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Famous Durst Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Wilmot, John
...l from fear, to make himself secure.
Merely for safety after fame they thirst,
For all men would be cowards if they durst.
And honesty's against all common sense,
Men must be knaves, 'tis in their own defence.
Mankind's dishonest: if you think it fair
Among known cheats to play upon the square,
You'll be undone.
Nor can weak truth your reputation save,
The knaves will all agree to call you knave.
Wronged shall he live, insulted o'er, oppressed,
Who dares b...Read more of this...



by Dryden, John
...suffer, than a nation grieve.
The Jews well know their pow'r: ere Saul they chose,
God was their king, and God they durst depose.
Urge now your piety, your filial name,
A father's right, and fear of future fame;
The public good, the universal call,
To which even Heav'n submitted, answers all.
Nor let his love enchant your generous mind;
'Tis Nature's trick to propagate her kind.
Our fond begetters, who would never die,
Love but themselves in their posterity.Read more of this...

by Pope, Alexander
...just, with Looks as Sage,
As e'er cou'd Dennis, of the Grecian Stage;
Concluding all were desp'rate Sots and Fools,
Who durst depart from Aristotle's Rules.
Our Author, happy in a Judge so nice,
Produc'd his Play, and beg'd the Knight's Advice,
Made him observe the Subject and the Plot,
The Manners, Passions, Unities, what not?
All which, exact to Rule were brought about,
Were but a Combate in the Lists left out.
What! Leave the Combate out? Exclaims the Knight;
Yes, ...Read more of this...

by Sidney, Sir Philip
...
That wittie Lewes to him a tribute paid:
Nor this, nor that, nor any such small cause;
But only for this worthy King durst proue
To lose his crowne, rather than faile his loue. 
LXXVI 

She comes, and streight therewith her shining twins do moue
Their rayes to me, who in their tedious absence lay
Benighted in cold wo; but now appears my day,
The only light of ioy, the only warmth of loue.
She comes with light and warmth, which, like Aurora, proue
Of gentle...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...nt lady, his wished prey;
Who gently asked if he had seen such two,
Supposing him some neighbour villager.
Longer I durst not stay, but soon I guessed
Ye were the two she meant; with that I sprung
Into swift flight, till I had found you here;
But further know I not.
 SEC. BRO. O night and shades,
How are ye joined with hell in triple knot
Against the unarmed weakness of one virgin,
Alone and helpless! Is this the confidence
You gave me, brother?
 ELD. BRO....Read more of this...



by Marvell, Andrew
...
They feign a parley, better to surprise; 
They that ere long shall the rude Dutch upbraid, 
Who in the time of treaty durst invade. 

Thick was the morning, and the House was thin, 
The Speaker early, when they all fell in. 
Propitious heavens, had not you them crossed, 
Excise had got the day, and all been lost. 
For the other side all in loose quarters lay, 
Without intelligence, command, or pay: 
A scattered body, which the foe ne'er tried, 
But oftener did a...Read more of this...

by Browning, Robert
...f they turned (since none puts by 
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) 
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, 
How such a glance came there; so, not the first 
Are you to turn and ask thus.  Sir, 'twas not 
Her husband's presence only, called that spot 
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps 
Frà Pandolf chanced to say "Her mantle laps 
Over my lady's wrist too much," or "Paint 
Must never hope to reproduce the faint 
Half-flush that dies along h...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...h hideous ruin and combustion, down 
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell 
In adamantine chains and penal fire, 
Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms. 
 Nine times the space that measures day and night 
To mortal men, he, with his horrid crew, 
Lay vanquished, rolling in the fiery gulf, 
Confounded, though immortal. But his doom 
Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought 
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain 
Torments him: round he throws his baleful eyes...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...red the ground, more coloured than with stone 
Of costliest emblem: Other creature here, 
Bird, beast, insect, or worm, durst enter none, 
Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower 
More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned, 
Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph 
Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess, 
With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs, 
Espoused Eve decked first her nuptial bed; 
And heavenly quires the hymenaean sung, 
What day the genia...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...in his work; 
Lest he, incensed at such eruption bold, 
Destruction with creation might have mixed. 
Not that they durst without his leave attempt; 
But us he sends upon his high behests 
For state, as Sovran King; and to inure 
Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut, 
The dismal gates, and barricadoed strong; 
But long ere our approaching heard within 
Noise, other than the sound of dance or song, 
Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. 
Glad we ret...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...lorious trial; and perhaps 
I also erred, in overmuch admiring 
What seemed in thee so perfect, that I thought 
No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue 
The errour now, which is become my crime, 
And thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall 
Him, who, to worth in women overtrusting, 
Lets her will rule: restraint she will not brook; 
And, left to herself, if evil thence ensue, 
She first his weak indulgence will accuse. 
Thus they in mutual accusation spent 
The fruitless...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...ven snares),
Ere in the head of nations he appear,
Their king, their leader, and supreme on Earth.
I, when no other durst, sole undertook 
The dismal expedition to find out
And ruin Adam, and the exploit performed
Successfully: a calmer voyage now
Will waft me; and the way found prosperous once
Induces best to hope of like success."
 He ended, and his words impression left
Of much amazement to the infernal crew,
Distracted and surprised with deep dismay
At these sad t...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...his crew, that sat consulting, brought
Joyless triumphals of his hoped success,
Ruin, and desperation, and dismay,
Who durst so proudly tempt the Son of God. 
So Satan fell; and straight a fiery globe
Of Angels on full sail of wing flew nigh,
Who on their plumy vans received Him soft
From his uneasy station, and upbore,
As on a floating couch, through the blithe air;
Then, in a flowery valley, set him down
On a green bank, and set before him spread
A table of celestial f...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...need much washing to be toucht.

