Ah, West Virginia – a stunning place full of history and beauty. The Appalachian Mountains that stretch for miles create an awe-inspiring landscape, while the vibrant culture infuses art and music into every part of life.
If you’re looking for a way to share your love and appreciation for this wonderful state with your students, why not turn to poetry?
From traditional folk songs to original compositions about rural mountain communities, there are lots of interesting poems about West Virginia which can make learning more fun!
Read on to explore some unique poems about the Mountain State that will inspire your classroom discussions.
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Maine here.
Five Free Verse Poems About West Virginia
Appalachia’s Majesty
In the heart of the mountains, where the rivers run wild,
A land of beauty, mystery, and charm,
A place where time slows, and nature speaks,
West Virginia, my love, my home.
The rolling hills, proud and strong,
The forests, lush and green,
The foggy mornings, the sunlit meadows,
The quiet whispers of the wind.
In this land of coal and steel,
Of sweat and toil, of dreams and hope,
We find our solace in the soil,
The roots that bind us together as one.
The Spirit of the Mountain State
Here, in the land of rolling hills and valleys,
Where rivers carve their paths through ancient stone,
A spirit thrives, unbroken by the passage of time,
A testament to the resilience of its people.
From the highest peaks to the deepest hollows,
The spirit of West Virginia lives on,
In the laughter of children playing in the fields,
In the quiet strength of a farmer tending his crops.
Through hardships faced and triumphs won,
The Mountain State endures,
A beacon of hope and determination,
A symbol of America’s enduring spirit.
New River Gorge
Steep walls of stone embrace the water’s edge,
A river’s journey, winding through time,
Carving a path of beauty and grace,
The New River Gorge, West Virginia’s pride.
Beneath the towering bridge, a marvel of human ingenuity,
The river flows, serene and strong,
Echoing the history of a land and its people.
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Michigan here.
Five Haiku Poems About West Virginia
Mountain Majesty
Rugged peaks touch skies,
Appalachian beauty,
West Virginia thrives.
River’s Serenade
New River whispers,
Ancient songs of time and space,
Nature’s melody.
Autumnal Palette
Leaves in vivid hues,
Painting hills with golden strokes,
Fall’s grand spectacle.
Coal Miner’s Pride
Black gold lies beneath,
Toil and sweat in darkened depths,
Strength of mountain folk.
Country Roads’ Embrace
Country roads winding,
Through valleys, towns, and forests,
Lead me home again.
Related: For more, check out our article on Poems About Minnesota here.
Five Limerick Poems About West Virginia
A Tale of Two Panhandles
There once were two panhandles so fair,
In West Virginia, they’d compare,
One stretched to the east,
The other, a northern feast,
Their beauty, none other could snare.
The Miner’s Lament
In the hills of West Virginia deep,
A miner worked, no time for sleep,
He dug through the night,
To his family’s delight,
But his dreams were always of sheep.
The Blackwater Falls
A waterfall in West Virginia grand,
Blackwater Falls, it did stand,
With a powerful roar,
It would never bore,
A sight that was simply quite planned.
The Mothman’s Mystique
In the town of Point Pleasant, it’s said,
A creature with wings widespread,
The Mothman they called,
By its gaze, they’re enthralled,
And stories of it quickly spread.
The Bridge Day Thrill
On Bridge Day, they gather to leap,
From New River Gorge, oh so steep,
With parachutes wide,
They jump with great pride,
While spectators can only but peep.
Five Tanka Poems About West Virginia
Appalachian Trail
Miles of winding path,
Mountains, forests, rivers, peace,
Appalachian,
Trail whispers to those who seek,
Solace in nature’s embrace.
The Greenbrier Resort
Elegant, timeless,
Greenbrier Resort stands proud,
History preserved,
Luxury and grandeur meet,
In West Virginia’s heart.
Seneca Rocks Climb
Towering above,
Seneca Rocks beckons all,
Climbers find their strength,
Challenging nature’s great wall,
Summit rewards with vast views.
