Famous Factious Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Absalom And Achitophel

...create;
Or melt him to that golden calf, a state.
But these were random bolts: no form'd design,
Nor interest made the factious crowd to join:
The sober part of Israel, free from stain,
Well knew the value of a peaceful reign:
And, looking backward with a wise afright,
Saw seams of wounds, dishonest to the sight:
In contemplation of whose ugly scars,
They curst the memory of civil wars.
The moderate sort of men, thus qualifi'd,
Inclin'd the balance to the better side:
And, D...Read more of this...
by Dryden, John


An Allusion to Horace

...
To wish thy Workes might make a Play-house ring, 
With the unthinking Laughter, and poor praise 
Of Fopps, and Ladys, factious for thy Plays? 
Then send a cunning Friend to learne thy doome, 
From the shrew'd Judges in the Drawing-Roome. 
I've noe Ambition on that idle score, 
But say with Betty Morice, heretofore 
When a Court-Lady, call'd her Buckleys Whore, 
I please one Man of Witt, am proud on't too, 
Let all the Coxcombs, dance to bed to you. 
Shou'd I be troubled whe...Read more of this...
by Wilmot, John

At His Grave

...e round whom detraction swell’d 
Hath peace with honor now. 

The open jeer, the covert taunt, 
The falsehood coin’d in factious haunt,
These loving gifts reprove. 
They never were but thwarted sound 
Of ebbing waves that bluster round 
A rock that will not move. 

And now the idle roar rolls off, 
Hush’d is the gibe and sham’d the scoff, 
Repress’d the envious gird; 
Since death, the looking-glass of life, 
Clear’d of the misty breath of strife, 
Reflects his face unblurr’d....Read more of this...
by Austin, Alfred

Lara

..., and warp the right; 
Religion — freedom — vengeance — what you will, 
A word's enough to raise mankind to kill; 
Some factious phrase by cunning caught and spread, 
That guilt may reign, and wolves and worms be fed! 

IX. 

Throughout that clime the feudal chiefs had gain'd 
Such sway, their infant monarch hardly reign'd; 
Now was the hour for faction's rebel growth, 
The serfs contemn'd the one, and hated both: 
They waited but a leader, and they found 
One to their cause ...Read more of this...
by Byron, George (Lord)

MFingal - Canto II

...your consciences;
Which though they're neither good nor true,
Must yet convict you and your crew.


"Ungrateful sons! a factious band,
That rise against your parent land!
Ye viper race, that burst in strife
The genial womb that gave you life,
Tear with sharp fangs and forked tongue
The indulgent bowels whence ye sprung;
And scorn the debt and obligation,
You justly owe the British nation,
Which, since you cannot pay, your crew
Affect to swear was never due.


"Did not the dee...Read more of this...
by Trumbull, John


MFingal - Canto III

...ewish pole in Edom;
Or like the brazen snake of Moses,
Cure your crackt skulls and batter'd noses?


"Ye dupes to every factious rogue
And tavern-prating demagogue,
Whose tongue but rings, with sound more full,
On th' empty drumhead of his scull;
Behold you not what noisy fools
Use you, worse simpletons, for tools?
For Liberty, in your own by-sense,
Is but for crimes a patent license,
To break of law th' Egyptian yoke,
And throw the world in common stock;
Reduce all grievance...Read more of this...
by Trumbull, John

Paradise Lost: Book 11

...he city-gates; anon 
Gray-headed men and grave, with warriours mixed, 
Assemble, and harangues are heard; but soon, 
In factious opposition; till at last, 
Of middle age one rising, eminent 
In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong, 
Of justice, or religion, truth, and peace, 
And judgement from above: him old and young 
Exploded, and had seized with violent hands, 
Had not a cloud descending snatched him thence 
Unseen amid the throng: so violence 
Proceeded, and oppres...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Lost: Book 12

...house of God 
They first re-edify; and for a while 
In mean estate live moderate; till, grown 
In wealth and multitude, factious they grow; 
But first among the priests dissention springs, 
Men who attend the altar, and should most 
Endeavour peace: their strife pollution brings 
Upon the temple itself: at last they seise 
The scepter, and regard not David's sons; 
Then lose it to a stranger, that the true 
Anointed King Messiah might be born 
Barred of his right; yet at his ...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Psalm 101

...tt'ring or malicious lies;
And while the innocent I guard,
The bold offender sha'n't be spared.

The impious crew, that factious band,
Shall hide their heads or quit the land;
And all that break the public rest,
Where I have power, shall be suppressed....Read more of this...
by Watts, Isaac

The Medal

...: 
If true succession from our Isle should fail, 
And crowds profane with impious arms prevail, 
Not thou nor those thy factious arts engage 
Shall reap that harvest of rebellious rage, 
With which thou flatterest thy decrepit age. 
The swelling poison of the several sects, 
Which, wanting vent, the nation's health infects, 
Shall burst its bag; and fighting out their way, 
The various venoms on each other prey. 
The Presbyter, puffed up with spiritual pride, 
Shall on the ne...Read more of this...
by Dryden, John

The Triumph Of Fame

...cchi rear'dA solitary crest. The following formWas he that often raised the factious storm—Bold Catulus, and he whom fortune's rayIllumined still with beams of cloudless day;Yet fail'd to chase the darkness of the mind,That brooded still on loftier hopes behind.From him a nobler line in two degreesReduc...Read more of this...
by Petrarch, Francesco

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