nothing beside remains
studies on the meaning of ruins and ruination, on human ephemerality and the (im)permanence of nature, and what it takes to immortalise that in art.
— “lorn echo of these mouldering walls, / to thee no festal measure calls; / no music thro’ the desert-halls, / awakes thee to rejoice!”
created by ruiconteur
last updated April, 2026
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poems about ruins that make me really bloody unwell (to be updated when i finish my thesis)
[note: this list also includes poems that are not necessarily about ruins but that centre the 物是人非 / landscapes remain when the people are gone theme that i’m also incredibly obsessed with. it’s a whole thing.]
old english poetry
- the ruin
- the wanderer
romantic poetry
- “ozymandias” by percy bysshe shelley (as the title of this list might suggest)
- “the ruin and its flowers” by felicia dorothea hemans (the quote in the description is taken from this poem)
- “the image in lava” by felicia dorothea hemans
- “tintern abbey” by william wordsworth
- childe harold’s pilgrimage by lord byron (the last section of it anyway)
rui i love this so much
ty i thought of this 20min ago and i had to get it out immediately
This is such a lovely list - thank you for creating it 🌸
It kind of reminds me of my current poetry read - How Lovely the Ruins by Annie Chagnot.
omg ty for the rec!!! i'm always up for ruins poetry recs, they just hit so good
a ruiconteur list!!! must be my birthday or something!!! (it’s not but it feels like it bc what a gift)!
omg moski i’m so 🥹 i’m glad you like it!!
ozymandias yess!!! i’m in love with this list
i love that poem SO much omg. smth about "look upon my works ye mighty and despair" just gets me every time
omg love to see this list, such a cool topic!
Uhg I love this. Crumbs~