Harpers Ferry Charm
Historic town waits,
Harpers Ferry, time stands still,
Confluence of streams,
Potomac and Shenandoah,
Nature and history dance.
Cass Scenic Railroad
Steam engine billows,
Cass Scenic Railroad winds through,
Mountains, valleys, past,
Echoes of a bygone age,
Journey through time and beauty.
Five Sonnet Poems About West Virginia
The Mountain State’s Majesty
In West Virginia’s hills, so vast and wide,
A beauty lies beyond what words can say,
With landscapes stretching far on every side,
And nature’s wonders waiting to display.
The rivers carve their paths through ancient stone,
Creating gorges deep and valleys green,
And forests rich with life, as yet unknown,
To those who’ve never seen such wondrous scene.
The seasons change, and with them comes new light,
As autumn leaves in fiery hues descend,
And winter’s snows do blanket all in white,
While spring and summer bloom, the land to mend.
In this great state, where mountain breezes blow,
I find my heart, and peace that I do know.
The Coal Miner’s Lament
In darkness deep, beneath the earth we toil,
Our hands are blackened by the coal we mine,
In West Virginia’s heart, we sweat and soil,
Yet proud we stand, our labor’s worth divine.
For in these mines, we forge a life so bold,
We fuel the fires that warm the homes above,
Our stories, though they may remain untold,
Are etched in coal, a testament of love.
But danger lurks within these shadowed halls,
A price too often paid by noble men,
And when the mountain shakes, a mother calls,
We pray for strength to carry on again.
In memory of the miners gone before,
We dig, and fight, and strive, forevermore.
The Appalachian Trail
Through West Virginia’s rugged wilderness,
Winds a path that many feet have trod,
The Appalachian Trail, a journey blessed,
By nature’s beauty, and the grace of God.
From peaks that pierce the sky with jagged spires,
To valleys nestled deep in forest shade,
This trail reveals the world that man desires,
A place where weary souls can be remade.
And as we walk along this path, we find,
A peace that comes from knowing we belong,
To something greater, something more refined,
Than all the strife and chaos of the throng.
In West Virginia’s mountains, let us roam,
Upon the Appalachian Trail, our home.
The New River Gorge
A wonder carved by time and water’s flow,
The New River Gorge, a sight to see,
In West Virginia’s heart, where beauty grows,
And nature’s strength is shown in majesty.
The bridge that spans this chasm, strong and tall,
A testament to human skill and might,
Yet humbled by the river’s endless call,
As ancient waters carve through rock and night.
In autumn’s glow, the trees that line the edge,
Ignite in hues of red and gold and fire,
And in the depths below, a world to dredge,
Of mysteries that never seem to tire.
In awe, we stand before this great expanse,
The New River Gorge, a place where dreams may dance.
The Mountain Music
When evening falls on West Virginia’s hills,
And shadows lengthen as the sun descends,
The music of the mountain softly trills,
A melody that heals, and heart transcends.
The banjo’s pluck, the fiddle’s mournful cry,
The songs of love and loss that fill the air,
A heritage that time cannot deny,
An echo of the past that lingers there.
In every note, a story can be found,
Of lives entwined with land and love and strife,
A history that’s rooted in the ground,
The very essence of the mountaineer’s life.
In West Virginia’s hills, the music plays,
A haunting tune that carries through the days.
Five Ode Poems About West Virginia
Ode to the Mountain State
Oh, West Virginia, land of mine,
Thy beauty’s grace, forever I pine.
From rolling hills to rivers wide,
Within thy bounds, my heart resides.
The mighty mountains standing tall,
Their peaks adorned in nature’s thrall.
A gentle breeze through forests green,
Such sights and sounds, a tranquil scene.
In hollows deep, where whispers play,
The secrets kept from light of day.
A miner’s toil, a farmer’s plow,
The labor of the land endows.
By fireside warm, where stories told
Of legends brave and heroes bold.
In song and dance, thy people share,
The spirit of the mountaineer.
Oh, West Virginia, ever free,
My love for thee, eternally.
Ode to the New River Gorge
Majestic bridge that spans the skies,
Connecting lands where beauty lies.
