Written In March by William Wordsworth
The cock is crowing, The stream is flowing, The small birds twitter, The lake doth glitter The green field sleeps in the sun; The oldest and youngest Are at work with the strongest; The cattle are grazing, Their heads never raising; There are forty feeding like one! Like an army defeated The snow hath retreated, […]
The Sirens’ Song by William Browne
The Sirens’ Song by William Browne STEER, hither steer your winged pines, All beaten mariners! Here lie Love’s undiscover’d mines, A prey to passengers– Perfumes far sweeter than the best Which make the Phoenix’ urn and nest. Fear not your ships, Nor any to oppose you save our lips; But come on shore, Where no […]
The Rose by William Browne
The Rose by William Browne A ROSE, as fair as ever saw the North, Grew in a little garden all alone; A sweeter flower did Nature ne’er put forth, Nor fairer garden yet was never known: The maidens danced about it morn and noon, And learned bards of it their ditties made; The nimble fairies […]
The Quarry by William Vaughn Moody
The Quarry by William Vaughn Moody Between the rice swamps and the fields of tea I met a sacred elephant, snow-white. Upon his back a huge pagoda towered Full of brass gods and food of sacrifice. Upon his forehead sat a golden throne, The massy metal twisted into shapes Grotesque, antediluvian, such as move In […]
The Daguerreotype by William Vaughn Moody
The Daguerreotype by William Vaughn Moody This, then, is she, My mother as she looked at seventeen, When she first met my father. Young incredibly, Younger than spring, without the faintest trace Of disappointment, weariness, or tean Upon the childlike earnestness and grace Of the waiting face. Those close-wound ropes of pearl (Or common beads […]
The Blues by William Matthews
The Blues by William Matthews What did I think, a storm clutching a clarinet and boarding a downtown bus, headed for lessons? I had pieces to learn by heart, but at twelve you think the heart and memory are different. “‘It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,’ the Queen remarked.” Alice in […]
Song by William Browne
Song by William Browne FOR her gait, if she be walking; Be she sitting, I desire her For her state’s sake; and admire her For her wit if she be talking; Gait and state and wit approve her; For which all and each I love her. Be she sullen, I commend her For a modest. […]
Poem (The lump of coal my parents teased) by William Matthews
Poem (The lump of coal my parents teased) by William Matthews The lump of coal my parents teased I’d find in my Christmas stocking turned out each year to be an orange, for I was their sunshine. Now I have one C. gave me, a dense node of sleeping fire. I keep it where I […]
Beautiful Balmoral by William Topaz McGonagall
Beautiful Balmoral by William Topaz McGonagall Ye lovers of the picturesque, away and see Beautiful Balmoral, near by the River Dee; There ye will see the deer browsing on the heathery hills, While adown their sides run clear sparkling rills. Which the traveller can drink of when he feels dry, And admire the dark River […]
Beautiful Balmerino by William Topaz McGonagall
Beautiful Balmerino by William Topaz McGonagall Beautiful Balmermo on the bonnie banks of Tay, It’s a very bonnie spot in the months of June or May; The scenery there is charming and fascinating to see, Especially the surroundings of the old Abbey, Which is situated in the midst of trees on a rugged hill, Which […]
Baldovan by William Topaz McGonagall
Baldovan by William Topaz McGonagall The scenery of Baldovan Is most lovely to see, Near by Dighty Water, Not far from Dundee. ‘Tis health for any one To be walking there, O’er the green swards of Baldovan, And in the forests fair. There the blackbird and the mavis Together merrily do sing In the forest […]
Attempted Assassination of the Queen by William Topaz McGonagall
Attempted Assassination of the Queen by William Topaz McGonagall God prosper long our noble Queen, And long may she reign! Maclean he tried to shoot her, But it was all in vain. For God He turned the ball aside Maclean aimed at her head; And he felt very angry Because he didn’t shoot her dead. […]
Annie Marshall the Foundling by William Topaz McGonagall
Annie Marshall the Foundling by William Topaz McGonagall Annie Marshall was a foundling, and lived in Downderry, And was trained up by a coast-guardsman, kind-hearted and merry And he loved Annie Marshall as dear as his life, And he resolved to make her his own loving wife. The night was tempestuous, most terrific, and pitch […]
An Ode to the Queen by William Topaz McGonagall
An Ode to the Queen by William Topaz McGonagall All hail to the Empress of India, Great Britain’s Queen! Long may she live in health, happy and serene; Loved by her subjects at home and abroad; Blest may she be when lying down To sleep, and rising up, by the Eternal God; Happy may her […]
