Welcome to the LinguaTech International Stephen Crane poetry collection.

Click on any of the links below to see a specific poem. Titles in quotes are first lines (or partial first lines) -- Crane did not title the majority of his poems (or "lines" as he called them).
If you are aware of any of his poems that we are missing, please e-mail us the poem and a note about its source. Thank you!

Poems I - X from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

I. THE BLACK RIDERS (Thus the ride of sin.)
II. "THREE LITTLE BIRDS" (They said, "He thinks he can sing.")
III. "IN THE DESERT" ("Because it is bitter, and because it is my heart.")
IV. "YES, I HAVE A THOUSAND TONGUES" (And nine and ninety-nine lie.)
V. "ONCE THERE CAME A MAN" ("Range me all men of the world in rows.")
VI. "GOD FASHIONED THE SHIP OF THE WORLD" (forever rudderless, it went upon the seas)
VII. "MYSTIC SHADOW, BENDING NEAR ME" (is the truth bitter as eaten fire?)
VIII. "I LOOKED HERE" (Nowhere could I see my love.)
IX. "I STOOD UPON A HIGH PLACE" (many devils running, leaping, And carousing in sin)
X. "SHOULD THE WIDE WORLD ROLL AWAY" (If thou and thy white arms were there)

Poems XI - XX from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

XI. "IN A LONELY PLACE" (it is the wisdom of the age)
XII. "WELL, THEN I HATE THEE"
XIII. "IF THERE IS A WITNESS TO MY LITTLE LIFE" (He sees a fool)
XIV. "THERE WAS CRIMSON CLASH OF WAR" (He said, "Why is this?")
XV. "TELL BRAVE DEEDS OF WAR"
XVI. "CHARITY THOU ART A LIE"
XVII. "THERE WERE MANY WHO WENT IN HUDDLED PROCESSION" (There was one who sought a new road.)
XVIII. "IN HEAVEN" (little blades of grass)
XIX. "A GOD IN WRATH" (Was beating a man)
XX. "A LEARNED MAN CAME TO ME ONCE" (He said, "I know the way, -- come.")

Poems XXI - XXX from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

XXI. "THERE WAS, BEFORE ME" (Mile upon mile of snow, ice, burning sand.)
XXII. "ONCE I SAW MOUNTAINS ANGRY" (Then did I see much virtue in grandfathers)
XXIII. "PLACES AMONG THE STARS" (Since she is here)
XXIV. "I SAW A MAN PURSUING THE HORIZON"
XXV. "BEHOLD, THE GRAVE OF A WICKED MAN"
XXVI. "THERE WAS SET BEFORE ME A MIGHTY HILL"
XXVII. "A YOUTH IN APPAREL THAT GLITTERED" (he met an assassin)
XXVIII. "'TRUTH,' SAID A TRAVELLER"
XXIX. "BEHOLD, FROM THE LAND OF THE FARTHER SUNS"
XXX. "SUPPOSING THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE COURAGE" (red sword of virtue)

Poems XXXI - XL from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

XXXI. "MANY WORKMEN BUILT A HUGE BALL OF MASONRY"
XXXII. "TWO OR THREE ANGELS" (They saw a fat church.)
XXXIII. "THERE WAS ONE I MET UPON THE ROAD" (He said, "It is a sin.")
XXXIV. "I STOOD UPON A HIGHWAY" ("This is my pattern of God.")
XXXV. "A MAN SAW A BALL OF GOLD"
XXXVI. "I MET A SEER" (The Book of Wisdom)
XXXVII. "ON THE HORIZON THE PEAKS ASSEMBLED"
XXXVIII. "THE OCEAN SAID TO ME ONCE" (Yonder...is a woman, weeping)
XXXIX. "THE LIVID LIGHTNINGS FLASHED IN THE CLOUD" (The voice of God!)
XL. "AND YOU LOVE ME" (You are, then, cold coward.)

Poems XLI - L from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

XLI. "LOVE WALKED ALONE" (his name was heart's pain)
XLII. "I WALKED IN A DESERT" (A voice said, "It is no desert.")
XLIII. "THERE CAME WHISPERINGS IN THE WINDS" (Good-bye! Good-bye!)
XLIV. "I WAS IN THE DARKNESS" (Let me into the darkness again.)
XLV. "TRADITION, THOU ART FOR SUCKLING CHILDREN"
XLVI. "MANY RED DEVILS RAN FROM MY HEART"
XLVII. "'THINK AS I THINK,' SAID A MAN" (or...you are a toad)
XLVIII. "ONCE THERE WAS A MAN" (There is nothing save opinion.)
XLIX. "I STOOD MUSING IN A BLACK WORLD"
L. "YOU SAY YOU ARE HOLY" (because I have not seen you sin)

