Famous Defunct Poems by Famous Poets

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

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in search of milk and paradise

...at my feet
the muck's redeemed

a larger time lets
nothing be what is
but everything is used
for what is coming

today-defunct breeds
trees that bloom tomorrow
nothing's next step on 
is one - what's poor is
where new worlds are just
beginning - the ****
spew glass the death
of hope have done their time

(cartons which the future's
thrown away as minds
and spirits snout amongst
the refuse seeking forms
to dress their fresh selves in)

the meek are gathered
in millions on thi...Read more of this...
by Gregory, Rg


Mingus At The Showplace

...hat was how I thought
poetry worked: you digested experience shat

literature. It was 1960 at The Showplace, long since
defunct, on West 4th st., and I sat at the bar,

casting beer money from a reel of ones,
the kid in the city, big ears like a puppy.

And I knew Mingus was a genius. I knew two
other things, but as it happens they were wrong.

So I made him look at this poem.
"There's a lot of that going around," he said,

and Sweet Baby Jesus he was right. He glowered
at me...Read more of this...
by Matthews, William

Salvage

...Daily the cortege of crumpled 
defunct cars 
goes by by the lasagna-
layered flatbed 
truckload: hardtop 

reverting to tar smudge,
wax shine antiqued to crusted 
winepress smear, 
windshield battered to
intact ice-tint, a rarity

fresh from the Pleistocene. 
I like it; privately 
I find esthetic 
satisfaction in these 
ceremonial removals

from the category of
received ideas
to regions w...Read more of this...
by Clampitt, Amy

Sams Racehorse

...ed up when he got there,
And he realized Sergeant had bunked,
So back he went home in a dudgeon 
And found Buster lying-defunct.

Sam knew if he wanted to sell her 
He mustn't let on she were dead,
So he raffled her down at the Darts Club- 
Forty members at five bob a head.

The raffle were highly successful, 
They all came in every man jack 
And so's winner'd have no cause to grumble
Sam gave him his five shillings back....Read more of this...
by Edgar, Marriott

Suitcase

...twin hatchbacks headed away.

There are no wheels, just four steel nipples for sliding.
A hexagonal seal announces the defunct
"U.S. Trunk Company." The frame is wood—

big, heavy, cheap—covered with imitation leather,
its blue just slightly darker than Mom's eyes.
"It's beautiful. Much too expensive," she told Dad,

and kissed him. The lining is pink, quilted
acetate. Three sides have pouches with elastic tops—
stretched out now, like old underwear.

I watched Mom pack them...Read more of this...
by Webb, Charles


The Comedian As The Letter C

...o bray this in profoundest brass 
418 Arointing his dreams with fugal requiems? 
419 Was he to company vastest things defunct 
420 With a blubber of tom-toms harrowing the sky? 
421 Scrawl a tragedian's testament? Prolong 
422 His active force in an inactive dirge, 
423 Which, let the tall musicians call and call, 
424 Should merely call him dead? Pronounce amen 
425 Through choirs infolded to the outmost clouds? 
426 Because he built a cabin who once planned 
427 L...Read more of this...
by Stevens, Wallace

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