The Ice Palace by William Cowper
Less worthy of applause, though more admired, Because a novelty, the work of man, Imperial mistress of the fur-clad Russ, Thy most magnificent and mighty freak, The wonder of the North. No forest fell When thou wouldst build; no quarry sent its stores To enrich thy walls; but thou didst hew the floods, And make […]
The Distress’d Travellers; or, Labour in Vain by William Cowper
I. I sing of a journey to Clifton, We would have perform’d if we could, Without cart or barrow to lift on Poor Mary and me through the mud; Slee, sla, slud, Stuck in the mud, Oh it is pretty to wade through a flood! II. So away we went, slipping and sliding, Hop, hop, […]
Sunset And Sunrise (Translated From Owen) by William Cowper
Contemplate, when the sun declines, Thy death with deep reflection! And when again he rising shines, The day of resurrection! ————— 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 poetic […]
Strada’s Nightingale by William Cowper
The shepherd touch’d his reed; sweet Philomel Essay’d, and oft essay’d to catch the strain, And treasuring, as on her ear they fell, The numbers, echo’d note for note again. The peevish youth, who ne’er had foundbefore A rival of his skill, indignant heard, And soon (for various was his tuneful store) In loftier tones […]
Sonnet To Henry Cowper, Esq. by William Cowper
Cowper, whose silver voice, tasked sometimes hard, Legends prolix delivers in the ears (Attentive when thou read’st) of England’s peers, Let verse at length yield thee thy just reward. Thou wast not heard with drowsy disregard, Expending late on all that length of plea Thy generous powers, but silence honoured thee, Mute as e’er gazed […]
Sonnet To A Young Lady On Her Birth-Day by William Cowper
Deem not, sweet rose, that bloom’st ‘midst many a thorn, Thy friend, tho’ to a cloister’s shade consign’d, Can e’er forget the charms he left behind, Or pass unheeded this auspicious morn! In happier days to brighter prospects born, O tell thy thoughtless sex, the virtuous mind, Like thee, content in every state may find, […]
Repose In God by William Cowper
Blest! who, far from all mankind This world’s shadows left behind, Hears from heaven a gentle strain Whispering love, and loves again. Blest! who, free from self-esteem, Dives into the great Supreme. All desire beside discards, Joys inferior none regards. Blest! who in thy bosom seeks Rest that nothing earthly breaks, Dead to self and […]
Pity For Poor Africans by William Cowper
I own I am shocked at the purchase of slaves, And fear those who buy them and sell them are knaves; What I hear of their hardships, their tortures, and groans Is almost enough to draw pity from stones. I pity them greatly, but I must be mum, For how could we do without sugar […]
On The Queen’s Visit To London, The Night Of The 17th March 1789 by William Cowper
When, long sequestered from his throne, George took his seat again, By right of worth, not blood alone Entitled here to reign; Then, Loyalty, with all his lamps New trimmed, a gallant show, Chasing the darkness and the damps, Set London in a glow. ‘Twas hard to tell of streets or squares, Which formed the […]
On The Loss Of The “Royal George” by William Cowper
Toll for the brave! The brave! that are no more! All sunk beneath the wave, Fast by their native shore! Eight hundred of the brave, Whose courage well was tried, Had made the vessel heel And laid her on her side: A land-breeze shook the shrouds, And she was overset; Down went the Royal George […]
On The Ice Islands Seen Floating In The German Ocean by William Cowper
What portents, from what distant region, ride, Unseen till now in ours, the astonished tide? In ages past, old Proteus, with his droves Of sea-calves, sought the mountains and the groves; But now, descending whence of late they stood, Themselves the mountains seem to rove the flood; Dire times were they, full-charged with human woes; […]
On The High Price Of Fish by William Cowper
Cocoa-nut naught, Fish too dear, None must be bought, For us that are here: No lobster on earth, That ever I saw, To me would be worth Sixpence a claw. So dear madam, wait Till fish can be got At a reas’nable rate Whether lobster or not; Till the French and the Dutch Have quitted […]
On the Grasshopper (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Happy songster, perch’d above, On the summit of the grove, Whom a dewdrop cheers to sing With the freedom of a king, From thy perch survey the fields Where prolific nature yields Nough that, willingly as she, Man surrenders not to thee. For hostility or hate None thy pleasures can create. Thee it satisfies to […]
