Astrophel and Stella: XV by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: XV by Sir Philip Sidney You that do search for every purling spring Which from the ribs of old Parnassus flows, And every flower, not sweet perhaps, which grows Near thereabouts, into your poesy wring; Ye that do dictionary’s method bring Into your rimes, running in rattling rows; You that poor Petrarch’s […]
Astrophel and Stella: XLI by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: XLI by Sir Philip Sidney Having this day my horse, my hand, my lance Guided so well that I obtain’d the prize, Both by the judgment of the English eyes And of some sent from that sweet enemy France; Horsemen my skill in horsemanship advance, Town folks my strength; a daintier judge […]
Astrophel and Stella: XCII by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: XCII by Sir Philip Sidney Be your words made, good sir, of Indian ware, That you allow me them by so small rate? Or do you cutted Spartans imitate? Or do you mean my tender ears to spare, That to my questions you so total are? When I demand of Phœnix Stella’s […]
Astrophel and Stella VII: WhenNature Made her Chief Work by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella VII: WhenNature Made her Chief Work by Sir Philip Sidney When Nature made her chief work, Stella’s eyes, In colour black why wrapt she beams so bright? Would she in beamy black, like painter wise, Frame daintiest lustre, mix’d of shades and light? Or did she else that sober hue devise, In […]
Astrophel And Stella-Sonnet XXXI by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel And Stella-Sonnet XXXI by Sir Philip Sidney With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb’st the skies! How silently, and with how wan a face! What! may it be that even in heavenly place That busy archer his sharp arrows tries? Sure, if that long-with-love-acquainted eyes Can judge of love, thou feel’st a lover’s […]
Astrophel And Stella-Sonnet LIV by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel And Stella-Sonnet LIV by Sir Philip Sidney Because I breathe not love to every one, Nor do not use set colours for to wear, Nor nourish special locks of vowed hair, Nor give each speech a full point of a groan, The courtly nymphs, acquainted with the moan Of them who in their lips […]
Astrophel And Stella; Sonnet CVIII by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel And Stella; Sonnet CVIII by Sir Philip Sidney When Sorrow, using mine own fire’s might, Melts down his lead into my boiling breast, Through that dark furnace to my heart oppressed, There shines a joy from thee, my only light: But soon as thought of thee breeds my delight, And my young soul flutters […]
Astrophel and Stella LXXXIV: HIGHWAY by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella LXXXIV: HIGHWAY by Sir Philip Sidney Highway, since you my chief Parnassus be, And that my Muse, to some ears not unsweet, Tempers her words to trampling horses’ feet More oft than to a chamber melody. Now, blessed you bear onward blessed me To her, where I my heart, safe-left, shall meet: […]
Astrophel and Stella: LXXI by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: LXXI by Sir Philip Sidney Who will in fairest book of nature know How virtue may best lodg’d in beauty be, Let him but learn of love to read in thee, Stella, those fair lines which true goodness show. There shall he find all vices’ overthrow, Not by rude force, but sweetest […]
Astrophel and Stella: LXIV by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: LXIV by Sir Philip Sidney No more, my dear, no more these counsels try; Oh, give my passions leave to run their race; Let Fortune lay on me her worst disgrace; Let folk o’ercharg’d with brain against me cry; Let clouds bedim my face, break in mine eye; Let me no steps […]
Astrophel and Stella: III by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: III by Sir Philip Sidney Let dainty wits cry on the sisters nine, That, bravely mask’d, their fancies may be told; Or, Pindar’s apes, flaunt they in phrases fine, Enam’ling with pied flowers their thoughts of gold. Or else let them in statelier glory shine, Ennobling newfound tropes with problems old; Or […]
Astrophel and Stella: I by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel and Stella: I by Sir Philip Sidney ASTROPHEL AND STELLA: I Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, That she, dear she, might take some pleasure of my pain,– Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,– I sought fit […]
Astrophel And Stella-First Song by Sir Philip Sidney
