Famous Flout Poems by Famous Poets

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

See also:

Agnostic Apology

...ys been,
Creation never has occurred.
But in my Lexicon of Doubt
It strikes me definitely odd,
One word I never dare to flout,
One syllable the mountains shout,
Three letters that the stars spell out:
 GOD....Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William


An American

...ne ancient humour saves him whole --
The cynic devil in his blood
 That bids him mock his hurrying soul;

That bids him flout the Law he makes,
 That bids him make the Law he flouts,
Till, dazed by many doubts, he wakes
 The drumming guns that -- have no doubts;

That checks him foolish-hot and fond,
 That chuckles through his deepest ire,
That gilds the slough of his despond
 But dims the goal of his desire;

Inopportune, shrill-accented,
 The acrid Asiatic mirth
That leaves...Read more of this...
by Kipling, Rudyard

An Image From A Past Life

...riven mad,
But images to make me fonder?

She. Now She has thrown her arms above her head;
Whether she threw them up to flout me,
Or but to find,
Now that no fingers bind,
That her hair streams upon the wind,
I do not know, that know I am afraid
Of the hovering thing night brought me....Read more of this...
by Yeats, William Butler

Ben Jonson Entertains a Man from Stratford

...sees here to-day;
Though he may scarcely give a Fool an exit
But we mark how he sees in everything
A law that, given we flout it once too often,
Brings fire and iron down on our naked heads.
To me it looks as if the power that made him,
For fear of giving all things to one creature,
Left out the first, -- faith, innocence, illusion,
Whatever 'tis that keeps us out o' Bedlam, -- 
And thereby, for his too consuming vision,
Empowered him out of nature; though to see him,
You'd n...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Edwin Arlington

Elegy I: Jealousy

...s-bane jealousy.
O give him many thanks, he's courteous,
That in suspecting kindly warneth us
Wee must not, as we used, flout openly,
In scoffing riddles, his deformity;
Nor at his board together being sat,
With words, nor touch, scarce looks adulterate;
Nor when he swol'n, and pampered with great fare
Sits down, and snorts, caged in his basket chair,
Must we usurp his own bed any more,
Nor kiss and play in his house, as before.
Now I see many dangers; for that is
His realm, ...Read more of this...
by Donne, John


from the Ansty Experience

...words have hidden from the poet
asking what world has come to light

people measured by their heartbeats
language can't flout that come-and-go
to touch the heartbeat in a poem
calls for the brain's surrender
a warm diffusion of the mind
a listening to an eery silence
the words both mimic and destroy
(no excuses slipping off the tongue)

and when a poem works the unknown
opens a timid shutter on a world
so familiar it's not been seen
before - and then it's gone bringing
a fris...Read more of this...
by Gregory, Rg

Garden Francies

...e breathed it with me?
Come, bud, show me the least of her traces,
Treasure my lady's lightest footfall!
---Ah, you may flout and turn up your faces---
Roses, you are not so fair after all!


II. SIBRANDUS SCHAFNABURGENSIS.

Plague take all your pedants, say I!
He who wrote what I hold in my hand,
Centuries back was so good as to die,
Leaving this rubbish to cumber the land;
This, that was a book in its time,
Printed on paper and bound in leather,
Last month in the white of a...Read more of this...
by Browning, Robert

Geraint And Enid

...d; 
And I compel all creatures to my will. 
Not eat nor drink? And wherefore wail for one, 
Who put your beauty to this flout and scorn 
By dressing it in rags? Amazed am I, 
Beholding how ye butt against my wish, 
That I forbear you thus: cross me no more. 
At least put off to please me this poor gown, 
This silken rag, this beggar-woman's weed: 
I love that beauty should go beautifully: 
For see ye not my gentlewomen here, 
How gay, how suited to the house of one 
Who loves...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Pelleas And Ettarre

...e and mockery now, 
Other than when I found her in the woods; 
And though she hath me bounden but in spite, 
And all to flout me, when they bring me in, 
Let me be bounden, I shall see her face; 
Else must I die through mine unhappiness.' 

And Gawain answered kindly though in scorn, 
`Why, let my lady bind me if she will, 
And let my lady beat me if she will: 
But an she send her delegate to thrall 
These fighting hands of mine--Christ kill me then 
But I will slice him hand...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Revelation

...We make ourselves a place apart
Behind light words that tease and flout,
But oh, the agitated hear
Till someone really find us out.

'Tis pity if the case require
(Or so we say) that in the end
We speak the literal to inspire
The understanding of a friend.

But so with all, from babes that play
At hid-and-seek to God afar,
So all who hide too well away
Must speak and tell us where they are....Read more of this...
by Frost, Robert

The Ballad Of The Brand

...ed to their uttermost harm.
Such was his craft and his knowledge, such was his skill at the game,
Never was woman could flout him, so be he plotted her shame.
And so he drank deep of pleasure, and then it fell on a day
He gazed on the wife of Tellus and marked her out for his prey.

