Ode on St. Cecilia’s Day poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) I. Descend ye Nine! descend and sing; The breathing instruments inspire, Wake into voice each silent string, And sweep the sounding lyre! In a sadly-pleasing strain Let the warbling lute complain: Let the loud trumpet sound, ‘Till the roofs all around The shrill echo’s rebound: While in more […]

To Mrs. M. B. On Her Birthday poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Oh be thou blest with all that Heav’n can send, Long Health, long Youth, long Pleasure, and a Friend: Not with those Toys the female world admire, Riches that vex, and Vanities that tire. With added years if Life bring nothing new, But, like a Sieve, let ev’ry […]

Macer : A Character poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) When simple Macer, now of high renown, First fought a Poet’s Fortune in the Town, ‘Twas all th’ Ambition his high soul could feel, To wear red stockings, and to dine with Steele. Some Ends of verse his Betters might afford, And gave the harmless fellow a good […]

Lines on Curll poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) So when Curll’s Stomach the strong Drench o’ercame, (Infus’d in Vengenance of insulted Fame) Th’ Avenger sees, with a delighted Eye, His long Jaws open, and his Colour fly; And while his Guts the keen Emeticks urge, Smiles on the Vomit, and enjoys the Purge. Poetry Monster […]

Lines Written in Windsor Forest poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) All hail, once pleasing, once inspiring shade! Scene of my youthful loves and happier hours! Where the kind Muses met me as I stray’d, And gently press’d my hand, and said “Be ours!- Take all thou e’er shalt have, a constant Muse: At Court thou may’st be liked, […]

In Imitation of Cowley : The Garden poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Fain would my Muse the flow’ry Treasures sing, And humble glories of the youthful Spring; Where opening Roses breathing sweets diffuse, And soft Carnations show’r their balmy dews; Where Lilies smile in virgin robes of white, The thin Undress of superficial Light, And vary’d Tulips show so dazzling […]

In Imitation of Chaucer poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Women ben full of Ragerie, Yet swinken not sans secresie. Thilke Moral shall ye understond, From Schoole-boy’s Tale of fayre Irelond: Which to the Fennes hath him betake, To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake. Right then, there passen by the Way His Aunt, and eke her […]

Impromptu, to Lady Winchelsea poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) In vain you boast Poetic Names of yore, And cite those Sapho’s we admire no more: Fate doom’d the Fall of ev’ry Female Wit, But doom’d it then when first Ardelia writ. Of all Examples by the World confest, I knew Ardelia could not quote the best; Who, like […]

From an Essay on Man poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Heav’n from all creatures hides the book of fate, All but the page prescrib’d, their present state: From brutes what men, from men what spirits know: Or who could suffer being here below? The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today, Had he thy reason, would he skip and […]

Essay on Man poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) The First Epistle Awake, my ST. JOHN!(1) leave all meaner things To low ambition, and the pride of Kings. Let us (since Life can little more supply Than just to look about us and to die) Expatiate(2) free o’er all this scene of Man; A mighty maze! but […]

Eloisa to Abelard poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) In these deep solitudes and awful cells, Where heav’nly-pensive contemplation dwells, And ever-musing melancholy reigns; What means this tumult in a vestal’s veins? Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat? Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat? Yet, yet I love!–From Abelard it came, And Eloisa yet must […]

Chorus of Youths and Virgins poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Semichorus. Oh Tyrant Love! hast thou possest The prudent, learn’d, and virtuous breast? Wisdom and wit in vain reclaim, And Arts but soften us to feel thy flame. Love, soft intruder, enters here, But ent’ring learns to be sincere. Marcus with blushes owns he loves, And Brutus tenderly […]

Chorus of Athenians poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Strophe I. Ye shades, where sacred truth is sought; Groves, where immortal Sages taught; Where heav’nly visions of Plato fir’d, And Epicurus lay inspir’d! In vain your guiltless laurels stood Unspotted long with human blood. War, horrid war, your thoughtful walks invades, And steel now glitters in the […]

Argus poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) When wise Ulysses, from his native coast Long kept by wars, and long by tempests toss’d, Arrived at last, poor, old, disguised, alone, To all his friends, and ev’n his Queen unknown, Changed as he was, with age, and toils, and cares, Furrow’d his rev’rend face, and white his […]

An Essay On Criticism poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) ‘Tis hard to say, if greater Want of Skill Appear in Writing or in Judging ill, But, of the two, less dang’rous is th’ Offence, To tire our Patience, than mis-lead our Sense: Some few in that, but Numbers err in this, Ten Censure wrong for one who Writes […]

An Essay on Man: Epistle II poem – Alexander Pope poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) I. Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. Plac’d on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic’s pride, He […]

The Wizard Way poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) [Dedicated to General J.C.F. Fuller] Velvet soft the night-star glowed Over the untrodden road, Through the giant glades of yew Where its ray fell light as dew Lighting up the shimmering veil Maiden pure and aery frail That the spiders wove to hide Blushes of the sylvan bride […]

The Twins poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) [Dedicated to Austin Osman Spare] Have pity ! show no pity ! Those eyes that send such shivers Into my brain and spine : oh let them Flame like the ancient city Swallowed up by the sulphurous rivers When men let angels fret them ! Yea ! […]

The Titanic poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) Forth flashed the serpent streak of steel, Consummate crown of man’s device; Down crashed upon an immobile And brainless barrier of ice. Courage! The grey gods shoot a laughing lip: – Let not faith founder with the ship! We reel before the blows of fate; Our stout souls […]

The Tent poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) Only the stars endome the lonely camp, Only the desert leagues encompass it; Waterless wastes, a wilderness of wit, Embattled Cold, Imagination’s Cramp. Now were the Desolation fain to stamp The congealed Spirit of man into the pit, Save that, unquenchable because unlit, The Love of God burns steady, […]

The Rose and the Cross poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) Out of the seething cauldron of my woes, Where sweets and salt and bitterness I flung; Where charmed music gathered from my tongue, And where I chained strange archipelagoes Of fallen stars; where fiery passion flows A curious bitumen; where among The glowing medley moved the tune unsung Of […]

The Quest poem – Aleister Crowley poems | Poetry Monster

A poem by Alistar Crowley (1875-1947) A part, immutable, unseen, Being, before itself had been, Became. Like dew a triple queen Shone as the void uncovered: The silence of deep height was drawn A veil across the silver dawn On holy wings that hovered. The music of three thoughts became The beauty, that is […]