This is a list of poems by William McGonagall that have been published in book form, either during the poet's life or subsequently. A number of others only appeared in broadsheets or in local newspapers and do not appear in this list.[1]
| Title | Year/month written[2] | First published in | Publication year | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Christmas Carol | 1884-12 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay | 1877-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | River Tay | |
| A Humble Heroine | 1899-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Agnes Reston | |
| A New Temperance Poem, in Memory of my Departed Parents | 1885-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A New Year's Resolution to Leave Dundee | 1893-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A Requisition To The Queen | 1877-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A Soldier's Reprieve | 1893-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | William Scott (The Sleeping Sentinel) | |
| A Summary History of Lord Clive | 1899-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Robert Clive | |
| A Summary History of Sir William Wallace | 1877-10 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | William Wallace | |
| A Tale of Christmas Eve | 1900-12 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A Tale of Elsinore | 1889-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| A Tale of the Sea | 1886-05 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| A Tribute to Dr. Murison | 1885-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A Tribute to Henry M Stanley | 1890-06 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Henry Morton Stanley | |
| A Tribute to Mr J. Graham Henderson, The World's Fair Judge | 1893-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| A Tribute to Mr Murphy and the Blue Ribbon Army | 1882-01 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Francis Murphy (evangelist) | |
| Adventures of King Robert the Bruce | 1887-07 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Robert the Bruce | |
| An Address to Shakespeare | 1877-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | William Shakespeare | |
| An Address to the New Tay Bridge | 1887-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Tay Rail Bridge | |
| An Address to the Rev. George Gilfillan | 1877-07 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | George Gilfillan | |
| An Adventure in the Life of King James V of Scotland | 1887-11 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | James V of Scotland | |
| An All Night Sea Fight | 1901-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | HMS Blanche (1786) | |
| An Autumn Reverie | 1886-11 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| An Excursion Steamer Sunk in the Tay | 1888-07 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| An Ode to the Queen | 1877-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Queen Victoria | |
| An Ode to the Queen on her Jubilee Year | 1887-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria | |
| Annie Marshall the Foundling | 1888-02 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Attempted Assassination of the Queen | 1882-05 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Roderick Maclean | |
| Baldovan Mansion | 1886-12 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Balmoral Castle | 1878-07 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Balmoral Castle | |
| Beautiful Aberfoyle | 1893-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Aberfoyle, Stirling | |
| Beautiful Balmerino | 1898-?? | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Balmerino | |
| Beautiful Balmoral | 1900-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Balmoral Castle | |
| Beautiful Comrie | 1899-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Comrie | |
| Beautiful Crieff | 1899-04 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Crieff | |
| Beautiful Edinburgh | 1881-?? | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Edinburgh | |
| Beautiful Monikie | 1890-07 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Monikie | |
| Beautiful Nairn | 1888-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Nairn | |
| Beautiful Newport on the Braes o' the Silvery Tay | 1892-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Newport-on-Tay | |
| Beautiful North Berwick | 1899-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | North Berwick | |
| Beautiful Rothesay | 1892-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Rothesay, Bute | |
| Beautiful Torquay | 1902-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Torquay | |
| Bill Bowls the Sailor | 1885-09 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Bill Bowls, the Sailor | 1885-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Bonnie Callander | 1892-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Callander | |
| Bonnie Dundee in 1878 | 1878-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Dundee | |
| Bonnie Kilmany | 1892-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Kilmany | |
| Bonnie Montrose | 1881-04 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Montrose, Angus | |
| Broughty Ferry | 1886-12 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Broughty Ferry | |
| Burning of the Exeter Theatre | 1887-09 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Theatre Royal, Exeter | |
| Calamity in London | 1898-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Captain Teach alias "Black Beard" | 1892-04 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Blackbeard | |
| Death and Burial of Lord Tennyson | 1892-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Alfred, Lord Tennyson | |
| Descriptive Jottings of London | 1880-06 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | London | |
| Edinburgh | 1895-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Edinburgh | |
| Farewell Address at the Argyle Hall | 1880-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Forget-Me-Not | 1879-03 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| General Gordon, the Hero of Khartoum | 1885-03 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Charles George Gordon | |
| General Roberts in Afghanistan | 1900-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Peiwar Kotal Battle of Kandahar | |
| Glasgow | 1883-?? | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Glasgow | |
| Grace Darling or The Wreck of the "Forfarshire" | 1887-08 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Grace Darling | |
| Greenland's Icy Mountains | 1886-05 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Geography of Greenland | |
| Grif, of the Bloody Hand | 1887-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Hanchen, The Maid of the Mill | 1886-10 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| Jack Honest, or the Widow and her Son | 1889-11 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Jack o' the Cudgel | 1885-06 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Jack o' the Cudgel | 1885-08 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Jenny Carrister, The Heroine of Lucknow-Mine | 1888-05 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| John Rouat the Fisherman | 1888-02 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| Jottings of New York | 1887-05 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | New York City | |
| Lines in Defence of the Stage | 1895-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Lines in Memoriam Regarding the Entertainment I Gave on the 31st March, 1893, in Reform Street Hall, Dundee | 1893-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Lines in Praise of Mr. J. Graham Henderson, Hawick | 1893-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Lines in Praise of Professor Blackie | 1895-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | John Stuart Blackie | |
| Lines in Praise of the Lyric Club Banquet | 1894-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Lines in Praise of Tommy Atkins | 1899-11 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Tommy Atkins | |
| Lines in Reply to the Beautiful Poet who Welcomed News of McGonagall's Departure from Dundee | 1893-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Little Jamie | 1878-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Little Pierre's Song | 1887-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Little Popeet: The Lost Child | 1893-11 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Loch Katrine | 1886-07 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Loch Katrine | |
| Loch Leven | 1886-12 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Loch Leven (Kinross) | |
| Loch Ness | 1878-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Loch Ness | |
| Lord Roberts' Triumphal Entry into Pretoria | 1900-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Lost on the Prairie | 1893-12 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Mary, the Maid of the Tay | 1878-11 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| McGonagall's Ode to the King | 1902-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Edward VII | |
| Montrose | Unknown | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Montrose, Angus | |
| Nora, The Maid of Killarney | 1894-03 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| Oban | 1886-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Oban | |
| Richard Pigott, the Forger | 1889-04 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Richard Pigott | |
| Robert Burns | 1877-09 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Robert Burns | |
| Saved by Music | 1884-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| Saving a Train | 1883-02 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| Saving a Train | 1899-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Albion Battleship Calamity | 1898-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | HMS Albion (1898) | |
| The Ancient Town of Leith | 1899-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Leith | |
| The Ashantee War | 1902-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Anglo-Ashanti Wars | |
| The Battle of Abu Klea | 1885-02 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Battle of Abu Klea | |
| The Battle of Alexandria | 1885-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Alexandria | |
| The Battle of Atbara | 1898-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Atbara | |
| The Battle of Bannockburn | 1877-09 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Battle of Bannockburn | |
| The Battle of Corunna | 1900-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Corunna | |
| The Battle of Cressy | 1885-06 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Battle of Crécy | |
| The Battle of Culloden | Unknown | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Battle of Culloden | |
| The Battle of El-Teb | 1884-03 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | First and Second Battles of El Teb | |
| The Battle of Flodden Field | 1884-08 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Battle of Flodden | |
| The Battle of Glencoe | 1899-11 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Battle of Talana Hill | |
| The Battle of Gujrat | 1901-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Gujrat | |
| The Battle of Inkermann | 1902-?? | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Inkerman | |
| The Battle of Omdurman | 1898-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Omdurman | |
| The Battle of Sheriffmuir | Unknown | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Battle of Sheriffmuir | |
| The Battle of Shina, in Africa | 1888-10 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Battle of Tel-el-Kebir | 1882-10 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Battle of Tell El Kebir | |
| The Battle of the Alma | 1885-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of the Alma | |
| The Battle of the Modder River | 1899-12 | McGonagall and Tommy Atkins | 1975 | Battle of Modder River | |
| The Battle of the Nile | 1886-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of the Nile | |
| The Battle of Toulouse | 1902-?? | McGonagall and Tommy Atkins | 1975 | Battle of Toulouse (1814) | |
| The Battle of Waterloo | 1884-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Battle of Waterloo | |
| The Beautiful City of Perth | 1894-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Perth, Scotland | |
| The Beautiful Sun | 1883-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Sun | |
| The Beautiful Village of Penicuik | 1900-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Penicuik | |
| The Black Watch Memorial | 1887-11 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Blind Girl | 1893-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Bonnie Lass o' Dundee | 1877-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Bonnie Lass of Ruily | 1892-04 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Bonnie Sidlaw Hills | 1892-08 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Sidlaws | |
| The Burial of Mr Gladstone | 1898-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | William Ewart Gladstone | |
| The Burial of the Reverend George Gilfillan | 1878-08 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | George Gilfillan | |
| The Burning of the People's Variety Theatre, Aberdeen | 1896-?? | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Burning of the Ship "Kent" | 1900-09 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Kent (1820 EIC ship) | |
| The Burning of the Steamer "City of Montreal" | 1888-01 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Burns Statue | 1880-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Robert Burns (Steell) | |
| The Capture of Havana | 1900-07 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Siege of Havana | |
| The Capture of Lucknow | 1885-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Siege of Lucknow | |
| The Castle of Mains | 1878-05 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | Mains Castle | |
| The Christmas Goose | 1878-09 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| The City of Perth | 1878-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Perth, Scotland | |
| The Clepington Catastrophe | 1884-03 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Collision in the English Channel | 1888-11 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Convict's Return | 1879-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Crucifixion of Christ | 1890-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Crucifixion of Jesus | |
| The Death of Captain Ward | 1901-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Death of Captain Webb | 1883-08 | The Real McGonagall | 1948 | Matthew Webb | |
