Famous Ben Poems by Famous Poets
These are examples of famous Ben poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous ben poems. These examples illustrate what a famous ben poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).
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by
Ben Jonson
THE TURN
Brave infant of Saguntum, clear
Thy coming forth in that great year,
When the prodigious Hannibal did crown
His rage with razing your immortal town.
Thou looking then about,
Ere thou wert half got out,
Wise child, didst hastily return,
And mad'st thy mother's womb thine urn.
How summ'd a circle didst thou leave mankind
Of deepest lore, could we the centre find!
THE COUNTER-TURN
Did wiser nature draw...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XV. ? ON COURT-WORM. All men are worms ; but this no man. In silk 'Twas brought to court first wrapt, and white as milk ; Where, afterwards, it grew a butterfly, Which was a caterpillar : so 'twill die....Read more of this...
by
Eugene Field
There was a certain gentleman, Ben Apfelgarten called,
Who lived way off in Germany a many years ago,
And he was very fortunate in being very bald
And so was very happy he was so.
He warbled all the day
Such songs as only they
Who are very, very circumspect and very happy may;
The people wondered why,
As the years went gliding by,
They never heard him...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XLIX. — TO PLAYWRIGHT. PLAYWRIGHT me reads, and still my verses damns, He says I want the tongue of epigrams ; I have no salt, no bawdry he doth mean ; For witty, in his language, is obscene. Playwright, I loath to have thy manners known In my chaste book ; I profess them in thine own....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
V. ? ON THE UNION. When was there contract better driven by fate, Or celebrated with more truth of state ? The world the temple was, the priest a king, The spoused pair two realms, the sea the ring....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XIV. — ODE TO SIR WILLIAM SIDNEY, ON HIS BIRTH-DAY. Some sing, And all do strive to advance The gladness higher; Wherefore should I Stand silent by, Who not the least, That I may tell to SIDNEY what This day Doth say, And he may think on that Which I do tell; When...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
LXVI. — TO SIR HENRY CARY. That neither fame, nor love might wanting be To greatness, CARY, I sing that and thee ; Whose house, if it no other honor had, In only thee, might be both great and glad : Who, to upbraid the sloth of this our time, Durst valor make, almost, but not a crime. Which deed I...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
LXXV. — ON LIPPE THE TEACHER. I cannot think there's that antipathy 'Twixt puritans and players, as some cry; Though LIPPE, at Paul's, ran from his text away, To inveigh 'gainst plays, what did he then but play?...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
Wouldst thou hear what man can say
In a little? Reader, stay.
Underneath this stone doth lie
As much beauty as could die;
Which in life did harbor give
To more virture than doth live.
If at all she had a fault,
Leave it buried in this vault.
One name was Elizabeth,
Th' other let it sleep with death;
Fitter, where it died to tell,
Than that it lived at...Read more of this...
by
Edwin Arlington Robinson
The Deacon thought. “I know them,” he began,
“And they are all you ever heard of them—
Allurable to no sure theorem,
The scorn or the humility of man.
You say ‘Can I believe it?’—and I can;
And I’m unwilling even to condemn
The benefaction of a stratagem
Like hers—and I’m a Presbyterian.
“Though blind, with but a wandering hour...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
A Vienna ci sono dieci ragazze,
una spalla dove piange la morte
e un bosco di colombe disseccate.
C'e' un frammento del mattino
nel museo della brina.
C'è un salone con mille vetrate.
Ahi! Ahi! Ahi! Ahi!
Prendi questo valzer con la bocca chiusa.
Questo valzer, questo valzer, questo valzer,
di sì, di morte e di cognac
che si bagna la coda nel mare.
Io ti amo, io...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XXIV. ? TO THE PARLIAMENT. There's reason good, that you good laws should make : Men's manners ne'er were viler, for your sake. ...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XLI. ? ON GIPSY. GIPSY, new bawd, is turn'd physician, And gets more gold than all the College can : Such her quaint practice is, so it allures, For what she gave, a whore ; a bawd, she cures....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
FOLLOW a shadow it still flies you;
Seem to fly it it will pursue:
So court a mistress she denies you;
Let her alone she will court you.
Say are not women truly then 5
Styled but the shadows of us men?
At morn and even shades are longest;
At noon they are or short or none:
So men at...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
Have you seen but a bright lily grow
Before rude hands have touched it?
Have you marked but the fall of snow
Before the soil hath smutched it?
Have you felt the wool of beaver,
Or swan's down ever?
Or have smelt o' the bud o' the brier,
Or the nard in the fire?
Or have tasted the bag of the bee?
O so white, O so soft,...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XLVIII. ? ON MUNGRIL ESQUIRE. His bought arms MUNG not liked ; for his first day Of bearing them in field, he threw 'em away : And hath no honor lost, our duellists say....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XLVI. ? TO SIR LUCKLESS WOO-ALL. Is this the sir, who, some waste wife to win, A knight-hood bought, to go a wooing in? 'Tis LUCKLESS, he that took up one on band To pay at's day of marriage. By my hand The knight-wright's cheated then ! he'll never pay : Yes, now he wears his knighthood every...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
QUEEN and huntress chaste and fair
Now the sun is laid to sleep
Seated in thy silver chair
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light 5
Goddess excellently bright.
Earth let not thy envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia's shining orb was made
Heaven to clear when day did close: 10
Bless us then...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
LXIX. — TO PERTINAX COB. COB, thou nor soldier, thief, nor fencer art, Yet by thy weapon liv'st! thou hast one good part....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XXXIV. ? OF DEATH. He that fears death, or mourns it, in the just, Shews of the Resurrection little trust....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XLII. ? ON GILES AND JOAN. Who says that GILES and JOAN at discord be ? Th' observing neighbors no such mood can see. Indeed, poor Giles repents he married ever ; But that his Joan doth too. And Giles would never, By his free-will, be in Joan's company : No more would Joan he should. Giles riseth...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
THOUGH beauty be the mark of praise
And yours of whom I sing be such
As not the world can praise too much
Yet 'tis your Virtue now I raise.
A virtue like allay so gone 5
Throughout your form as though that move
And draw and conquer all men's love
This subjects you to love of...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand,
To read it well -- that is, to understand....Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I'll not look for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.
I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much...Read more of this...
by
Ben Jonson
XIV. ? TO WILLIAM CAMDEN. CAMDEN ! most reverend head, to whom I owe All that I am in arts, all that I know ; (How nothing's that ?) ; to whom my country owes, The great renown, and name wherewith she goes ! Than thee the age sees not that thing more grave, More high, more holy,...Read more of this...
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