On The Death Of The Bishop Of Ely. Anno Aet. 17. (Translated From Milton) by William Cowper
My lids with grief were tumid yet, And still my sullied cheek was wet With briny dews profusely shed For venerable Winton dead, When Fame, whose tales of saddest sound Alas! are ever truest found, The news through all our cities spread Of yet another mitred head By ruthless Fate to Death consign’d, Ely, the […]
On The Death Of Mrs. Throckmorton’s Bullfinch by William Cowper
Ye Nymphs, if e’er your eyes were red With tears o’er hapless favourites shed, Oh, share Maria’s grief! Her favourite, even in his cage, (What will not hunger’s cruel rage?) Assassined by a thief. Where Rhenus strays his vines among, The egg was laid from which he sprung, And though by nature mute Or only […]
On The Death Of Damon. (Translated From Milton) by William Cowper
Ye Nymphs of Himera (for ye have shed Erewhile for Daphnis and for Hylas dead, And over Bion’s long-lamented bier, The fruitless meed of many a sacred tear) Now, through the villas laved by Thames rehearse The woes of Thyrsis in Sicilian verse, What sighs he heav’d, and how with groans profound He made the […]
On The Benefit Received By His Majesty From Sea-Bathing, In The Year 1789 by William Cowper
O sovereign of an isle renowned For undisputed sway Wherever o’er yon gulf profound Her navies wing their way; With juster claims she builds at length Her empire on the sea, And well may boast the waves her strength Which strength restored to thee. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry […]
On The Author Of Letters On Literature by William Cowper
The genius of the Augustan age His head among Rome’s ruins reared, And bursting with heroic rage, When literary Heron appeared, Thou hast, he cried, like him of old Who set the Ephesian dome on fir By being scandalously bold, Attained the mark of thy desire. And for traducing Virgil’s name Shalt share his merited […]
On The Astrologers (From The Greek) by William Cowper
The astrologers did all alike presage My uncle’s dying in extreme old age; One only disagreed. But he was wise, And spoke not till he heard the funeral cries. ————— 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 […]
On Receiving Heyne’s Virgil From Mr. Hayley by William Cowper
I should have deemed it once an effort vain To sweeten more sweet Maro’s matchless strain, But from that error now behold me free, Since I received him as a gift from thee. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the […]
On Receiving Hayley’s Picture by William Cowper
In language warm as could be breathed or penned Thy picture speaks the original my friend, Not by those looks that indicate thy mind, They only speak thee friend of all mankind; Expression here more soothing still I see, That friend of all, a partial friend to me. ————— The End And that’s the End […]
On Receipt Of My Mother’s Picture by William Cowper
Oh that those lips had language! Life has pass’d With me but roughly since I heard thee last. Those lips are thine-thy own sweet smiles I see, The same that oft in childhood solaced me; Voice only fails, else, how distinct they say, “Grieve not, my child, chase all thy fears away!” The meek intelligence […]
On Pedigree. From Epicharmus by William Cowper
My mother! if thou love me, name no more My noble birth! Sounding at every breath My noble birth, thou kill’st me. Thither fly, As to their only refuge, all from whom Nature withholds all good besides; they boast Their noble birth, conduct us to the tombs Of their forefathers, and, from age to age […]
On Pallas Bathing, From A Hymn Of Callimachus by William Cowper
Nor oils of balmy scene produce, Nor mirror for Minerva’s use, Ye nymphs who lave her; she, array’d In genuine beauty, scorns their aid. Not even when they left the skies, To seek on Ida’s head the prize From Paris’ hand, did Juno deign, Or Pallas in the crystal plain Of Simois’ stream her locks […]
On One Ignorant And Arrogant (Translated From Owen) by William Cowper
Thou mayst of double ignorance boast, Who know’st not that thou nothing know’st. ————— 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 poetic works. Here you’ll find original poems, poetry […]
On Observing Some Names Of Little Note Recorded In The Biographia Britannica by William Cowper
Oh fond attempt to give a deathless lot, To names ignoble, born to be forgot! In vain recorded in historic page, They court the notice of a future age, Those twinkling tiny lustres of the land Drop one by one from fame’s neglecting hand, Lethean gulfs receive them as they fall, And dark oblivion soon […]
