Lucky by Thomas Lux
Lucky by Thomas Lux One sweet pound of filet mignon sizzles on the roadside. Let’s say a hundred yards below the buzzard. The buzzard sees no cars or other buzzards between the mountain range due north and the horizon to the south and across the desert west and east no other creature’s nose leads him […]
Thomas Gray – Thomas Gray
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Hymn To Adversity by Thomas Gray
Hymn To Adversity by Thomas Gray Daughter of Jove, relentless Power, Thou tamer of the human breast, Whose iron scourge and tort’ring hour The Bad affright, afflict the Best! Bound in thy adamantine chain The Proud are taught to taste of pain, And purple Tyrants vainly groan With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone. When […]
Henry Clay’s Mouth by Thomas Lux
Henry Clay’s Mouth by Thomas Lux Senator, statesman, speaker of the House, exceptional dancer, slim, graceful, ugly. Proclaimed, before most, slavery an evil, broker of elections (burned Jackson for Adams), took a pistol ball in the thigh in a duel, delayed, by forty years, with his compromises, the Civil War, gambler (“I have always paid […]
He Has Lived In Many Houses by Thomas Lux
He Has Lived In Many Houses by Thomas Lux furnished rooms, flats, a hayloft, a tent, motels, under a table, under an overturned rowboat, in a villa (briefly) but not, as yet, a yurt. In these places he has slept, eaten, put his forehead to the window glass, looking out. He’s in a stilt-house now, […]
Gorgeous Surfaces by Thomas Lux
Gorgeous Surfaces by Thomas Lux They are, the surfaces, gorgeous: a master pastry chef at work here, the dips and whorls, the wrist-twist squeezes of cream from the tube to the tart, sweet bleak sugarwork, needlework toward the perfect lace doily where sit the bone-china teacups, a little maze of meaning maybe in their arrangement […]
Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray
Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me. Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And all the air a solemn […]
Drummer Boy by Thomas J Camp
His brave young heart is racing.!.. The Dragoons they are facing.!.. His only weapon sticks for a drum.!.. The patterned melody continues.!.. He loans his valor to his chums.!.. Enemy cannon are belching black.!.. The blunderbuss hot flaring back.!.. Sanity lost as muzzles roar.!.. The drum’s sound echoes across forest floor.!.. The rhythm as steady […]
Becalmed and Bewildered by Thomas J Camp
We do not know where we go. We do not know what we will need. We do not know when we will arrive, Or what state we may arrive in, once we do. We are headed somewhere, Both You and I. Even now, While adrift in the calm. Maddeningly, we strive, But alas to no […]
Autumn Leaves by Thomas J Camp
Why, in autumn, do leaves await the morning time? Is there a requirement that the Rooster crow to announce the event? Or does the bustle on the forest floor, Where the deer and rabbit find their way, Need to prepare somehow. Just like we may do, for a holiday? Trotting softly amongst the trees, The […]
Song IX: Ho Ye Who Seek Saving by William Morris
Love is enough: ho ye who seek saving, Go no further; come hither; there have been who have found it, And these know the House of Fulfilment of Craving; These know the Cup with the roses around it; These know the World’s Wound and the balm that hath bound it: Cry out, the World heedeth […]
Song IV: Draw Near and Behold Me by William Morris
Love is enough: draw near and behold me Ye who pass by the way to your rest and your laughter, And are full of the hope of the dawn coming after; For the strong of the world have bought me and sold me And my house is all wasted from threshold to rafter. –Pass by […]
Song III: It Grew Up Without Heeding by William Morris
Love is enough: it grew up without heeding In the days when ye knew not its name nor its measure, And its leaflets untrodden by the light feet of pleasure Had no boast of the blossom, no sign of the seeding, As the morning and evening passed over its treasure. And what do ye say […]
Song II: Have No Thought for Tomorrow by William Morris
Love is enough: have no thought for to-morrow If ye lie down this even in rest from your pain, Ye who have paid for your bliss with great sorrow: For as it was once so it shall be again. Ye shall cry out for death as ye stretch forth in vain Feeble hands to the […]
Song I: Though the World Be A-Waning by William Morris
Love is enough: though the World be a-waning And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining, Though the sky be too dark for dim eyes to discover The gold-cups and daisies fair blooming thereunder, Though the hills be held shadows, and the sea a dark wonder, And this day draw a veil […]
Sir Giles’ War-Song by William Morris
Ho! is there any will ride with me, Sir Giles, le bon des barrières? The clink of arms is good to hear, The flap of pennons fair to see; Ho! is there any will ride with me, Sir Giles, le bon des barrières? The leopards and lilies are fair to see; “St. George Guienne” right […]
Sir Galahad, a Christmas Mystery by William Morris
It is the longest night in all the year, Near on the day when the Lord Christ was born; Six hours ago I came and sat down here, And ponder’d sadly, wearied and forlorn. The winter wind that pass’d the chapel door, Sang out a moody tune, that went right well With mine own thoughts: […]
Sad-Eyed and Soft and Grey by William Morris
Sad-Eyed and soft and grey thou art, o morn! Across the long grass of the marshy plain Thy west wind whispers of the coming rain, Thy lark forgets that May is grown forlorn Above the lush blades of the springing corn, Thy thrush within the high elms strives in vain To store up tales of […]
Riding Together by William Morris
For many, many days together The wind blew steady from the East; For many days hot grew the weather, About the time of our Lady’s Feast. For many days we rode together, Yet met we neither friend nor foe; Hotter and clearer grew the weather, Steadily did the East wind blow. We saw the trees […]
Pomona by William Morris
I am the ancient apple-queen, As once I was so am I now. For evermore a hope unseen, Betwixt the blossom and the bough. Ah, where’s the river’s hidden Gold! And where the windy grave of Troy? Yet come I as I came of old, From out the heart of Summer’s joy. ————— The End […]
