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Famous Divan Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Byron, George (Lord)
...as becomes the brave, 
Awaiting each his lord's behest 
To guide his steps, or guard his rest, 
Old Giaffir sate in his Divan: 
Deep thought was in his aged eye; 
And though the face of Mussulman 
Not oft betrays to standers by 
The mind within, well skill'd to hide 
All but unconquerable pride, 
His pensive cheek and pondering brow 
Did more than he wont avow. 

III. 

"Let the chamber be clear'd." — The train disappear'd — 
"Now call me the chief of the Haram gu...Read more of this...



by von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang
...HE who knows himself and others

Here will also see,
That the East and West, like brothers,

Parted ne'er shall be.

Thoughtfully to float for ever

'Tween two worlds, be man's endeavour!
So between the East and West

To revolve, be my behest!

 1833.*...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...mighty Chief returned: loud was the acclaim: 
Forth rushed in haste the great consulting peers, 
Raised from their dark Divan, and with like joy 
Congratulant approached him; who with hand 
Silence, and with these words attention, won. 
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; 
For in possession such, not only of right, 
I call ye, and declare ye now; returned 
Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth 
Triumphant out of this infernal pit 
Abominable, accursed, t...Read more of this...

by Byron, George (Lord)
...as becomes the brave, 
Awaiting each his lord's behest 
To guide his steps, or guard his rest, 
Old Giaffir sate in his Divan: 
Deep thought was in his aged eye; 
And though the face of Mussulman 
Not oft betrays to standers by 
The mind within, well skill'd to hide 
All but unconquerable pride, 
His pensive cheek and pondering brow 
Did more than he wont avow. 

III. 

"Let the chamber be clear'd." — The train disappear'd — 
"Now call me the chief of the Haram gu...Read more of this...

by Hugo, Victor
...de decks their attire, 
 Worn in remembrance of some sire 
 Famed for heroic deeds. 
 
 Feared by the Paynim's dark divan, 
 The Templars next advance; 
 Then the tall halberds of Lausanne, 
 Foremost to stand in battle van 
 Against the foes of France. 
 
 Now hail the duke, with radiant brow, 
 Girt with his cavaliers; 
 Round his triumphant banner bow 
 Those of his foe. Look, sisters, now! 
 Here come the cymbaleers! 
 
 She spoke—with searching eye survey...Read more of this...



by Khayyam, Omar
...l war-horse of the golden
stars was saddled, when the planet Jupiter and the
Pleiades were created, from that day the Divan [Chief
Justice] of destiny fixed our lot. In what respect, then,
are we guilty, since such is the part that was made
for us?...Read more of this...

by Seeger, Alan
...ant brocades with massive braid were caught,
And chain-slung, oriental lamps so placed
To light the lounger on some low divan,
Sunken in swelling down and silks from Hindustan.

And there was spread, upon the ample floors,
Work of the Levantine's laborious loom,
Such as by Euxine or Ionian shores
Carpets the dim seraglio's scented gloom.
Each morn renewed, the garden's flowery stores
Blushed in fair vases, ochre and peach-bloom,
And little birds through wicker doors l...Read more of this...

by Eliot, T S (Thomas Stearns)
...n tins.
  Out of the window perilously spread
  Her drying combinations touched by the sun's last rays,
  On the divan are piled (at night her bed)
  Stockings, slippers, camisoles, and stays.
  I Tiresias, old man with wrinkled dugs
  Perceived the scene, and foretold the rest—
  I too awaited the expected guest.                                       230
  He, the young man carbuncular, arrives,
  A small house agent's clerk, with one bold stare,
  One ...Read more of this...

by Sexton, Anne
...so clear you could
read a book through it.
Water so buoyant you could
float on your elbow.
I lay on it as on a divan.
I lay on it just like
Matisse's Red Odalisque.
Water was my strange flower,
one must picture a woman
without a toga or a scarf
on a couch as deep as a tomb.

The walls of that grotto
were everycolor blue and
you said, "Look! Your eyes
are seacolor. Look! Your eyes
are skycolor." And my eyes
shut down as if they were
suddenly ashame...Read more of this...

by Eliot, T S (Thomas Stearns)
...ut food in tins.
Out of the window perilously spread
Her drying combinations touched by the sun's last rays,
On the divan are piled (at night her bed)
Stockings, slippers, camisoles, and stays.
I Tiresias, old man with wrinkled dugs
Perceived the scene, and foretold the rest -
I too awaited the expected guest. 
He, the young man carbuncular, arrives,
A small house agent's clerk, with one bold stare,
One of the low on whom assurance sits
As a silk hat on a Bradford...Read more of this...

by Khayyam, Omar
...know not why the heavenly Artisan
Hath set these tulip cheeks and cypress forms
To deck the mournful halls of earth's divan....Read more of this...

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Book: Shattered Sighs