Tellus, the smith, was merry, and the time of the year it was June,
So he said to his stalwart helpers: "Shut down the forge at noon.
Go ye and joy in the sunshine, rest in the coolth of the grove...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

The Burghers of Calais

...rd told them to surrender 
They told Edward where he could go.

Said he, " I'll beleaguer this city,
I'll teach them to flout their new King - 
Then he told all his lads to get camp-stools
And sit round the place in a ring.

Now the burghers knew nowt about Crecy- 
They laughed when they saw Edward's plan- 
And thinking their side were still winning,
They shrugged and said- " San fairy Ann."

But they found at the end of a fortnight 
That things wasn't looking so nice,
With n...Read more of this...
by Edgar, Marriott

The Jacquerie A Fragment

...o look for his missing arms."
But my Lord Raoul was in the mood, to-day,
Which craves suggestions simply with a view
To flout them in the face, and so waved hand
Backward, and stayed the on-pressing sycophants
Eager to buy rich praise with bravery cheap.
"I would know why," -- he said -- "thou wishedst me
Less legs and bigger brows; and when?"
"Wouldst know?
Learn then," cried Gris Grillon and stirred himself,
In a great spasm of passion mixed with pain;
"An thou hadst had mo...Read more of this...
by Lanier, Sidney

The Lottery

...ocks today are hoary,
And feared to tie the nuptial knot -
Would I be here to tell the story?

Nay, lad and lass, don't flout romance,
Nor heed this cynical old sinner;
Like bold Columbus take a chance,
And may your number be a winner.

Far be it from me to advise,
But in the marital relation
The safest bet is Compromise
And Mutual Consideration....Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

...edestin'd Plot of Dust and Soul. 

LXVI.
The Vine has struck a fiber: which about
If clings my Being -- let the Dervish flout;
Of my Base metal may be filed a Key,
That shall unlock the Door he howls without. 

LXVII.
And this I know: whether the one True Light,
Kindle to Love, or Wrath -- consume me quite,
One Glimpse of It within the Tavern caught
Better than in the Temple lost outright. 

LXVIII.
What! out of senseless Nothing to provoke
A conscious Something to resent the...Read more of this...
by Khayyam, Omar

The Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam Of Naishapur

...
In my predestined Plot of Dust and Soul.

55

The Vine had struck a Fibre; which about
If clings my being—let the Sufi flout;
Of my Base Metal may be filed a Key,
That shall unlock the Door he howls without.

56

And this I know: whether the one True Light,
Kindle to Love, or Wrath, consume me quite,
One Glimpse of It within the Tavern caught
Better than in the Temple lost outright.

57

Oh Thou, who didst with Pitfall and with Gin
Beset the Road I was to wander in,
Thou wil...Read more of this...
by Fitzgerald, Edward

The Sacrifice

...as veiled, so is mine, 
Lest on their double-dark souls either shine: 
Was ever grief like mine? 

Servants and abjects flout me; they are witty: 
'Now prophesy who strikes thee, ' is their ditty.
So they in me deny themselves all pity: 
Was ever grief like mine? 

And now I am deliver'd unto death, 
Which each one calls for so with utmost breath, 
That he before me well nigh suffereth: 
Was ever grief like mine? 

Weep not, dear friends, since I for both have wept
When all m...Read more of this...
by Herbert, George

The Silent Ones

...love of peace expound;
But as I go my patient way,
 --Don't push me round.

Though I respect authority
 And order never flout,
When Law and Justice disagree
 You can include me out.
The Welfare State I tolerate
 If it is kept in bound,
But if you wish to rouse my hate
 --Just push me round.

And that's the way with lots of us:
 We want to feel we're free;
So labour governments we cuss
 And mock at monarchy.
Yea, we are men of secret mirth,
 And fury seldom sound;
But if you v...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

The Spooniad

...River whispered and the eyes
Of all the church frowned on her, till she knew
They feared her and condemned.
But them to flout
She gave a dance to viols and to flutes,
Brought from Peoria, and many youths,
But lately made regenerate through the prayers
Of zealous preachers and of earnest souls,
Danced merrily, and sought her in the dance,
Who wore a dress so low of neck that eyes
Down straying might survey the snowy swale
Till it was lost in whiteness.
With the dance
The villa...Read more of this...
by Masters, Edgar Lee

To Some Birds Flown Away

...you well 
 For saving prey from that grim cell, 
 That hollowed den 'neath journals great, 
 Where editors who poets flout 
 With their demoniac laughter shout. 
 And I have scolded you! What fate 
 For charming dwarfs who never meant 
 To anger Hercules! And I 
 Have frightened you!—My chair I sent 
 Back to the wall, and then let fly 
 A shower of words the envious use— 
 "Get out," I said, with hard abuse, 
 "Leave me alone—alone I say." 
 Poor man alone! Ah, ...Read more of this...
by Hugo, Victor

Dont forget to view our wonderful member Flout poems.

Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter