Tense choice

[redgiant]

Both Bai Juyi and Lau Sau are historic figures. But the works are intended to write to Lau Sau, which is an unchanged fact, so I wonder which tense should be used.

The poems "The desperate crow's call at night" and "The swallow" were written by a famous poet, Bai Juyi, to his elder friend, Lau Sau.

The poems "The desperate crow's call at night" and "The swallow" is written by a famous poet, Bai Juyi, to his elder friend, Lau Sau.

[norwolf]

The poems "The desperate crow's call at night" and "The swallow" are(I would use "are") written by a famous poet, Bai Juyi, to his elder friend, Lau Sau.

r.
not a teacher

[Raymott]

Both Bai Juyi and Lau Sau are historic figures. But the works are intended to write to Lau Sau, which is an unchanged fact, so I wonder which tense should be used.

The poems "The desperate crow's call at night" and "The swallow" were written by a famous poet, Bai Juyi, to his elder friend, Lau Sau.

The poems "The desperate crow's call at night" and "The swallow" is written by a famous poet, Bai Juyi, to his elder friend, Lau Sau.

"were", definitely.