The Boy by Marilyn Hacker
The Boy by Marilyn Hacker It is the boy in me who’s looking out the window, while someone across the street mends a pillowcase, clouds shift, the gutter spout pours rain, someone else lights a cigarette? (Because he flinched, because he didn’t whirl around, face them, because he didn’t hurl the challenge back—”Fascists?”—not “Faggots”—Swine! he […]
The Pigeons Fly by Mahmoud Darwish
The pigeons fly, the pigeons come down… Prepare a place for me to rest. I love you unto weariness, your morning is fruit for songs and this evening is precious gold the shadows are strong as marble. When I see myself, it is hanging upon a neck that embraces only the clouds, you are the […]
Epigoni by Neil Outar
With a thousand men rode the gallant knight to the East, to join the holy war; his wind-whipped pennant with its coat of arms flew to the dawn. On his belt hung a golden horn, polished and ready to signal their charge. Thus rode the man, the dutiful son. At dawn they struck, riding into […]
The Essay on Agriculture by Abraham Cowley
OF AGRICULTURE. The first wish of Virgil (as you will find anon by his verses), was to be a good philosopher; the second, a good husbandman; and God (whom he seemed to understand better than most of the most learned heathens) dealt with him just as he did with Solomon: because he prayed for wisdom in […]
On Elphinstone’s Translation of Martial’s Epigrams by Robert Burns
O THOU whom Poetry abhors, Whom Prose has turnèd out of doors, Heard’st thou yon groan?—proceed no further, ’Twas laurel’d Martial calling murther. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual […]
Epigrams against the Earl of Galloway by Robert Burns
WHAT dost thou in that mansion fair? Flit, Galloway, and find Some narrow, dirty, dungeon cave, The picture of thy mind. ———No Stewart art thou, Galloway, The Stewarts ’ll were brave; Besides, the Stewarts were but fools, Not one of them a knave. Bright ran thy line, O Galloway, Thro’ many a far-fam’d sire! So […]
Epigram to Miss Jean Scott by Robert Burns
O HAD each Scot of ancient times Been, Jeanie Scott, as thou art; The bravest heart on English ground Had yielded like a coward. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the […]
Epigram to Miss Ainslie in Church by Robert Burns
FAIR maid, you need not take the hint, Nor idle texts pursue: ’Twas guilty sinners that he meant, Not Angels such as you. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual […]
Epigram—The True Loyal Natives by Robert Burns
YE true “Loyal Natives” attend to my song In uproar and riot rejoice the night long; From Envy and Hatred your corps is exempt, But where is your shield from the darts of Contempt! ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — […]
Epigram—The Toad-eater by Robert Burns
OF Lordly acquaintance you boast, And the Dukes that you dined wi’ yestreen, Yet an insect’s an insect at most, Tho’ it crawl on the curl of a Queen! ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world […]
Epigram—The Raptures of Folly by Robert Burns
THOU greybeard, old Wisdom! may boast of thy treasures; Give me with young Folly to live; I grant thee thy calm-blooded, time-settled pleasures, But Folly has raptures to give. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world […]
Epigram—The Keekin Glass by Robert Burns
HOW daur ye ca’ me “Howlet-face”? Ye blear-e’ed, withered spectre! Ye only spied the keekin-glass, An’ there ye saw your picture. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual library of […]
Epigram—Thanks for a National Victory by Robert Burns
YE hypocrites! are these your pranks? To murder men and give God thanks! Desist, for shame!—proceed no further; God won’t accept your thanks for MURTHER ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — […]
Epigram pinned to Mrs. Riddell’s carriage by Robert Burns
IF you rattle along like your Mistress’ tongue, Your speed will outrival the dart; But a fly for your load, you’ll break down on the road, If your stuff be as rotten’s her heart. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — […]
Epigram on the same Laird’s Country Seat by Robert Burns