Astrophel And Stella-First Song by Sir Philip Sidney Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes intendeth, Which now my breast o’ercharged to music lendeth? To you, to you, all song of praise is due; Only in you my song begins and endeth. Who hath the eyes which marry state with pleasure? Who keeps the […]
“Wonkavite…” by Roald Dahl
“If you are old and have the shakes, If all your bones are full of aches, If you can hardly walk at all, If living drives you up the wall, If you’re a grump and full of spite, If you’re a human parasite, THEN WHAT YOU NEED IS WONKA-VITE! Your eyes will shine, your hair […]
Violet Beauregarde… by Roald Dahl
“Dear friends, we surely all agree There’s almost nothing worse to see Than some repulsive little bum Who’s always chewing chewing gum. (It’s very near as bad as those Who sit around and pick the nose). So please believe us when we say That chewing gum will never pay; This sticky habit’s bound to send […]
The Rowing Song by Roald Dahl
Round the world and home again That’s the sailor’s way Faster faster, faster faster There’s no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going There’s no knowing where we’re rowing Or which way the river’s flowing Is it raining, is it snowing Is a hurricane a-blowing Not a speck of light is showing So […]
The Crocodile by Roald Dahl
“No animal is half as vile As Crocky-Wock, the crocodile. On Saturdays he likes to crunch Six juicy children for his lunch And he especially enjoys Just three of each, three girls, three boys. He smears the boys (to make them hot) With mustard from the mustard pot. But mustard doesn’t go with girls, It […]
St Ives by Roald Dahl
As I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives Said he, ‘I think it’s much more fun Than getting stuck with only one.’ ————— 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. […]
Violet Beauregarde… by Roald Dahl
“Dear friends, we surely all agree There’s almost nothing worse to see Than some repulsive little bum Who’s always chewing chewing gum. (It’s very near as bad as those Who sit around and pick the nose). So please believe us when we say That chewing gum will never pay; This sticky habit’s bound to send […]
“Veruca Salt…” by Roald Dahl
“Veruca Salt, the little brute, Has just gone down the garbage chute, (And as we very rightly thought That in a case like this we ought To see the thing completely through, We’ve polished off her parents, too.) Down goes Veruca! Down the drain! And here, perhaps, we should explain That she will meet, as […]
My teacher wasn’t half as nice as yours seems to be by Roald Dahl
“My teacher wasn’t half as nice as yours seems to be. His name was Mister Unsworth and he taught us history. And when you didn’t know a date he’d get you by the ear And start to twist while you sat there quite paralysed with fear. He’d twist and twist and twist your ear and […]
“Mike Teavee…” by Roald Dahl
The most important thing we’ve learned, So far as children are concerned, Is never, NEVER, NEVER let Them near your television set — Or better still, just don’t install The idiotic thing at all. In almost every house we’ve been, We’ve watched them gaping at the screen. They loll and slop and lounge about, And […]
Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf by Roald Dahl
As soon as Wolf began to feel That he would like a decent meal, He went and knocked on Grandma’s door. When Grandma opened it, she saw The sharp white teeth, the horrid grin, And Wolfie said, “May I come in?” Poor Grandmamma was terrified, “He’s going to eat me up!” she cried. And she […]
I’ve Got a Golden Ticket by Roald Dahl
I never thought my life could be Anything but catastrophe But suddenly I begin to see A bit of good luck for me ‘Cause I’ve got a golden ticket I’ve got a golden twinkle in my eye I never had a chance to shine Never a happy song to sing But suddenly half the world […]
I had a little nut-tree, by Roald Dahl
I had a little nut-tree, Nothing would it bear. I searched in all its branches, But not a nut was there. “Oh, little tree,” I begged, “Give me just a few.” The little tree looked down at me And whispered, “Nuts to you.” ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, […]
Hot and Cold by Roald Dahl
A woman who my mother knows Came in and took off all her clothes. Said I, not being very old, ‘By golly gosh, you must be cold!’ ‘No, no!’ she cried. ‘Indeed I’m not! I’m feeling devilishly hot!’ ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and […]
“Goldie Pinklesweet…” by Roald Dahl
“Attention please! Attention please! Don’t dare to talk! Don’t dare to sneeze! Don’t doze or daydream! Stay awake! Your health, your very life’s at stake! Ho-ho, you say, they can’t mean me. Ha-ha, we answer, wait and see. Did any of you ever meet A child called Goldie Pinklesweet? Who on her seventh birthday went […]
