Famous Coast Poems by Famous Poets

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

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A poem on divine revelation

...ed light. 
Full many a century the darkness rul'd, 
With heavier gloom than once on Egypt came, 
Save that on some lone coast, or desert isle, 
Where sep'rate far a chosen spirit dwelt, 
A Goshen shone, with partial-streaming ray. 
Night on the one side settles dark; on Rome, 
It settles dark, and ev'ry land more west 
Is wrapt in shades. Night on the east comes down 
With gloom Tartarean, and in part it rose 
From Tartary beneath the dusky pole. 
The ruthless Turk, and Sarac...Read more of this...
by Brackenridge, Hugh Henry


As I Sat Alone by Blue Ontario's Shores

...h yearly freshets and changing chutes—Columbia, Niagara, Hudson,
 spending
 themselves lovingly in him,
If the Atlantic coast stretch, or the Pacific coast stretch, he stretching with them north
 or
 south, 
Spanning between them, east and west, and touching whatever is between them, 
Growths growing from him to offset the growth of pine, cedar, hemlock, live-oak, locust,
 chestnut, hickory, cottonwood, orange, magnolia, 
Tangles as tangled in him as any cane-brake or swamp, ...Read more of this...
by Whitman, Walt

Beowulf (Modern English)

...
Then they came to the flood, that troop
of high-spirited bachelors, bearing their ring-nets,
locked link-sarks. The coast guard observed
the return of the earls, just as before he had seen them.
He did not greet the guests with insults
from the crest of the cliffs, but he rode toward them,
saying that the Wederish people would welcome
the bright-mailed men returning by ship. (ll. 1888-95)

Then the sea-broad ship, with the ringed prow,
was loaded on the beach with...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,

Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie

...ith all its household gods, into exile.
Exile without an end, and without an example in story.
Far asunder, on separate coasts, the Acadians landed;
Scattered were they, like flakes of snow, when the wind from the northeast
Strikes aslant through the fogs that darken the Banks of Newfoundland.
Friendless, homeless, hopeless, they wandered from city to city,
From the cold lakes of the North to sultry Southern savannas,--
From the bleak shores of the sea to the lands where the ...Read more of this...
by Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth

Howl

...but the shadow of dungarees and the lava and ash of poetry scattered in fireplace Chicago,
who reappeared on the West Coast investigating the FBI in beards and shorts with big pacifist eyes sexy in their dark skin passing out incomprehensible leaflets,
who burned cigarette holes in their arms protesting the narcotic tobacco haze of Capitalism,
who distributed Supercommunist pamphlets in Union Square weeping and undressing while the sirens of Los Alamos wailed them down, a...Read more of this...
by Ginsberg, Allen


Hyperion

...uous, in thus venturing to be heard."

 So far her voice flow'd on, like timorous brook
That, lingering along a pebbled coast,
Doth fear to meet the sea: but sea it met,
And shudder'd; for the overwhelming voice
Of huge Enceladus swallow'd it in wrath:
The ponderous syllables, like sullen waves
In the half-glutted hollows of reef-rocks,
Came booming thus, while still upon his arm
He lean'd; not rising, from supreme contempt.
"Or shall we listen to the over-wise,
Or to the ove...Read more of this...
by Keats, John

Last Instructions to a Painter

...uried in its dust, 
The busy hammer sleeps, the ropes untwine, 
The stores and wages all are mine and thine. 
Along the coast and harbours they make care 
That money lack, nor forts be in repair. 
Long thus they could against the House conspire, 
Load them with envy, and with sitting tire. 
And the loved King, and never yet denied, 
Is brought to beg in public and to chide; 
But when this failed, and months enow were spent, 
They with the first day's proffer seem content, 
An...Read more of this...
by Marvell, Andrew

Paradise Lost: Book 02

...eive, or slack the pain 
Of this ill mansion: intermit no watch 
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad 
Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek 
Deliverance for us all. This enterprise 
None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose 
The Monarch, and prevented all reply; 
Prudent lest, from his resolution raised, 
Others among the chief might offer now, 
Certain to be refused, what erst they feared, 
And, so refused, might in opinion stand 
His rivals, winning cheap t...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Lost: Book 05

...nder stalk 
Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields 
In India East or West, or middle shore 
In Pontus or the Punick coast, or where 
Alcinous reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat 
Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell, 
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board 
Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape 
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths 
From many a berry, and from sweet kernels pressed 
She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold 
Wants her f...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Lost: Book 09

...d; four times crossed the car of night 
From pole to pole, traversing each colure; 
On the eighth returned; and, on the coast averse 
From entrance or Cherubick watch, by stealth 
Found unsuspected way. There was a place, 
Now not, though sin, not time, first wrought the change, 
Where Tigris, at the foot of Paradise, 
Into a gulf shot under ground, till part 
Rose up a fountain by the tree of life: 
In with the river sunk, and with it rose 
Satan, involved in rising mist; th...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Lost: Book 10

...rones, and Powers, 
Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant, 
Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence 
Eden, and all the coast, in prospect lay. 
Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods 
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged. 
Now was the sun in western cadence low 
From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour, 
To fan the earth now waked, and usher in 
The evening cool; when he, from wrath more cool, 
Came the mild Judge, and Intercessour both, 
To sente...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Poem of Joys

...mes! O I cannot tell how welcome
 they
 are to me. 

6
O to have been brought up on bays, lagoons, creeks, or along the coast! 
O to continue and be employ’d there all my life!
O the briny and damp smell—the shore—the salt weeds exposed at low water, 
The work of fishermen—the work of the eel-fisher and clam-fisher. 

O it is I! 
I come with my clam-rake and spade! I come with my eel-spear; 
Is the tide out? I join the group of clam-diggers on the flats,
I laugh and work with...Read more of this...
by Whitman, Walt

Sea Dreams

...s mount which lured him, rogue,
To buy strange shares in some Peruvian mine.
Now seaward-bound for health they gain'd a coast,
All sand and cliff and deep-inrunning cave,
At close of day; slept, woke, and went the next,
The Sabbath, pious variers from the church,
To chapel; where a heated pulpiteer,
Not preaching simple Christ to simple men,
Announced the coming doom, and fulminated
Against the scarlet woman and her creed:
For sideways up he swung his arms, and shriek'd
`Thus...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

The Castaway

...floating home for ever left.

No braver chief could Albion boast
Than he with whom he went,
Nor ever ship left Albion's coast,
With warmer wishes sent.
He lov'd them both, but both in vain,
Nor him beheld, nor her again.

Not long beneath the whelming brine,
Expert to swim, he lay;
Nor soon he felt his strength decline,
Or courage die away;
But wag'd with death a lasting strife,
Supported by despair of life.

He shouted: nor his friends had fail'd
To check the vessel's course...Read more of this...
by Cowper, William

The Female Vagrant

...ch dismay my prayers and tears were vain:  To join those miserable men he flew;  And now to the sea-coast, with numbers more, we drew.   There foul neglect for months and months we bore,  Nor yet the crowded fleet its anchor stirred.  Green fields before us and our native shore,  By fever, from polluted air incurred,  Ravage was made, for which no knell was heard.  Fondly we wished, and wis...Read more of this...
by Wordsworth, William

The Growth of Love

...
So none of all our company, I boast,
But now would mock my penning, could they see
How down the right it maps a jagged coast;
Seeing they hold the manlier praise to be
Strong hand and will, and the heart best when most
'Tis sober, simple, true, and fancy-free. 

12
How could I quarrel or blame you, most dear,
Who all thy virtues gavest and kept back none;
Kindness and gentleness, truth without peer,
And beauty that my fancy fed upon?
Now not my life's contrition for my fault...Read more of this...
by Bridges, Robert Seymour

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

...on & Ox is Oppression


PLATE 25
A Song of Liberty

The Eternal Female groand! it was heard over all the Earth:
Albions coast is sick silent; the American meadows faint!
Shadows of Prophecy shiver along by the lakes and the rivers
and mutter across the ocean! France rend down thy dungeon; 
Golden Spain burst the barriers of old Rome;
Cast thy keys O Rome into the deep down falling, even to
eternity down falling, 
And weep! 
In her trembling hands she took the new, born terror...Read more of this...
by Blake, William

The Vision of Judgment

...inging up the rear of this bright host 
A Spirit of a different aspect waves 
His wings, like thunder-clouds above some coast 
Whose barren beach with frequent wrecks is paved; 
His brow was like the deep when tempest-toss'd; 
Fierce and unfathomable thoughts engraved 
Eternal wrath on his immortal face, 
And where he gazed a gloom pervaded space. 

XXV 

As he drew near, he gazed upon the gate 
Ne'er to be enter'd more by him or Sin, 
With such a glance of supernatural hate,...Read more of this...
by Byron, George (Lord)

The Wife of Baths Tale

...y place,
Where as he hoped for to finde grace,
To learne what thing women love the most:
But he could not arrive in any coast,
Where as he mighte find in this mattere
Two creatures *according in fere.* *agreeing together*
Some said that women loved best richess,
Some said honour, and some said jolliness,
Some rich array, and some said lust* a-bed, *pleasure
And oft time to be widow and be wed.
Some said, that we are in our heart most eased
When that we are y-flatter'd and y-p...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey

The Wood

...ing sea with sky, 
And baffling, even, the pilot's eye, 
Intent to thread the maze­ 

Of rocks, on Bretagne's dangerous coast,
And find a way to steer our band
To the one point obscure, which lost,
Flung us, as victims, on the strand;­
All, elsewhere, gleamed the Gallic sword,
And not a wherry could be moored
Along the guarded land. 

I feared not then­I fear not now; 
The interest of each stirring scene 
Wakes a new sense, a welcome glow, 
In every nerve and bounding vein; 
...Read more of this...
by Bronte, Charlotte

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