An Autumn Reverie by William Topaz McGonagall
An Autumn Reverie by William Topaz McGonagall Alas! Beautiful Summer now hath fled, And the face of Nature doth seem dead, And the leaves are withered, and falling off the trees, By the nipping and chilling autumnal breeze. The pleasures of the little birds are all fled, And with the cold many of them will […]
An All-Night Sea Fight by William Topaz McGonagall
An All-Night Sea Fight by William Topaz McGonagall Ye sons of Mars, come list to me, And I will relate to ye A great and heroic naval fight, Which will fill your hearts with delight. The fight was between the French Frigate “Pique” and the British Frigate “Blanche,” But the British crew were bold and […]
An Adventure in the Life of King James V of Scotland by William Topaz McGonagall
An Adventure in the Life of King James V of Scotland by William Topaz McGonagall On one occasion King James the Fifth of Scotland, when alone, in disguise, Near by the Bridge of Cramond met with rather a disagreeable surprise. He was attacked by five gipsy men without uttering a word, But he manfully defended […]
An Address to the Rev. George Gilfillan by William Topaz McGonagall
An Address to the Rev. George Gilfillan by William Topaz McGonagall All hail to the Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee, He is the greatest preacher I did ever hear or see. He is a man of genius bright, And in him his congregation does delight, Because they find him to be honest and plain, Affable […]
Adventures of King Robert the Bruce by William Topaz McGonagall
Adventures of King Robert the Bruce by William Topaz McGonagall King Robert the Bruce’s deadly enemy, John of Lorn, Joined the English with eight hundred Highlanders one morn, All strong, hardy, and active fearless mountaineers, But Bruce’s men attacked them with swords and spears. And while they were engaged, a new enemy burst upon them, […]
A Tribute to Mr Murphy and the Blue Ribbon Army by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tribute to Mr Murphy and the Blue Ribbon Army by William Topaz McGonagall All hail to Mr Murphy, he is a hero brave, That has crossed the mighty Atlantic wave, For what purpose let me pause and think- I answer, to warn the people not to taste strong drink. And, I’m sure, if they […]
A Tribute to Mr J. Graham Henderson, The World’s Fair Judge by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tribute to Mr J. Graham Henderson, The World’s Fair Judge by William Topaz McGonagall Thrice welcome home to Hawick, Mr J. Graham Henderson, For by your Scotch tweeds a great honour you have won; By exhibiting your beautiful tweeds at the World’s Fair You have been elected judge of Australian and American wools while […]
A Tribute to Henry M. Stanley by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tribute to Henry M. Stanley by William Topaz McGonagall Welcome, thrice welcome, to the city of Dundee, The great African explorer Henry M Stanley, Who went out to Africa its wild regions to explore, And travelled o’er wild and lonely deserts, fatigued and footsore. And what he and his little band suffered will never […]
A Tribute to Dr. Murison by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tribute to Dr. Murison by William Topaz McGonagall Success to the good and skilful Dr Murison, For golden opinions he has won From his patients one and all, And from myself, McGonagall. He is very skilful and void of pride; He was so to me when at my bedside, When I turned badly on […]
A Tale of the Sea by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tale of the Sea by William Topaz McGonagall A pathetic tale of the sea I will unfold, Enough to make one’s blood run cold; Concerning four fishermen cast adrift in a dory. As I’ve been told I’ll relate the story. T’was on the 8th April on the afternoon of that day That the village […]
A Tale of Elsinore by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tale of Elsinore by William Topaz McGonagall A little child stood thinking, sorrowfully and ill at ease, In a forest beneath the branches of the tall pine trees – And his big brown eyes with tears seemed dim, While one soft arm rested on a huge dog close by him. And only four summers […]
A Tale of Christmas Eve by William Topaz McGonagall
A Tale of Christmas Eve by William Topaz McGonagall ‘Twas Christmastide in Germany, And in the year of 1850, And in the city of Berlin, which is most beautiful to the eye; A poor boy was heard calling out to passers-by. “Who’ll buy my pretty figures,” loudly he did cry, Plaster of Paris figures, but […]
A Summary History of Lord Clive by William Topaz McGonagall
A Summary History of Lord Clive by William Topaz McGonagall About a hundred and fifty years ago, History relates it happened so, A big ship sailed from the shores of Britain Bound for India across the raging main. And many of the passengers did cry and moan As they took the last look of their […]
A New Year’s Resolution to Leave Dundee by William Topaz McGonagall
A New Year’s Resolution to Leave Dundee by William Topaz McGonagall Welcome! thrice welcome! to the year 1893, For it is the year I intend to leave Dundee, Owing to the treatment I receive, Which does my heart sadly grieve. Every morning when I go out The ignorant rabble they do shout ‘There goes Mad […]
A Humble Heroine by William Topaz McGonagall
A Humble Heroine by William Topaz McGonagall ‘Twas at the Seige of Matagarda, during the Peninsular War, That a Mrs Reston for courage outshone any man there by far; She was the wife of a Scottish soldier in Matagarda Port, And to attend to her husband she there did resort. ‘Twas in the Spring of […]
A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay by William Topaz McGonagall
A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay by William Topaz McGonagall Beautiful silvery Tay, With your landscapes, so lovely and gay, Along each side of your waters, to Perth all the way; No other river in the world has got scenery more fine, Only I am told the beautiful Rhine, Near to Wormit Bay, it […]
A Christmas Carol by William Topaz McGonagall
A Christmas Carol by William Topaz McGonagall Welcome, sweet Christmas, blest be the morn That Christ our Saviour was born! Earth’s Redeemer, to save us from all danger, And, as the Holy Record tells, born in a manger. Chorus — Then ring, ring, Christmas bells, Till your sweet music o’er the kingdom swells, To warn […]
On The Porch At The Frost Place, Franconia, N. H. by William Matthews
On The Porch At The Frost Place, Franconia, N. H. by William Matthews So here the great man stood, fermenting malice and poems we have to be nearly as fierce against ourselves as he not to misread by their disguises. Blue in dawn haze, the tamarack across the road is new since Frost and thirty […]
On a Soldier Fallen in the Philippines by William Vaughn Moody
On a Soldier Fallen in the Philippines by William Vaughn Moody Streets of the roaring town, Hush for him, hus, be still! He comes, who was stricken down Doing the word of our will. Hush! Let him have his state, Give him his soldier’s crown. The grists of trade can wait Their grinding at the […]
Ode to My Guitar by William Wright Harris
Orgasms should be this pure. Your soft maple neck, holding the same fingers that hold you. The way light shimmers off your glittering body when I swing you in my arms. My digits slide up and down your strings, stopping at frets only long enough to make you sing or scream. ————— The End And […]
No Return by William Matthews
No Return by William Matthews I like divorce. I love to compose letters of resignation; now and then I send one in and leave in a lemon- hued Huff or a Snit with four on the floor. Do you like the scent of a hollyhock? To each his own. I love a burning bridge. I […]
Mingus At The Showplace by William Matthews
Mingus At The Showplace by William Matthews I was miserable, of course, for I was seventeen and so I swung into action and wrote a poem and it was miserable, for that was how I thought poetry worked: you digested experience shat literature. It was 1960 at The Showplace, long since defunct, on West 4th […]
Memory by William Browne
Memory by William Browne SO shuts the marigold her leaves At the departure of the sun; So from the honeysuckle sheaves The bee goes when the day is done; So sits the turtle when she is but one, And so all woe, as I since she is gone. To some few birds kind Nature hath […]
Job Interview by William Matthews
Job Interview by William Matthews Think you, if Laura had been Petrarch’s wife He would have written sonnets all his life? DON JUAN, III, 63-4 “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” the eldest male member (or is “male member” a redundancy?) of the committee asked me. “Not here,” I thought. A good […]
Homer’s Seeing-Eye Dog by William Matthews
Homer’s Seeing-Eye Dog by William Matthews Most of the time he worked, a sort of sleep with a purpose, so far as I could tell. How he got from the dark of sleep to the dark of waking up I’ll never know; the lax sprawl sleep allowed him began to set from the edges in, […]
Gloucester Moods by William Vaughn Moody
Gloucester Moods by William Vaughn Moody A mile behind is Gloucester town Where the flishing fleets put in, A mile ahead the land dips down And the woods and farms begin. Here, where the moors stretch free In the high blue afternoon, Are the marching sun and talking sea, And the racing winds that wheel […]