WE grant they’re thine, those beauties all, So lovely in our eye; Keep them, thou eunuch, Cardoness, For others to enjoy! ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual library of […]
Epigram on the said Occasion by Robert Burns
O DEATH, had’st thou but spar’d his life, Whom we this day lament, We freely wad exchanged the wife, And a’ been weel content. Ev’n as he is, cauld in his graff, The swap we yet will do’t; Tak thou the carlin’s carcase aff, Thou’se get the saul o’boot. ————— The End And that’s the […]
Epigram on the Laird of Laggan by Robert Burns
WHEN Morine, deceas’d, to the Devil went down, ’Twas nothing would serve him but Satan’s own crown; “Thy fool’s head,” quoth Satan, “that crown shall wear never, I grant thou’rt as wicked, but not quite so clever.” ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. […]
Epigram on Rough Roads by Robert Burns
I’M now arrived—thanks to the gods!— Thro’ pathways rough and muddy, A certain sign that makin roads Is no this people’s study: Altho’ Im not wi’ Scripture cram’d, I’m sure the Bible says That heedless sinners shall be damn’d, Unless they mend their ways. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry […]
Epigram on Politics by Robert Burns
IN Politics if thou would’st mix, And mean thy fortunes be; Bear this in mind, be deaf and blind, Let great folk hear and see. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — […]
Epigram on Parting with a kind Host in the Highlands by Robert Burns
WHEN Death’s dark stream I ferry o’er, (A time that surely shall come,) In Heav’n itself I’ll ask no more, Than just a Highland welcome. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — […]
Epigram on Mr. James Gracie by Robert Burns
GRACIE, thou art a man of worth, O be thou Dean for ever! May he be d—d to hell henceforth, Who fauts thy weight or measure! ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster […]
Epigram on Andrew Turner by Robert Burns
IN se’enteen hunder’n forty-nine, The deil gat stuff to mak a swine, An’ coost it in a corner; But wilily he chang’d his plan, An’ shap’d it something like a man, An’ ca’d it Andrew Turner. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry […]
With Scindia to Delphi by Rudyard Kipling
More than a hundred years ago, in a great battle fought near Delhi, an Indian Prince rode fifty miles after the day was lost with a beggar-girl, who had loved him and followed him in all his camps, on his saddle-bow. He lost the girl when almost within sight of safety. A Maratta trooper tells […]
The Prodigal Son by Rudyard Kipling
Here come I to my own again, Fed, forgiven and known again, Claimed by bone of my bone again And cheered by flesh of my flesh. The fatted calf is dressed for me, But the husks have greater zest for me, I think my pigs will be best for me, So I’m off to the […]
Beast and Man in India by Rudyard Kipling
Written for John Lockwood Kipling’s They killed a Child to please the Gods In Earth’s young penitence, And I have bled in that Babe’s stead Because of innocence. I bear the sins of sinful men That have no sin of my own, They drive me forth to Heaven’s wrath Unpastured and alone. I am the […]
how did poetry begin? by Raj Arumugam
how did poetry begin? by Raj Arumugam how did it begin anyway this love of sound and words and rhythm and word-painting? did a bunch of perhaps thirteen men and women gather one night under the star-covered trees and eat pizzas and say: tonight we’ll all not drink sake or soma and we’ll not have […]
Testimony by Seamus Heaney
Testimony by Seamus Heaney ‘We were killing pigs when the Yanks arrived. A Tuesday morning, sunlight and gutter-blood Outside the slaughter house. >From the main road They would have heard the screaming, Then heard it stop and had a view of us In our gloves and aprons coming down the hill. Two lines of them, […]
They’ve Put A Brassiere On A Camel by Shel Silverstein
They’ve put a brassiere on a camel, She wasn’t dressed proper, you know. They’ve put a brassiere on a camel, So that her humps wouldn’t show. And they’re making other respectable plans, They’re even even insisting the pigs should wear pants, They’ll dress up the ducks if we give them the chance Since they’ve put […]
The General by Siegfried Sassoon