Our Hands Have Met by William Morris
Our hands have met, our lips have met Our souls; who knows when the wind blows How light souls drift mid longings set, If thou forget’st, can I forget The time that was not long ago? Thou wert not silent then, but told Sweet secrets dear; I drew so near Thy shamefaced cheeks grown overbold, […]
Night by William Morris
I am Night: I bring again Hope of pleasure, rest from pain: Thoughts unsaid ‘twixt Life and Death My fruitful silence quickeneth. ————— 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 […]
Near But Far Away by William Morris
She wavered, stopped and turned, methought her eyes, The deep grey windows of her heart, were wet, Methought they softened with a new regret To note in mine unspoken miseries, And as a prayer from out my heart did rise And struggled on my lips in shame’s strong net, She stayed me, and cried “Brother!” […]
Near Avalon by William Morris
A ship with shields before the sun, Six maidens round the mast, A red-gold crown on every one, A green gown on the last. The fluttering green banners there Are wrought with ladies’ heads most fair, And a portraiture of Guenevere The middle of each sail doth bear. A ship with sails before the wind, […]
Mine and Thine by William Morris
Two words about the world we see, And nought but Mine and Thine they be. Ah! might we drive them forth and wide With us should rest and peace abide; All free, nought owned of goods and gear, By men and women though it were Common to all all wheat and wine Over the seas […]
March by William Morris
Slayer of the winter, art thou here again? O welcome, thou that’s bring’st the summer nigh! The bitter wind makes not thy victory vain, Nor will we mock thee for thy faint blue sky. Welcome, O March! whose kindly days and dry Make April ready for the throstle’s song, Thou first redresser of the winter’s […]
Love’s Gleaning Tide by William Morris
Draw not away thy hands, my love, With wind alone the branches move, And though the leaves be scant above The Autumn shall not shame us. Say; Let the world wax cold and drear, What is the worst of all the year But life, and what can hurt us, dear, Or death, and who shall […]
King Arthur’s Tomb by William Morris
Hot August noon: already on that day Since sunrise through the Wiltshire downs, most sad Of mouth and eye, he had gone leagues of way; Ay and by night, till whether good or bad He was, he knew not, though he knew perchance That he was Launcelot, the bravest knight Of all who since the […]
In Prison by William Morris
Wearily, drearily, Half the day long, Flap the great banners High over the stone; Strangely and eerily Sounds the wind’s song, Bending the banner-poles. While, all alone, Watching the loophole’s spark, Lie I, with life all dark, Feet tether’d, hands fetter’d Fast to the stone, The grim walls, square-letter’d With prison’d men’s groan. Still strain […]
Iceland First Seen by William Morris
Lo from our loitering ship a new land at last to be seen; Toothed rocks down the side of the firth on the east guard a weary wide lea, And black slope the hillsides above, striped adown with their desolate green: And a peak rises up on the west from the meeting of cloud and […]
For the Bed at Kelmscott by William Morris
The wind’s on the wold And the night is a-cold, And Thames runs chill ‘Twixt mead and hill. But kind and dear Is the old house here And my heart is warm ‘Midst winter’s harm. Rest then and rest, And think of the best ‘Twixt summer and spring, When all birds sing In the town […]
Flora by William Morris
I am the handmaid of the earth, I broider fair her glorious gown, And deck her on her days of mirth With many a garland of renown. And while Earth’s little ones are fain And play about the Mother’s hem, I scatter every gift I gain From sun and wind to gladden them. ————— The […]
Earth the Healer, Earth the Keeper by William Morris
So swift the hours are moving Unto the time unproved: Farewell my love unloving, Farewell my love beloved! What! are we not glad-hearted? Is there no deed to do? Is not all fear departed And Spring-tide blossomed new? The sails swell out above us, The sea-ridge lifts the keel; For They have called who love […]
Day by William Morris
I am Day; I bring again Life and glory, Love and pain: Awake, arise! from death to death Through me the World’s tale quickeneth. ————— 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 […]
Autumn by William Morris
Laden Autumn here I stand Worn of heart, and weak of hand: Nought but rest seems good to me, Speak the word that sets me free. ————— 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 […]
Atalanta’s Race by William Morris
Through thick Arcadian woods a hunter went, Following the beasts upon a fresh spring day; But since his horn-tipped bow but seldom bent, Now at the noontide nought had happed to slay, Within a vale he called his hounds away, Hearkening the echoes of his lone voice cling About the cliffs and through the beech-trees […]
A Good Knight In Prison by William Morris
Wearily, drearily, Half the day long, Flap the great banners High over the stone; Strangely and eerily Sounds the wind’s song, Bending the banner-poles. While, all alone, Watching the loophole’s spark, Lie I, with life all dark, Feet tether’d, hands fetter’d Fast to the stone, The grim walls, square-letter’d With prison’d men’s groan. Still strain […]
A Death Song by William Morris
What cometh here from west to east awending? And who are these, the marchers stern and slow? We bear the message that the rich are sending Aback to those who bade them wake and know. Not one, not one, nor thousands must they slay, But one and all if they would dusk the day. We […]
Who’s Who by W H Auden
A shilling life will give you all the facts: How Father beat him, how he ran away, What were the struggles of his youth, what acts Made him the greatest figure of his day; Of how he fought, fished, hunted, worked all night, Though giddy, climbed new mountains; named a sea; Some of the last […]
We’re Late by W H Auden
Clocks cannot tell our time of day For what event to pray Because we have no time, because We have no time until We know what time we fill, Why time is other than time was. Nor can our question satisfy The answer in the statue’s eye: Only the living ask whose brow May wear […]