Famous Bested Poems by Famous Poets

These are examples of famous Bested poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous bested poems. These examples illustrate what a famous bested poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).

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Shouting for a Camel

by Andrew Barton Paterson
 It was over at Coolgardie that a mining speculator, 
Who was going down the township just to make a bit o' chink, 
Went off to hire a camel from a camel propagator, 
And the Afghan said he'd lend it if he'd stand the beast a drink. 
Yes, the only price he asked him was to stand the beast a...Read more of this...

An Attempt At Jealousy

by Craig Raine
 So how is life with your new bloke?
Simpler, I bet. Just one stroke
of his quivering oar and the skin
of the Thames goes into a spin,

eh? How is life with an oarsman? Better?
More in--out? Athletic? Wetter?
When you hear the moan of the rowlocks,
do you urge him on like a cox?

Tell me, is he bright enough to find
that memo-pad you call...Read more of this...

Il Penseroso

by John Milton
 Hence, vain deluding Joys,
............The brood of Folly without father bred!
How little you bested
............Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys!
Dwell in some idle brain,
............And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess,
As thick and numberless
............As the gay motes that people the sun-beams,
Or likest hovering dreams,
............The fickle pensioners of Morpheus' train.
But, hail! thou Goddess sage and holy!
Hail, divinest Melancholy!
Whose saintly visage...Read more of this...

Let him rejoice who has a loaf of bread,

by Omar Khayyam
Let him rejoice who has a loaf of bread,
A little nest wherein to lay his head,
Is slave to none, and no man slaves for him,—
In truth his lot is wondrous well bested....Read more of this...

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