| The Death of Fred Marsden, the American Playwright | 1888-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Death of John Brown | 1883-08 | The Real McGonagall | 1948 | John Brown (servant) | |
| The Death of Lord and Lady Dalhousie | 1887-12 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie | |
| The Death of Prince Leopold | 1884-04 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany | |
| The Death of the Old Mendicant | 1879-06 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Death of the Queen | 1901-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Queen Victoria | |
| The Death of the Rev. Dr. Wilson | 1888-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Demon Drink | 1887-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Den o' Fowlis | 1882-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Liff, Angus | |
| The Destroying Angel | 1889-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Disastrous Fire at Scarborough | 1898-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Downfall of Delhi | 1901-04 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Siege of Delhi | |
| The Execution of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose | 1898-?? | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose | |
| The Fair Maid of Perth's House | 1894-10 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Famous Tay Whale | 1884-01 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Tay Whale | |
| The First Grenadier of France | 1887-08 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Théophile Corret de la Tour d'Auvergne | |
| The Funeral of the German Emperor | 1888-04 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | William I, German Emperor | |
| The Funeral of the Late Ex-Provost Rough, Dundee | 1888-12 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Funeral of the Late Prince Henry of Battenberg | 1896-?? | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Prince Henry of Battenberg | |
| The Great Franchise Demonstration | 1884-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Great Yellow River Inundation In China | 1888-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | 1887 Yellow River flood | |
| The Heatherblend Club Banquet | 1894-10 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Hero of Kalapore | 1899-08 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | William Alexander Kerr | |
| The Hero of Rorke's Drift | 1899-02 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Henry Hook (VC) | |
| The Horrors of Majuba | 1888-08 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Battle of Majuba Hill | |
| The Inauguration of the Hill o' Balgay | 1878-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Inauguration of the University College, Dundee | 1883-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | University of Dundee | |
| The Irish Convict's Return | 1878-?? | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Kessack Ferry-Boat Fatality | 1894-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Kessock Ferry | |
| The Last Berkshire Eleven | 1899-07 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Battle of Maiwand | |
| The Late Sir John Ogilvy | 1890-?? | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Sir John Ogilvy, 9th Baronet | |
| The Little Match Girl | 1894-01 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Loss of the Victoria | 1893-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | HMS Victoria (1887) | |
| The Military Review by Lord Wolseley | 1897-02 | McGonagall and Tommy Atkins | 1975 | ||
| The Miraculous Escape of Robert Allan, the Fireman | 1888-10 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Moon | 1878-12 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Moon | |
| The Newport Railway | 1878-06 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Newport Railway, Scotland | |
| The Nithsdale Widow and her Son | 1891-12 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Pennsylvania Disaster | 1889-07 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Johnstown Flood | |
| The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations | 1897-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay | 1877-08 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Tay Rail Bridge | |
| The Rattling Boy from Dublin | 1878-10 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| The Rebel Surprise Near Tamai | 1885-04 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Relief of Ladysmith | 1900-04 | McGonagall and Tommy Atkins | 1975 | Relief of Ladysmith | |
| The Relief of Mafeking | 1900-06 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | Siege of Mafeking | |
| The River of Leith | 1895-09 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Water of Leith | |
| The Royal Review | 1881-09 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Siege of Seringapatam | 1901-03 | McGonagall and Tommy Atkins | 1975 | Siege of Seringapatam (1799) | |
| The Sorrows of the Blind | 1878-05 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 | ||
| The Sprig of Moss | 1889-12 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Alois Senefelder | |
| The Storming of the Dargai Heights | 1897-11 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Dargai | |
| The Sunderland Calamity | 1883-06 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Victoria Hall Disaster | |
| The Tay Bridge Disaster | 1880-01 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | Tay Bridge disaster | |
| The Terrific Cyclone of 1893 | 1893-12 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Tragic Death of the Rev. A. H. Mackonochie | 1887-12 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | Alexander Mackonochie | |
| The Troubles of Matthew Mahoney | 1892-08 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Village of Tayport and its Surroundings | 1894-07 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Tayport | |
| The Wreck of the "Abercrombie Robinson" | 1892-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Wreck of the "Columbine" | 1886-03 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Betty Mouat | |
| The Wreck of the "Indian Chief" | 1899-10 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | ||
| The Wreck of the "Thomas Dryden" | 1881-10 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| The Wreck of the Barque "Lynton" | 1886-01 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | ||
| The Wreck of the Barque "Wm. Paterson" of Liverpool | 1886-04 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Wreck Of The Steamer "London" | 1882-11 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | SS London (1864) | |
| The Wreck of the Steamer "Mohegan" | 1898-11 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | SS Mohegan | |
| The Wreck of the Steamer "Stella" | 1899-05 | More Poetic Gems | 1962 | SS Stella (1890) | |
| The Wreck of the Steamer "Storm Queen" | 1889-01 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| The Wreck of the Whaler "Oscar" | 1888-04 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | The Wreck of the Oscar | |
| To Mr James Scrymgeour, Dundee | 1887-01 | Poetic Gems [First Series] | 1890 | ||
| Women's Suffrage | 1884-10 | Last Poetic Gems | 1968 | Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom | |
| Wreck of the Schooner "Samuel Crawford" | 1887-01 | Poetic Gems | 1934 | ||
| Young Munro the Sailor | 1886-07 | Poetic Gems [Second Series] | 1891 |