10 Greatest Poems in Sci-Fi Movie History

Spider-Man 2 (2004) – Peter Parker (Tobey McGuire)

Find out the greatest poems quoted in science fiction movies. Yesterday was “National Poetry Day” and to celebrate I’ve put together a list of the top 10 poems in genre movies.

From Shakespeare to Longfellow many classic poems have made the move from the page to the screen. It helps to bring some culture and makes a movie about a guy who dresses in a red-and-blue spider costume feel a little more refined.

Enjoy the greatest movies to feature poetry of all time.

1. “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot in Logan’s Run (1976)

The naming of cats is a difficult matter, it’s not just one of your holiday games.

You may think at first I’m mad as a hatter when I tell you that each cat’s got three different names.

Read the full poem

2. “America A Prophecy” by William Blake in Blade Runner (1982)

Fiery the Angels rose, & as they rose deep thunder roll’d

Around their shores: indignant burning with the fires of Orc

And Bostons Angel cried aloud as they flew thro’ the dark night.

Read the full poem

3. “Hamlet”, Act 2, Scene 1 [“To be or not to be”] by William Shakespeare in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovered country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Read the full poem

4. “My Native Land” by Sir Walter Scott, from Groundhog Day (1993)

The wretch, concentred all in self,

Living shall forfeit fair renown,

And, doubly dying, shall go down

To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,

Unwept, unhonour’d, and unsung.

Read the full poem

5. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe in The Crow (1994)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

`’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door –

Only this, and nothing more.’

Read the full poem

6. “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” by Dylan Thomas in Solaris (2002)

And death shall have no dominion.

Dead man naked they shall be one

With the man in the wind and the west moon;

When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,

They shall have stars at elbow and foot;

Though they go mad they shall be sane,

Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;

Though lovers be lost love shall not;

And death shall have no dominion.

Read the full poem

7. “The Song of Hiawatha” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in Spider Man 2 (2004)

Brightest green were all her garments,

And her hair was like the sunshine.

Day by day he gazed upon her,

Day by day he sighed with passion

Read the full poem

8. “Eloisa to Abelard” by Alexander Pope in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot!

The world forgetting, by the world, forgot

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d.

Read the full poem

9. “The Stolen Child” by William Butler Yeats in A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.

Read the full poem

10. “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas in Interstellar (2014)

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.

Read the full poem

Which is your favorite poem? Do you like hearing classic poetry in your movies?

We love your comments! But please be mindful of our comment policy.

If you enjoyed this, then please use the buttons below to tell your friends about this post! Follow us! Email | RSS |  Twitter | Facebook