On Niobe (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Charon! receive a family on board Itself sufficient for thy crazy yawl, Apollo and Diana, for a word By me too proudly spoken, slew us all. ————— 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 […]
On Mrs. Montague’s Feather Hangings by William Cowper
The Birds put off their every hue, To dress a room for Montagu. The peacock sends his heavenly dyes, His rainbows and his starry eyes; The pheasant plumes, which round enfold His mantling neck with downy gold; The cock his arch’d tail’s azure show; And, river-blanch’d, the swan his snow. All tribes beside of Indian […]
On Miltiades by William Cowper
Miltiades! thy valor best (Although in every region known) The men of Persia can attest, Taught by thyself at Marathon. ————— 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 poetic […]
On Late Acquired Wealth (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Poor in my youth, and in life’s later scenes Rich to no end, I curse my natal hour, Who nought enjoy’d while young, denied the means; And nought when old enjoy’d, denied the power. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — […]
On Invalids (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Far happier are the dead, methinks, than they Who look for death, and fear it every day. ————— 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 poetic works. Here you’ll […]
On Hermocratia (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Hermocratia named — save only one — Twice fifteen births I bore, and buried none; For neither Phoebus pierced my thriving joys, Nor Dian — she my girls, or he my boys. But Dian rather, when my daughters lay In parturition, chased their pangs away. And all my sons, by Phoebus’ bounty, shared A vigorous […]
On Flaxman’s Penelope by William Cowper
The suitors sinned, but with a fair excuse, Whom all this elegance might well seduce; Nor can our censure on the husband fall, Who, for a wife so lovely, slew them all. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate […]
On Flatteries (From The Greek) by William Cowper
No mischief worthier of our fear In nature can be found Than friendship, in ostent sincere, But hollow and unsound, For lull’d into a dangerous dream We close infold a foe, Who strikes, when most secure we seem, The inevitable blow. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems […]
On Female Inconstancy (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Rich, thou hadst many lovers — poor, hast none, So surely want extinguishes the flame, And she who call’d thee once her pretty one, And her Adonis, now inquires thy name. Where wast thou born, Socicrates, and where, In what strange country can thy parents live, Who seem’st, by thy complaints, not yet aware That […]
On Envy (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Pity, says the Theban bard, From my wishes I discard; Envy, let me rather be, Rather far, a theme for thee. Pity to distress is shown. Envy to the great alone– So the Theban — But to shine Less conspicuous be mine! I prefer the golden mean, Pomp and penury between; For alarm and peril […]
On Delia (Bid Adieu, My Sad Heart) by William Cowper
Bid adieu, my sad heart, bid adieu to thy peace! Thy pleasure is past, and thy sorrows increase; See the shadows of evening how far they extend, And a long night is coming, that never may end; For the sun is now set that enlivened the scene, And an age must be past ere it […]
On An Ugly Fellow (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Beware, my friend! of crystal brook, Or fountain, lest that hideous hook, Thy nose, thou chance to see; Narcissus’ fate would then be thine, And self-detested thou wouldst pine, As self-enamour’d he. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate […]
On An Old Woman (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Mycilla dyes her locks, ’tis said: But ’tis a foul aspersion; She buys them black; they therefore need No subsequent immersion. ————— 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 […]
On An Infant (From The Greek) by William Cowper
Bewail not much, my parents! me, the prey Of ruthless Ades, and sepulchred here. An infant, in my fifth scarce finish’d year, He found all sportive, innocent, and gay, Your young Callimachus; and if I knew Not many joys, my griefs were also few. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry […]