce flames
And joined the ranks of martyrs
Five Villanelle Poems About Abraham Lincoln
Honest Abe
Honest Abe, so tall and true
With patient wit and steady hand
Faced down a rebel horde and slew
He split the rails, and put them through
His honest mind and heart so grand
Honest Abe, so tall and true
His words rang out like morning dew
On battlefields across the land
Faced down a rebel horde and slew
He held the Union fast in lieu
Of short-term gain, of quick demand
Honest Abe, so tall and true
The Emancipator, who knew
That freedom must be won, not planned
Faced down a rebel horde and slew
So let us sing his praise anew
Our hero, martyr, saintly man
Honest Abe, so tall and true
Faced down a rebel horde and slew
The Marble Man
The Marble Man in solemn grace
Looks out upon the Mall below
And guards the sacred burial space
He bears no hint of scorn or face
Of anger, rage, or afterglow
The Marble Man in solemn grace
He bears the scars of war’s dark trace
And holds the Union fast, you know
And guards the sacred burial space
His words echo within this place
Of liberty and justice, so
The Marble Man in solemn grace
We honor him with pride, and trace
His patient trail, his steady flow
And guard the sacred burial space
Let us remember him with grace
And pledge anew to live and grow
The Marble Man in solemn grace
And guard the sacred burial space
The Emancipator
Abe, the Emancipator true
Who split the chains of slavery
And made a bold new way for you
His patient, steady march pursued
A lofty goal, a bright decree
Abe, the Emancipator true
Through death and war, he bore us through
With wit and wisdom, grand and free
And made a bold new way for you
He spoke of freedom, and imbued
His words with grace and clarity
Abe, the Emancipator true
He honored all God’s children who
Had long been held in slavery
And made a bold new way for you
So let us sing his praises due
Our hero, martyr, bold and free
Abe, the Emancipator true
And make a bold new way for you
Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago
Our Fathers’ bequeathed to us a home
Their land, our birthright to bestow
And here, so far from sun and glow
We gather now, no more to roam
Four score and seven years ago
In hallowed ground, we stand aglow
Midst fallen heroes’ sacred dome
Whose land, our birthright to bestow
Their blood and sacrifice bestow
A vision of a land to own
Four score and seven years ago
We honor them, with hearts a-throw
To renew the land where they have flown
Their land, our birthright to bestow
So let us pledge, to keep the flow
Of liberty and justice known
Four score and seven years ago
Their land, our birthright to bestow
The Assassination
The shot rang out upon the land
And echoed through the ages there
Abe, the Great, had fallen, unmanned
We could not understand the bland
Assassin or his motive clear
The shot rang out upon the land
The man who labored, planned, and scanned
The white-hot furnace of despair
Abe, the Great, had fallen, unmanned
His words rang true, and we had fanned
Our hope in him so grand and rare
The shot rang out upon the land
No more would he walk, talk, or stand
His mortal frame was now laid bare
Abe, the Great, had fallen, unmanned
So let us hold to his command
To keep the Union, brave and fair
The shot rang out upon the land
Abe, the Great, had fallen, unmanned.
Five Sonnet Poems About Abraham Lincoln
The Great Emancipator
The land of liberty, a nation bright,
Held tight in slavery’s odious grip.
True freedom was but a far-off sight,
The flag of justice was beginning to dip.
But into the fray stepped a man of action,
A figure tall, with a heart so grand.
He fought the South with a great passion,
And gave slaves the rights to take a stand.
He rose above the rabble and hate,
And vowed to be the champion of the poor.
He fought until it was no longer late,
And ended the reign of slavery for sure.
He shall always be remembered and praised,
For being a hero of the highest grade.
The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago,
Our fathers brought forth a nation so new.
A land of liberty they hoped to sow,
And a place where freedom would always be true.
But war had come and left its mark,
A great divide within the land.
It was time for those who could make a start,
To make the people come back hand in hand.
It was here at Gettysburg where he stood,
And with his words, he showed the way.
He talked of freedom, and brotherhood,
Of how we shall never forget the price we pay.
We honor his words, till the end of our days,
And remember the man who saved our ways.
The Martyr President
The sea of people gathered so dense,
Each face was full of tears and remorse.
The nation had lost its greatest prince,
And its hopes and dreams had taken a course.
He had fought for freedom for all,
And of the Union he was the defender.
But fate had called him to take the fall,
And his life was ended with a shot so tender.
The country mourned, the world stood still,
For he was more than just a man.
He was the leader who fought with will,
And made us understand the true values of human.
With heavy hearts, we lay him to rest,
And pray that his ideals will continue to bless.
The Commander-in-Chief
The dark clouds of war threatened the land,
And the only way was to stand and fight.
The enemy was strong and very planned,
But he led us through with his might.
He marshaled the men and the artillery too,
With a smile and a handshake, he won their hearts.
The battles were won, he always knew,
How to make his country play her part.
He was the commander, but also our friend,
For he cared for the soldiers with all his might.
And when the war finally came to its end,
The nation knew who had fought the good fight.
He was our Lincoln, so kind and true,
And the history of this nation is his glory too.
The Great Man of Hope
In times of trouble and despair,
We looked to him, our beacon of light.
With words so encouraging and full of care,
He gave us hope during the nation’s darkest nights.
His heart was pure and his will so brave,
He never gave up and never gave in.
The country he saved from a terrible grave,
And made us dream of the future so new and bright.
He shall forever be our great man of hope,
For he showed us what we could be.
With his courage and his endless scope,
He changed the course of history.
We shall never forget, our hero so grand,
Our Abraham Lincoln, with his loving hand.
Abraham Lincoln’s story continues to captivate and inspire generations. Through poetry, we are able to bring to life his remarkable journey and legacy. The poems in this article are just a small collection of works that honour the life and accomplishments of Lincoln.
By studying them, students can learn how to craft their pieces and convey emotions, themes, and imagery through poetry. Lincoln’s story belongs to us all, and through poetry, we can keep his memory alive.
Poetry and Abraham Lincoln FAQ
Did Abraham Lincoln write any poetry?
There is no record of Abraham Lincoln writing poetry. However, he was known to be a lover of poetry and enjoyed reciting poems to friends and family, such as “The Last Leaf” by Oliver Wendell Holmes.
What themes are typically explored in poems about Abraham Lincoln?
Poems about Abraham Lincoln often explore themes of freedom, justice, resilience, hope, and perseverance. They may also explore his legacy and his impact on the nation.
What are some famous poems about Abraham Lincoln?
Some famous poems about Abraham Lincoln include “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman, “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” by Vachel Lindsay, and “Lincoln” by John Gould Fletcher.
How can poetry be used to teach about Abraham Lincoln?
Poetry can be an effective teaching tool for exploring Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy. Students can explore themes and emotions related to Lincoln and his impact through poetry. Teachers can encourage students to write their poems or analyze and interpret existing works of poetry to deepen their understanding of Lincoln’s life and legacy.
What poetic devices are commonly used in poems about Abraham Lincoln?
Poems about Abraham Lincoln often use poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor, and allusion to convey emotions and themes associated with his life and legacy. Depending on the poem’s tone, they may also use rhythm and rhyme to create a sense of harmony or discordance.
