Famous Deserter Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Edmunds Wedding

...m;
But EDMUND, of Valour the dauntless defender,
Now smiles , while his CORPORAL bids him--"SURRENDER!"

Soon, prov'd a DESERTER, Stern Justice prevailing,
HE DIED! and his Spirit to AGNES is fled:--
The breeze, on the mountain's tall summit now sailing
Fans lightly the dew-drops, that spangle their bed!
The Villagers, thronging around, scatter roses,
The grey wing of Evening the western sky closes,--
And Night's sable pall, o'er the landscape extending,
Is the mourning of Na...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Mary Darby


Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady

...its congenial place,
Nor left one virtue to redeem her race.

But thou, false guardian of a charge too good,
Thou, mean deserter of thy brother's blood!
See on these ruby lips the trembling breath,
These cheeks now fading at the blast of death:
Cold is that breast which warm'd the world before,
And those love-darting eyes must roll no more.
Thus, if eternal justice rules the ball,
Thus shall your wives, and thus your children fall;
On all the line a sudden vengeance waits,
An...Read more of this...
by Pope, Alexander

John Rouat the Fisherman

...d when he read the sad news all comfort from him fled. 

Then shortly after that his son James was shot,
For allowing a deserter to escape, such was his lot;
And through the death of his two sons he felt dejected,
And the condolence of kind neighbours by him was rejected. 

'Twas near the close of autumn, when one day the sky became o'ercast,
And John Rouat, contrary to his wife's will, went to sea at last,
When suddenly the sea began to roar, and angry billows swept along,
A...Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz

The Great Lover

...great hour,
Nor all my passion, all my prayers, have power
To hold them with me through the gate of Death.
They'll play deserter, turn with the traitor breath,
Break the high bond we made, and sell Love's trust
And sacramented covenant to the dust.
- Oh, never a doubt but, somewhere, I shall wake,
And give what's left of love again, and make
New friends, now strangers...
But the best I've known
Stays here, and changes, breaks, grows old, is blown
About the winds of the world,...Read more of this...
by Brooke, Rupert

The Imperfect Enjoyment

...or made -
Now languid lies in this unhappy hour,
Shrunk up and sapless like a withered flower.

Thou treacherous, base deserter of my flame,
False to my passion, fatal to my fame,
Through what mistaken magic dost thou prove
So true to lewdness, so untrue to love?
What oyster-cinder-beggar-common whore
Didst thou e'er fail in all thy life before?
When vice, disease, and scandal lead the way,
With what officious haste dost thou obey!
Like a rude, roaring hector in the streets
...Read more of this...
by Wilmot, John


The Lady of the Lake

...getful that its branches grew
     Where weep the heavens their holiest dew
          On Alpine's dwelling low!
     Deserter of his Chieftain's trust,
     He ne'er shall mingle with their dust,
     But, from his sires and kindred thrust,
     Each clansman's execration just
          Shall doom him wrath and woe.'
     He paused;—the word the vassals took,
     With forward step and fiery look,
     On high their naked brands they shook,
     Their clattering ta...Read more of this...
by Scott, Sir Walter

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