Sam: Such usage as your honourable Lords
Afford me assassinated and betray'd,
Who durst not with thir whole united powers 
In fight withstand me single and unarm'd,
Nor in the house with chamber Ambushes
Close-banded durst attaque me, no not sleeping,
Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold
Breaking her Marriage Faith to circumvent me.
Therefore without feign'd shifts let be assign'd
Some narrow place enclos'd, where sight may giv...Read more of this...

by Byron, George (Lord)
...for glance, 
And proudly to his sire's was raised, 
Till Giaffir's quail'd and shrunk askance — 
And why — he felt, but durst not tell. 
"Much I misdoubt this wayward boy 
Will one day work me more annoy: 
I never loved him from his birth, 
And — but his arm is little worth, 
And scarcely in the chase could cope 
With timid fawn or antelope, 
Far less would venture into strife 
Where man contends for fame and life — 
I would not trust that look or tone: 
No — nor the bloo...Read more of this...

by Scott, Sir Walter
...snatched away
          To the joyless Elfin bower.

     'But wist I of a woman bold,
          Who thrice my brow durst sign,
     I might regain my mortal mould,
          As fair a form as thine.'

     She crossed him once—she crossed him twice—
          That lady was so brave;
     The fouler grew his goblin hue,
          The darker grew the cave.

     She crossed him thrice, that lady bold;
          He rose beneath her hand
     The fairest knight on...Read more of this...

by Chaucer, Geoffrey
...ll Jesus had converted through His grace
Dame Hermegild, Constabless of that place.

In all that land no Christians durste rout;* *assemble
All Christian folk had fled from that country
Through Pagans, that conquered all about
The plages* of the North by land and sea. *regions, coasts
To Wales had fled the *Christianity *the Old Britons who
Of olde Britons,* dwelling in this isle; were Christians*
There was their refuge for the meanewhile.

But yet n'ere* Christia...Read more of this...

by Petrarch, Francesco
..., and all the ambient airWithout a threatening cloud; no adversaire'Durst once appear, or her calm mind affright;Death singly did herself conclude the fight;[Pg 375]After, when fear, and the extremest plaintWere ceased, th' attentive eyes of all were bentOn that f...Read more of this...

by Byron, George (Lord)
...of a god; but this ne'er nursed 
Pride in his heavenly bosom, in whose core 
No thought, save for his Master's service, durst 
Intrude, however glorified and high; 
He knew him but the viceroy of the sky. 

XXXII 

He and the sombre, silent Spirit met — 
They knew each other both for good and ill; 
Such was their power, that neither could forget 
His former friend and future foe; but still 
There was a high, immortal, proud regret 
In either's eye, as if 'twere less their...Read more of this...

by Chaucer, Geoffrey
...dread;** *condemned **doubt
And certes, if there were no seed y-sow,* *sown
Virginity then whereof should it grow?
Paul durste not commanden, at the least,
A thing of which his Master gave no hest.* *command
The dart* is set up for virginity; *goal 6
Catch whoso may, who runneth best let see.
But this word is not ta'en of every wight,
*But there as* God will give it of his might. *except where*
I wot well that th' apostle was a maid,
But natheless, although he wro...Read more of this...

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