Below, the ancient waters flow,
A testament to time’s grand show.
The New River Gorge, a treasure grand,
Carved by nature’s skillful hand.
Through rock and stone, the waters wind,
A testament to eons’ grind.
With rapids fierce and currents strong,
Adventurers flock to sing along.
In rafts and kayaks, they explore,
The river’s thrill, forevermore.
Upon the cliffs, the climbers scale,
Defying heights with hands so pale.
In awe, they gaze at valley’s floor,
An endless vista to adore.
New River Gorge, thy beauty vast,
A monument to nature’s past.
Ode to the Appalachian Trail
A ribbon winding through the trees,
A path that calls to wandering feet.
The Appalachian Trail, it weaves,
Across the hills and valleys sweet.
From Georgia’s warmth to Maine’s cold clime,
West Virginia, a brief respite.
A journey made by those who find,
In nature’s arms, their hearts ignite.
Upon the trail, the hiker strides,
With heavy pack and spirit light.
Through rain and sun, they forge ahead,
Determined by a dream in sight.
For some, a challenge to be met,
For others, solace to forget.
The Appalachian Trail provides,
A refuge for the wanderer’s quest.
Oh, Appalachian Trail, endure,
A symbol of our love for more.
Ode to Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, where rivers meet,
A town with tales of joy and grief.
A history rich, with battles fought,
And dreams of freedom, dearly sought.
Upon thy streets, the ghosts still roam,
Of soldiers lost and lives unknown.
The echoes of a cannon’s blast,
A testament to struggles past.
John Brown’s raid, a fateful night,
An attempt to make the wrongs seem right.
A spark that lit the fires of war,
The Civil War, upon thy door.
A place where beauty now resides,
In nature’s grace, the past it hides.
Harpers Ferry, thy story told,
In whispers soft and sunlight’s gold.
Harpers Ferry, in shadows cast,
A monument to histories past.
Ode to the Blackwater Falls
In Tucker County, hidden deep,
A treasure lies in quiet keep.
The Blackwater Falls, a sight divine,
A masterpiece of nature’s design.
The waters dark, as if from coal,
Tumble down the rocky shoal.
With thunderous roar and misty haze,
A spectacle to leave one dazed.
Surrounded by the forest’s hue,
An emerald gem in mountain’s view.
The trails that lead to vantage points,
Reward the traveler’s weary joints.
Blackwater Falls, thy beauty rare,
A symbol of West Virginia’s care.
Preserved for all to stand in awe,
A testament to nature’s law.
Blackwater Falls, forever be,
A sanctuary for all to see.
Five Villanelle Poems About West Virginia
The Hills of West Virginia
In the hills of West Virginia, there’s a tale to be told
Of the beauty that surrounds us, in colors bright and bold
The mountains echo whispers, secrets kept untold
The trees stretch high above us, leaves of green and gold
With rivers running deep through valleys, clear and cold
In the hills of West Virginia, there’s a tale to be told
In the vastness of the land, history does unfold
The miners and the railroad, stories brave and bold
The mountains echo whispers, secrets kept untold
The sunsets cast their shadows, a sight to behold
A tapestry of colors, a landscape to enfold
In the hills of West Virginia, there’s a tale to be told
The people of this region, with hearts so warm and bold
Their laughter and their music, a treasure to uphold
The mountains echo whispers, secrets kept untold
Embrace the rugged beauty, let your soul be sold
To the magic and the mystery, of a land so pure and old
In the hills of West Virginia, there’s a tale to be told
The mountains echo whispers, secrets kept untold
Wild and Wonderful
Wild and wonderful, West Virginia calls me home
Through the misty mountains, where creatures freely roam
Her beauty and her wonder, forever etched in stone
The Appalachian Trail winds, a path for feet to comb
The spirits of the forest, guide wanderers who may roam
Wild and wonderful, West Virginia calls me home
The New River Gorge Bridge, an engineering milestone
Stands tall and proud, as if a giant’s backbone
Her beauty and her wonder, forever etched in stone
The caverns underground, a world all of its own
With stalactites and stalagmites, nature’s sculpted throne
Wild and wonderful, West Virginia calls me home
The sounds of life surround us, a symphony of tone
