Famous Diverted Poems by Famous Poets

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

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A Lovers Complaint

...oth high and low.

Sometimes her levell'd eyes their carriage ride,
As they did battery to the spheres intend;
Sometime diverted their poor balls are tied
To the orbed earth; sometimes they do extend
Their view right on; anon their gazes lend
To every place at once, and, nowhere fix'd,
The mind and sight distractedly commix'd.

Her hair, nor loose nor tied in formal plat,
Proclaim'd in her a careless hand of pride
For some, untuck'd, descended her sheaved hat,
Hanging her pal...Read more of this...
by Shakespeare, William


Avons Harvest

...ear soever, 
And that I smiled at his unwonted plunge 
Into the perilous pool of Dionysus. 
“Well, if you are so easily diverted 
As that,” he said, drumming his chair again,
“You will be pleased, I think, with what is coming; 
And though there be divisions and departures, 
Imminent from now on, for your diversion 
I’ll do the best I can. More to the point, 
I know a man who if his friends were like him
Would live in the woods all summer and all winter, 
Leaving the town and ...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Edwin Arlington

Heartbeat

...Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart
which safely exists in the center of all things?
His giant heartbeat is diverted in us
into little pulses. And his giant grief
is, like his giant jubilation, far too
great for us. And so we tear ourselves away
from him time after time, remaining only
mouths. But unexepectedly and secretly
the giant heartbeat enters our being,
so that we scream ----,
and are transformed in being and in countenance....Read more of this...
by Rilke, Rainer Maria

Inferno (English)

...nd grim; 
 And with cerastes bound was every head, 
 And for its crown of hair was serpented; 
 And he, who followed my diverted gaze, 
 The handmaids of the Queen of Woeful Days 
 Well knowing, told me, "These the Furies three. 
 Meg?ra leftward: on the right is she 
 Alecto, wailing: and Tisiphone 
 Midmost." 
 These hateful, in their need of prey, 
 Tore their own breasts with bloodied claws, and when 
 They saw me, from the living world of men, 
 Beneath them standing, wi...Read more of this...
by Alighieri, Dante

Lara

...d sluggish hands; 
But that long absence from his native clime 
Had left him stainless of oppression's crime, 
And now, diverted by his milder sway, 
All dread by slow degrees had worn away; 
The menials felt their usual awe alone, 
But more for him than them that fear was grown; 
They deem'd him now unhappy, though at first 
Their evil judgment augur'd of the worst, 
And each long restless night, and silent mood, 
Was traced to sickness, fed by solitude: 
And though his lone...Read more of this...
by Byron, George (Lord)


Paradise Lost: Book 09

...t: Heaven is high, 
High, and remote to see from thence distinct 
Each thing on Earth; and other care perhaps 
May have diverted from continual watch 
Our great Forbidder, safe with all his spies 
About him. But to Adam in what sort 
Shall I appear? shall I to him make known 
As yet my change, and give him to partake 
Full happiness with me, or rather not, 
But keeps the odds of knowledge in my power 
Without copartner? so to add what wants 
In female sex, the more to draw hi...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Regained: The Second Book

...drained
Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coast.
Alas! how simple, to these cates compared,
Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately sideboard, by the wine, 
That fragrant smell diffused, in order stood
Tall stripling youths rich-clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas; distant more,
Under the trees now tripped, now solemn stood,
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades
With fruits and flowers from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of the Hesperides, that seemed
Fai...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

The Confessor a Sanctified Tale

...somewhat disconcerted--
For, all that she could say or do,--
The boy his question would renew,
Nor from his purpose be diverted.
At length, the matter to decide,
"'Tis FATHER PETER" she replied.
"He's come to pray." The child gave o'er,
When a loud thumping at the door
Proclaim'd the Husband coming! Lo!
Where could the wily neighbour go?
Where hide his recreant, guilty head--
But underneath the Farmer's bed?--

NOW MASTER TWYFORD kiss'd his child;
And straight the cunning ur...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Mary Darby

The Growth of Love

...y places?
O these be noble men that hide their graces,
True England's blood, her ancient glory's stay,
By tales of fame diverted on their way
Home from the rule of oriental races. 
Life-trifling lions these, of gentle eyes
And motion delicate, but swift to fire
For honour, passionate where duty lies,
Most loved and loving: and they quickly tire
Of Florence, that she one day more denies
The embrace of wife and son, of sister or sire. 

18
Where San Miniato's convent from the s...Read more of this...
by Bridges, Robert Seymour

The Reeves Tale

...
Of Absolon and Hendy Nicholas,
Diverse folk diversely they said,
But for the more part they laugh'd and play'd;* *were diverted
And at this tale I saw no man him grieve,
But it were only Osewold the Reeve.
Because he was of carpenteres craft,
A little ire is in his hearte laft*; *left
He gan to grudge* and blamed it a lite.** *murmur **little.
"So the* I," quoth he, "full well could I him quite** *thrive **match
With blearing* of a proude miller's eye, *dimming 
If that m...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey

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