‘Good-morning; good-morning!’ the General said When we met him last week on our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead, And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine. ‘He’s a cheery old card,’ grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack. […]
Hero by Siegfried Sassoon
‘Jack fell as he’d have wished,’ the Mother said, And folded up the letter that she’d read. ‘The Colonel writes so nicely.’ Something broke In the tired voice that quavered to a choke. She half looked up. ‘We mothers are so proud Of our dead soldiers.’ Then her face was bowed. Quietly the Brother Officer […]
Independent at Birth by Suuk Simon Subinimah
Seated he under the pavilion Grey bare chested with a mood As that of a chameleon An air of pride surrounds him That provokes anger Breasts cupped in two hands The women run around as if pursued By wild bees Infants with piteous faces and Pot-like stomachs dashing after their mothers Sons and daughters are […]
Totem by Sylvia Plath
The engine is killing the track, the track is silver, It stretches into the distance. It will be eaten nevertheless. Its running is useless. At nightfall there is the beauty of drowned fields, Dawn gilds the farmers like pigs, Swaying slightly in their thick suits, White towers of Smithfield ahead, Fat haunches and blood on […]
Three Women by Sylvia Plath
A Poem for Three Voices Setting: A Maternity Ward and round about FIRST VOICE: I am slow as the world. I am very patient, Turning through my time, the suns and stars Regarding me with attention. The moon’s concern is more personal: She passes and repasses, luminous as a nurse. Is she sorry for what […]
Stillborn by Sylvia Plath
These poems do not live: it’s a sad diagnosis.They grew their toes and fingers well enough,Their little foreheads bulged with concentration.If they missed out on walking about like peopleIt wasn’t for any lack of mother-love. O I cannot explain what happened to them!They are proper in shape and number and every part.They sit so nicely […]
Reproof: A Satire. by Tobias Smollett
POET. Howe’er I turn, or wheresoe’er I tread, This giddy world still rattles round my head! I pant for silence e’en in this retreat- Good Heaven! what demon thunders at the gate? FRIEND. In vain you strive, in this sequester’d nook, To shroud you from an injured friend’s rebuke. POET. An injured friend! who challenges […]
Where Is David, the Next King of Israel? by Vachel Lindsay
Where is David? . . . O God’s people, Saul has passed, the good and great. Mourn for Saul the first-anointed — Head and shoulders o’er the state. He was found among the Prophets: Judge and monarch, merged in one. But the wars of Saul are ended And the works of Saul are done. Where […]
The Tale of the Tiger-Tree by Vachel Lindsay
A Fantasy, dedicated to the little poet Alice Oliver Henderson, ten years old. The Fantasy shows how tiger-hearts are the cause of war in all ages. It shows how the mammoth forces may be either friends or enemies of the struggle for peace. It shows how the dream of peace is unconquerable and eternal. I […]
The Jingo and the Minstrel by Vachel Lindsay
AN ARGUMENT FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND GOODWILL WITH THE JAPANESE PEOPLE Glossary for the uninstructed and the hasty: Jimmu Tenno, ancestor of all the Japanese Emperors; Nikko, Japan’s loveliest shrine; Iyeyasu, her greatest statesman; Bushido, her code of knighthood; The Forty-seven Ronins, her classic heroes; Nogi, her latest hero; Fuji, her most beautiful […]
The Booker Washington Trilogy by Vachel Lindsay
I. A NEGRO SERMON:—SIMON LEGREE (To be read in your own variety of negro dialect.) Legree’s big house was white and green. His cotton-fields were the best to be seen. He had strong horses and opulent cattle, And bloodhounds bold, with chains that would rattle. His garret was full of curious things: Books of magic, […]
Aeneid by Virgil
ARMS, and the man I sing, who, forc’d by fate, And haughty Juno’s unrelenting hate, Expell’d and exil’d, left the Trojan shore. Long labors, both by sea and land, he bore, And in the doubtful war, before he won The Latian realm, and built the destin’d town; His banish’d gods restor’d to rites divine, And […]