From the rustling of the leaves, to the river’s gentle moan
Her beauty and her wonder, forever etched in stone
In every hill and valley, West Virginia’s spirit’s shown
A land of strength and character, a place to call our own
Wild and wonderful, West Virginia calls me home
Her beauty and her wonder, forever etched in stone
The Appalachian Sunrise
The Appalachian sunrise, a beacon in the sky
Illuminates the valleys, where West Virginia’s treasures lie
A symphony of colors, that dance before our eyes
The morning dew upon the grass, nature’s sweet reply
To the warmth and light provided, by the sun up high
The Appalachian sunrise, a beacon in the sky
The fog lifts from the rivers, as if to say goodbye
Revealing sparkling waters, that mirror the bright sky
A symphony of colors, that dance before our eyes
The birds sing their melodies, a chorus from on high
Their voices harmonizing, with the sun’s ascent nigh
The Appalachian sunrise, a beacon in the sky
The world awakens gently, beneath the sun’s embrace
As shadows dance upon the hills, in an elegant display
A symphony of colors, that dance before our eyes
The beauty of West Virginia, impossible to deny
As the sun climbs higher, painting the sky
The Appalachian sunrise, a beacon in the sky
A symphony of colors, that dance before our eyes
The Mountain State
In the heart of Appalachia, the Mountain State resides
With peaks and valleys stretching far, as far as one can stride
West Virginia’s beauty, a treasure to confide
The rivers carve the landscape, like a serpent’s slithering glide
Creating deep ravines, where mystery and wonder hide
In the heart of Appalachia, the Mountain State resides
The forests cloak the mountains, a verdant, lush divide
A sanctuary for creatures, where life and nature coincide
West Virginia’s beauty, a treasure to confide
The seasons change the scenery, a transformation to provide
From winter’s icy grip, to the bloom of springtime’s pride
In the heart of Appalachia, the Mountain State resides
The people’s hearts are strong, like the mountains at their side
Their love for their homeland, a feeling they can’t hide
West Virginia’s beauty, a treasure to confide
So let us sing her praises, let our voices be allied
For the splendor and the glory, of this land so dignified
In the heart of Appalachia, the Mountain State resides
West Virginia’s beauty, a treasure to confide
The Coal Miner’s Lament
In the depths of West Virginia, where the coal miner’s toil
Through darkness and through danger, beneath the hallowed soil
The echoes of their labor, a symphony of turmoil
The pickaxe strikes the rock face, as sweat drips down like oil
The black dust coats their bodies, as if a serpent’s coil
In the depths of West Virginia, where the coal miner’s toil
The tunnels stretch before them, a labyrinth to uncoil
With every ounce of strength, each man must fiercely toil
The echoes of their labor, a symphony of turmoil
The miner’s light, a beacon, in this dark and dreary broil
Guides them through the darkness, as they search for coal to spoil
In the depths of West Virginia, where the coal miner’s toil
Their families wait above ground, their hearts heavy with recoil
Praying for their safety, as the earth begins to boil
The echoes of their labor, a symphony of turmoil
The coal miner’s lament, a tale of struggle and toil
A rugged mountain state, West Virginia’s loyal soil
In the depths of West Virginia, where the coal miner’s toil
The echoes of their labor, a symphony of turmoil.
West Virginia is a beautiful state filled with rich history and culture, and it’s reflected in great works of literature over the years.
Poetry is one form of art that reads as both beautiful and educational, and there are several powerful poems about West Virginia that teachers should keep in mind for their classes.
From capturing local dialect to describing mountain scenes, these pieces evoke emotion while providing insight into West Virginia’s special landscape.
If you’re looking to use more poems about West Virginia in your classroom, remember these listed here!
There are so many inspiring works out there just waiting to be discovered, so happy writing and researching! And don’t forget – read our other articles for more educational advice on using literature in teaching.