Excerpt – “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” by Roald Dahl
“This famous wicked little tale Should never have been put on sale It is a mystery to me Why loving parents cannot see That this is actually a book About a brazen little crook…” “…Now just imagine how you’d feel If you had cooked a lovely meal, Delicious porridge, steaming hot, Fresh coffee in the […]
Augustus Gloop… by Roald Dahl
“Augustus Gloop! Augustus Gloop! The great big greedy nincompoop! How long could we allow this beast To gorge and guzzle, feed and feast On everything he wanted to? Great Scott! It simply wouldn’t do! However long this pig might live, We’re positive he’d never give Even the smallest bit of fun Or happiness to anyone. […]
On the Danger of Procrastination by Abraham Cowley
THE DANGER OF PROCRASTINATION A letter to Mr. S. L. I am glad that you approve and applaud my design of withdrawing myself from all tumult and business of the world and consecrating the little rest of my time to those studies to which nature had so motherly inclined me, and from which fortune like a step-mother has so […]
ON THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE AND UNCERTAINTY OF RICHES by Abraham Cowley
THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE AND UNCERTAINTY OF RICHES. If you should see a man who were to cross from Dover to Calais, run about very busy and solicitous, and trouble himself many weeks before in making provisions for the voyage, would you commend him for a cautious and discreet person, or laugh at him for a […]
CLAUDIAN’S OLD MAN OF VERONA by Abraham Cowley
CLAUDIAN’S OLD MAN OF VERONA. Happy the man who his whole time doth bound Within the enclosure of his little ground. Happy the man whom the same humble place (The hereditary cottage of his race) From his first rising infancy has known, And by degrees sees gently bending down, With natural propension to that earth Which […]
THE DANGERS OF AN HONEST MAN IN MUCH COMPANY by Abraham Cowley
THE DANGERS OF AN HONEST MAN IN MUCH COMPANY. If twenty thousand naked Americans were not able to resist the assaults of but twenty well-armed Spaniards, I see little possibility for one honest man to defend himself against twenty thousand knaves, who are all furnished cap-à-pie with the defensive arms of worldly prudence, and the offensive, too, of […]
The Garden by Abraham Cowley
THE GARDEN To J. Evelyn, Esquire. I never had any other desire so strong, and so like to covetousness, as that one which I have had always, that I might be master at last of a small house and large garden, with very moderate conveniences joined to them, and there dedicate the remainder of my life only to the […]
O fortunatus nimium, etc., a translation out of Virgil by Abraham Cowley
O fortunatus nimium, etc., a translation out of Virgil by Abraham Cowley Continued from the Essay on Agriculture by Abraham Cowley Virg. Georg. O fortunatus nimium, etc. A TRANSLATION OUT OF VIRGIL. Oh happy (if his happiness he knows) The country swain, on whom kind Heaven bestows At home all riches that wise Nature needs; Whom the just […]
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 […]
Obscurity, the Essay and Poems on Obscurity by Abraham Cowley
OF OBSCURITY. Nam neque divitibus contingunt gaudia solis, Nec vixit male, qui natus moriensque fefellit. God made not pleasures only for the rich, Nor have those men without their share too lived, Who both in life and death the world deceived. This seems a strange sentence thus literally translated, and looks as if it were in vindication […]
The Essay on Liberty by Abraham Cowley
OF SOLITUDE. “Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solis,” is now become a very vulgar saying. Every man and almost every boy for these seventeen hundred years has had it in his mouth. But it was at first spoken by the excellent Scipio, who was without question a most worthy, most happy, and the greatest of all […]
Hauntings by Rupert Brooke
In the grey tumult of these after years Oft silence falls; the incessant wranglers part; And less-than-echoes of remembered tears Hush all the loud confusion of the heart; And a shade, through the toss’d ranks of mirth and crying Hungers, and pains, and each dull passionate mood, — Quite lost, and all but all forgot, […]
Goddess In The Wood, The by Rupert Brooke
In a flowered dell the Lady Venus stood, Amazed with sorrow. Down the morning one Far golden horn in the gold of trees and sun Rang out; and held; and died. . . . She thought the wood Grew quieter. Wing, and leaf, and pool of light Forgot to dance. Dumb lay the unfalling stream; […]