Famous Old Poems by Famous Poets
These are examples of famous Old poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous old poems. These examples illustrate what a famous old poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).
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by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Person of Prague,Who was suddenly seized with the plague;But they gave him some butter, which caused him to mutter,And cured that Old Person of Prague. ...Read more of this...
by
Thomas Flatman
Now fie upon him! what is Man,
Whose life at best is but a span?
When to an inch it dwindles down,
Ice in his bones, snow on his Crown,
That he within his crazy brain,
Kind thoughts of Love should entertain,
That he, when Harvest comes should plow
And when 'tis time to reap, go sowe,
Who in imagination only strong,
Tho' twice a Child, can never...Read more of this...
by
Omar Khayyam
When the great Founder moulded me of old,
He mixed much baser metal with my gold;
Better or fairer I can never be
Than I first issued from his heavenly mould....Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of Quebec,—A beetle ran over his neck;But he cried, "With a needle I'll slay you, O beadle!"That angry Old Man of Quebec. ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an old person of Shields,Who frequented the vallies and fields;All the mice and the cats, and the snakes and the rats,Followed after that person of Shields. ...Read more of this...
by
Paul Laurence Dunbar
W'en daih's chillun in de house,
Dey keep on a-gittin' tall;
But de folks don' seem to see
Dat dey's growin' up at all,
'Twell dey fin' out some fine day
Dat de gals has 'menced to grow,
W'en dey notice as dey pass
Dat de front gate's saggin' low.
W'en de hinges creak an' cry,
An' de bahs go slantin' down,
You kin reckon dat hit's time
Fu'...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man who said, "Well!Will nobody answer this bell?I have pulled day and night, till my hair has grown white,But nobody answers this bell!" ...Read more of this...
by
Robert William Service
Of garden truck he made his fare,
As his bright eyes bore witness;
Health was his habit and his care,
His hobby human fitness.
He sang the praise of open sky,
The gladth of Nature's giving;
And when at last he came to die
It was of too long living.
He held aloof from hate and strife,
Drank peace in dreamful doses;
He never...Read more of this...
by
Mary Darby Robinson
It was in the days of a gay British King
(In the old fashion'd custom of merry-making)
The Palace of Woodstock with revels did ring,
While they sang and carous'd--one and all:
For the monarch a plentiful treasury had,
And his Courtiers were pleas'd, and no visage was sad,
And the knavish and foolish with drinking were mad,
While they sat in the Banquetting hall.
Some talk'd...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Person of Gretna,Who rushed down the crater of Etna;When they said, "Is it hot?" he replied, "No, it's not!"That mendacious Old Person of Gretna. ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Person of Troy,Whose drink was warm brandy and soy,Which he took with a spoon, by the light of the moon,In sight of the city of Troy. ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of Vienna,Who lived upon Tincture of Senna;When that did not agree, he took Camomile Tea,That nasty Old Man of Vienna. ...Read more of this...
by
Robert William Service
He dreamed away his hours in school;
He sat with such an absent air,
The master reckoned him a fool,
And gave him up in dull despair.
When other lads were making hay
You'd find him loafing by the stream;
He'd take a book and slip away,
And just pretend to fish . . . and dream.
His brothers passed him in the race;
They climbed the hill...Read more of this...
by
William Butler Yeats
A statesman is an easy man,
He tells his lies by rote;
A journalist makes up his lies
And takes you by the throat;
So stay at home' and drink your beer
And let the neighbours' vote,
Said the man in the golden breastplate
Under the old stone Cross.
Because this age and the next age
Engender in the ditch,
No man can know a happy man
From...Read more of this...
by
Gerard Manley Hopkins
What being in rank-old nature should earlier have that breath been
That h?re p?rsonal tells off these heart-song powerful peals?—
A bush-browed, beetle-br?wed b?llow is it?
With a so?th-w?sterly w?nd bl?stering, with a tide rolls reels
Of crumbling, fore-foundering, thundering all-surfy seas in; seen
?nderneath, their glassy barrel, of a fairy green.
. . . . . . . .
Or a...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an old man at a Station,Who made a promiscuous oration;But they said, "Take some snuff!—You have talk'd quite enough,You afflicting old man at a Station!" ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of the Wrekin,Whose shoes made a horrible creaking;But they said, "Tell us whether your shoes are of leather,Or of what, you Old Man of the Wrekin?" ...Read more of this...
by
William Butler Yeats
A certain poet in outlandish clothes
Gathered a crowd in some Byzantine lane,
Talked1 of his country and its people, sang
To some stringed instrument none there had seen,
A wall behind his back, over his head
A latticed window. His glance went up at time
As though one listened there, and his voice sank
Or let its meaning mix into the strings.
Maeve the great queen...Read more of this...
by
Emily Dickinson
Like Some Old fashioned Miracle
When Summertime is done --
Seems Summer's Recollection
And the Affairs of June
As infinite Tradition
As Cinderella's Bays --
Or Little John -- of Lincoln Green --
Or Blue Beard's Galleries --
Her Bees have a fictitious Hum --
Her Blossoms, like a Dream --
Elate us -- till we almost weep --
So plausible -- they seem --
Her Memories like Strains -- Review...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of Jamaica,Who suddenly married a Quaker;But she cried out, "Oh, lack! I have married a black!"Which distressed that Old Man of Jamaica. ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an Old Man of Moldavia,Who had the most curious behavior;For while he was able, he slept on a table,That funny Old Man of Moldavia. ...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
There was an old person of Bromley,Whose ways were not cheerful or comely;He sate in the dust, eating spiders and crust,That unpleasing old person of Bromley. ...Read more of this...
by
Matthew Prior
LORDS, knights, and squires, the numerous band
That wear the fair Miss Mary's fetters,
Were summoned by her high command
To show their passions by their letters.
My pen amongst the rest I took,
Lest those bright eyes, that cannot read,
Should dart their kindling fire, and look
The power they have to be obey'd....Read more of this...
by
Andrew Barton Paterson
The fields of youth are filled with flowers,
The wine of youth is strong:
What need have we to count the hours?
The summer days are long.
But soon we find to our dismay
That we are drifting down
The barren slopes that fall away
Towards the foothills grim and grey
That lead to Old Man's Town.
And marching...Read more of this...
by
Mother Goose
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread.
She whipped them all soundly and put them to bed....Read more of this...
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