World Poetry Day Quiz: How Many Of These Famous Poems Do You Recognise?

Some of these might take you back to English lessons...

People across the globe have been sharing their favourite verses to help mark World Poetry Day - but how many famous poems can you actually name?

21 March was designated World Poetry Day by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1999 and ever since then it has been used to celebrate poetry from around the world.

According to UNESCO, the day is used to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, to promote the teaching of poetry, to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and to support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media, so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art, but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity.

Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, said: "By paying tribute to the men and women whose only instrument is free speech, who imagine and act, UNESCO recognises in poetry its value as a symbol of the human spirit’s creativity.

“By giving form and words to that which has none – such as the unfathomable beauty that surrounds us, the immense suffering and misery of the world – poetry contributes to the expansion of our common humanity, helping to increase its strength, solidarity and self-awareness."

Many people online have been celebrating by sharing some of their favourite verses…

Most of us learnt poetry at school - but how many famous poets' work can you actually remember?

Try our quiz and find out...

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