Poems LI - LX from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

LI. "A MAN WENT BEFORE A STRANGE GOD" (And the deity thundered loudly)
LII. "WHY DO YOU STRIVE FOR GREATNESS, FOOL?" (Go pluck a bough and wear it.)
LIII. "BLUSTERING GOD" (I fear You not.)
LIV. "'IT WAS WRONG TO DO THIS,' SAID THE ANGEL"
LV. "A MAN TOILED ON A BURNING ROAD"
LVI. "A MAN FEARED THAT HE MIGHT FIND AN ASSASSIN"
LVII. "WITH EYE AND WITH GESTURE" (You say you are holy.)
LVIII. "THE SAGE LECTURED BRILLIANTLY" (Before him, two images)
LIX. "WALKING IN THE SKY" (A man...encountered a radiant form.)
LX. "UPON THE ROAD OF MY LIFE" ("I am good deed...you have often seen me")

Poems LXI - LXVIII from "The Black Riders and Other Lines" (ca. 1895)

LXI. "THERE WAS A MAN AND A WOMAN" (Who sinned.)
LXII. "THERE WAS A MAN WHO LIVED A LIFE OF FIRE"
LXIII. "THERE WAS A GREAT CATHEDRAL"
LXIV. "FRIEND, YOUR WHITE BEARD SWEEPS THE GROUND" (Do you hope to see...the march of justice?)
LXV. "ONCE I KNEW A FINE SONG" (It was all of birds)
LXVI. "IF I SHOULD CAST OFF THIS TATTERED COAT" (What then?)
LXVII. "GOD LAY DEAD IN HEAVEN"
LXVIII. "A SPIRIT SPED" ("God! God!")


Poems I - X from "War is Kind and Other Lines" (ca. 1899)

I. WAR IS KIND (Do not weep.)
II. "WHAT SAYS THE SEA, LITTLE SHELL?"
III. "TO THE MAIDEN" (The sea was a blue meadow)
IV. "A LITTLE INK MORE OR LESS!" (Is this God?)
V. "HAVE YOU EVER MADE A JUST MAN?" ("Oh, I have made three")
VI. "I EXPLAIN THE SILVERED PASSING OF A SHIP AT NIGHT"
VII. "I HAVE HEARD THE SUNSET SONG OF THE BIRCHES"
VIII. "FAST RODE THE KNIGHT" ("To save my lady!")
IX. "FORTH WENT THE CANDID MAN" (And spoke freely to the wind)
X. "YOU TELL ME THIS IS GOD?" (this is a printed list)

Poems XI - XX from "War is Kind and Other Lines" (ca. 1899)

XI. "ON THE DESERT" (the dance of the whispering snakes)
XII. "A NEWSPAPER IS A COLLECTION OF HALF-INJUSTICES"
XIII. "THE WAYFARER" (Perceiving the pathway to truth)
XIV. "A SLANT OF SUN ON DULL BROWN WALLS" (Toward God a mighty hymn)
XV. "ONCE A MAN CLAMBERING TO THE HOUSETOPS" (A warrior's shout he raised)
XVI. "THERE WAS A MAN WITH TONGUE OF WOOD"
XVII. "THE SUCCESSFUL MAN HAS THRUST HIMSELF" (In guiltless ignorance, in ignorant guilt)
XVIII. "IN THE NIGHT" (And the peaks looked toward God alone.)
XIX. "THE CHATTER OF A DEATH-DEMON FROM A TREE-TOP"
XX. "THE IMPACT OF A DOLLAR UPON THE HEART"

Poems XXI - XXVII from "War is Kind and Other Lines" (ca. 1899)

XXI. "A MAN SAID TO THE UNIVERSE" ("Sir, I exist!")
XXII. "WHEN THE PROPHET" ("but the scene is grey")
XXIII. "THERE WAS A LAND WHERE LIVED NO VIOLETS"
XXIV. "AY, WORKMAN, MAKE ME A DREAM" (a dream for my love)
XXV. "EACH SMALL GLEAM WAS A VOICE" (a chorus of colours came over the water)
XXVI. "THE TREES IN THE GARDEN RAINED FLOWERS" (some who gathered great heaps)
XXVII. "WHEN A PEOPLE REACH THE TOP OF A HILL" (the blue battalions)


Other Poems

"UNWIND MY RIDDLE" (from "The Clan of No-Name", published in the 1900 short story collection Wounds in the Rain)