Life and its possibilities are vast, mysterious, and ever-changing. As we face an uncertain future, poetry often serves as a lens through which we can glimpse the possibilities and uncertainties ahead. Writers have long been intrigued by the concept of the future, and many poets have turned to this theme in their works. In this article, we explore 15 poems that touch on the future, whether through visions of utopia, dystopia, or simply the passage of time.
15 Poems That Take a Wild Guess at the Future
1. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
Frost’s famous poem is a meditation on choices and the consequences of those choices, which often shape the paths leading to our future. Although the future itself is never directly mentioned, the act of choosing is central to shaping what is to come.
Excerpt: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth…
Frost’s poem reminds us that our decisions, even the small ones, influence our journey ahead. The future is a series of paths, and we can only see so far ahead before making our choice.
2. “I Sing the Body Electric” by Walt Whitman
Whitman’s poetry celebrates the human body, but in “I Sing the Body Electric,” he also speaks to the future of humanity, where mind, body, and soul are united, perhaps in ways that transcend our current understanding.
Excerpt: The body is not the soul,
And the soul is not the body,
And yet the body is the soul.
This poem envisions a future where the spiritual and the physical are intertwined. It suggests a future where human consciousness may evolve into something transcendent, leaving behind the limitations of the present.
3. “Ode to the Future” by Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda’s poetry often includes passionate and vivid language. In his “Ode to the Future,” Neruda considers the future as a time of hope and discovery.
Excerpt: I want to see the future
with my own eyes,
to place my hands in its hands,
to speak to it like a friend.
Neruda’s future is not one of fear, but of curiosity and anticipation. His optimistic tone speaks to the human desire for progress, discovery, and renewal.
4. “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
W.B. Yeats’ iconic poem “The Second Coming” offers a chilling vision of the future, where the world is in chaos and a new force rises, suggesting a transformation that is both unsettling and inevitable.
Excerpt: Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…
Yeats explores the fear that the future may be uncontrollable, spiraling into a darker reality. His future is one of disorder, where the old ways no longer have the power to govern.
5. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
Though not directly about the future, Eliot’s “Prufrock” is a deep reflection on the passage of time, the fears of aging, and the hesitation in facing one’s future.
Excerpt: In the room, the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
The time you may say, is nearly here,
Yet I will not have it.
Prufrock’s indecision and fear of the future — whether personal failure or societal expectations — reveal the hesitation that many feel when looking ahead. Eliot presents the internal struggle that can shape a person’s future if left unresolved.
6. “Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman
Whitman’s optimism shines through in “Song of the Open Road,” where he speaks of a future of freedom, individuality, and exploration.
Excerpt: The earth is rude, silent, incomprehensible at first,
Nature is rude and incomprehensible at first,
Be not discouraged—keep on, there are divine things well enveloped,
I swear to you there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell.
This poem envisions the future as an open road filled with adventure and new opportunities. The poet encourages us to embrace the unknown and trust that the future will hold beautiful, transformative experiences.
7. “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot
“The Hollow Men” presents a vision of a future defined by spiritual emptiness, an unsettling world where the human spirit has lost its direction.
Excerpt: We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Eliot imagines a future where humanity has lost its purpose, leaving behind a hollow existence. The poem is a powerful meditation on what might happen when the future is approached without depth, connection, or meaning.
8. “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson
In this dramatic monologue, Tennyson imagines the future of Ulysses, the mythological hero, as he faces the end of his life. His resolve to continue seeking new adventures shows the eternal human desire for purpose, even in old age.
Excerpt: It is not too late to seek a newer world,
Push off, and sitting well in order, smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
Tennyson’s poem suggests that the future can be a place of unending striving and exploration, even in the face of mortality. It paints the future as a journey that never truly ends.
9. “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
One of the most famous poems about the struggle against death, Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” implores readers to fight against the inevitable, to face the future with courage.
Excerpt: Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Thomas’ fierce cry for resistance against the end of life speaks to the deep human desire to shape the future, to challenge the inevitable, and to leave a mark on the world.
10. “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe
Poe’s “A Dream Within a Dream” explores the blurred line between reality and illusion, suggesting that the future may be an illusion we cannot fully grasp or control.
Excerpt: Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
The poem grapples with the idea of uncertainty in life, hinting that the future might be just as intangible as a dream, and that the passage of time is fleeting and uncertain.
11. “The Future” by Louise Bogan
Bogan’s poem offers a more intimate reflection on the future, exploring the internal conflicts that arise when contemplating what is yet to come.
Excerpt: I am the future of myself
I am not yet born, but already known,
I am not yet free, but the stars are mine.
Bogan addresses the tension between the known past and the unknown future, revealing a quiet acceptance of the future as a part of one’s identity, waiting to unfold.
12. “Tomorrow” by Emily Dickinson
In “Tomorrow,” Dickinson contemplates the passage of time and the eternal cycle of hope and disappointment, and how these will continue into the future.
Excerpt: Tomorrow, I shall be through with that.
I shall forget the face and name,
And still remember, so as not to know…
The poem speaks to the transient nature of human aspirations and the way the future carries both anticipation and inevitable disappointment.
13. “To the Future” by Sara Teasdale
Teasdale’s “To the Future” is a hopeful plea for a brighter, better tomorrow. In it, the poet imagines that future generations will achieve peace and understanding, free from the struggles of the past.
Excerpt: O Future! whose paths we can never see,
We shall reach you, and you shall be
Not one, but many, before we come.
Teasdale’s vision of the future is one of collective progress, and the idea that humanity, despite its flaws, will move toward an improved existence.
14. “Future” by Tracy K. Smith
In her poem “Future,” Tracy K. Smith touches on how history and the human experience may play out in the coming years, emphasizing the cyclical nature of human experience.
Excerpt: I am waiting for the future
to tell me what happens next.
Smith’s work probes the unknowns of the future, acknowledging that while we may not know what awaits, the very act of waiting shapes our experience.
15. “After the Future” by Carrie Etter
Carrie Etter imagines a future where humanity has to reckon with the consequences of its actions, particularly environmental ones, and faces the future with both fear and hope.
Excerpt: There is no future without the past,
No tomorrow to give us solace,
Yet we hope. We hope.
Etter’s poem emphasizes the relationship between past actions and the future, suggesting that the future is both a continuation and a reckoning of what has come before.
Conclusion
The future is a theme that has inspired poets across generations to imagine what lies ahead — be it in personal, societal, or universal terms. Some poems explore the uncertainties of what is to come, while others celebrate the possibilities of progress and renewal. Through these 15 works, we gain insight into how different poets view the future: some see it as a realm of hope and exploration, while others perceive it as a space of inevitability and loss. Yet, all these poems remind us that the future is a force that cannot be ignored, and it holds both beauty and mystery for those who dare to confront it.
