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Famous Forbids Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Brackenridge, Hugh Henry
...perhaps our fame shall last unhurt. 
The sons of science nobly scorn to die 
Immortal virtue this denies, the muse 
Forbids the men to slumber in the grave 
Who well deserve the praise that virtue gives. 



EUGENIO. 
'Tis true no human eye can penetrate 
The veil obscure, and in fair light disclos'd 
Behold the scenes of dark futurity; 
Yet if we reason from the course of things, 
And downward trace the vestiges of time, 
The mind prophetic grows and pierces far ...Read more of this...



by Bridges, Robert Seymour
...atin pray'rs I prostrate kneel,
And Court RELIGION's aid to soothe my woe, 
The meek-ey'd saint who pities what I feel,
Forbids the sigh to heave, the tear to flow; 
For ah ! no vulgar passion fills my mind, 
Calm REASON's hand illumes the flame refin'd, 
ALL the pure feelings FRIENDSHIP can impart, 
Live in the centre of my aching heart. 

When at the still and solemn hour of night,
I press my lonely couch to find repose; 
Joyless I watch the pale moon's chilling light,
...Read more of this...

by Lindsay, Vachel
...starlight her eyes.
Pauper I am, I would woo her.
And--let me drink wine, to begin,
Though the Koran expressly forbids it."
"I AM YOUR SLAVE," said the Jinn.

"Plan me a dome," said Aladdin,
"That is drawn like the dawn of the MOON,
When the sphere seems to rest on the mountains,
Half-hidden, yet full-risen soon." 
Build me a dome," said Aladdin," 
That shall cause all young lovers to sigh,
The fullness of life and of beauty, 
Peace beyond peace to the ey...Read more of this...

by Sidney, Sir Philip
...atures art,
How faine would I paint thee to all mens eyes.
Or of thy gifts at least shade out some part!
But she forbids; with blushing words she sayes
She builds her fame on higher-seated praise.
But my heart burnes; I cannot silent be.
Then, since, dear life, you faine would haue me peace,
And I, mad with delight, want wit to cease,
Stop you my mouth with still still kissing me. 
LXXXII 

Nymph of the garden where all beauties be,
Beauties which ...Read more of this...

by Swinburne, Algernon Charles
...ss that were wise,
The hollow eyes and dusty hair;

The shape and shadow of mystic things,
Things that fate fashions or forbids;
The staff of time-forgotten Kings
Whose name falls off the Pyramids,
Their coffin-lids and grave-clothings;

Dank dregs, the scum of pool or clod,
God-spawn of lizard-footed clans,
And those dog-headed hulks that trod
Swart necks of the old Egyptians,
Raw draughts of man's beginning God;

The poised hawk, quivering ere he smote,
With plume-like gems...Read more of this...



by Larkin, Philip
...y of wheels along the street outside
Where bridal London bows the other way,
And light, unanswerable and tall and wide,
Forbids the scar to heal, and drives
Shame out of hiding. All the unhurried day,
Your mind lay open like a drawer of knives.

Slums, years, have buried you. I would not dare
Console you if I could. What can be said,
Except that suffering is exact, but where
Desire takes charge, readings will grow erratic?
For you would hardly care
That you we...Read more of this...

by Robinson, Mary Darby
...urnful CHARLOTTE's dark-orb'd lids,
The sainted tear of pitying VIRTUE flows; 
And the last boon, the "churlish priest" forbids,
On thy lone grave the sacred drop bestows;
There shall the sparkling dews of Evening shine,
AND HEAVEN'S OWN INCENSE CONSECRATE THE SHRINE....Read more of this...

by Byron, George (Lord)
...too? Gaze again! 
At least thy memory was not given in vain. 
Oh! never canst thou cancel half her debt, 
Eternity forbids thee to forget." 
With slow and searching glance upon his face 
Grew Lara's eyes, but nothing there could trace 
They knew, or chose to know — with dubious look 
He deign'd no answer, but his head he shook, 
And half contemptuous turn'd to pass away; 
But the stern stranger motion'd him to stay. 
"A word! — I charge thee stay, and answer here...Read more of this...

by Trumbull, John
...comes, at a stand,
Would find its work all done t' its hand!


Yet though gay hopes our eyes may bless,
Malignant fate forbids success;
Like morning dreams our conquest flies,
Dispersed before the dawn arise."


Here Malcolm paused; when pond'ring long
Grief thus gave utt'rance to my tongue.
"Where shrink in fear our friends dismay'd,
And where the Tories' promised aid?
Can none, amid these fierce alarms,
Assist the power of royal arms?"
"In vain, he cried, our King ...Read more of this...

by Browning, Elizabeth Barrett
...ot to faint, --
One loved me for two -- would be with me ere long :
And Viva l' Italia ! -- he died for, our saint,
Who forbids our complaint."

XI.
My Nanni would add, `he was safe, and aware
Of a presence that turned off the balls, -- was imprest
It was Guido himself, who knew what I could bear,
And how 'twas impossible, quite dispossessed,
To live on for the rest."

XII.
On which, without pause, up the telegraph line
Swept smoothly the next news from Gaeta ...Read more of this...

by Wheatley, Phillis
...pt with radiant gold,
But I reluctant leave the pleasing views,
Which Fancy dresses to delight the Muse;
Winter austere forbids me to aspire,
And northern tempests damp the rising fire;
They chill the tides of Fancy's flowing sea,
Cease then, my song, cease the unequal lay....Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...ent: Is there no place 
Left for repentance, none for pardon left? 
None left but by submission; and that word 
Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame 
Among the Spirits beneath, whom I seduced 
With other promises and other vaunts 
Than to submit, boasting I could subdue 
The Omnipotent. Ay me! they little know 
How dearly I abide that boast so vain, 
Under what torments inwardly I groan, 
While they adore me on the throne of Hell. 
With diadem and scepter high ad...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...ns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet, 
'Nor God, nor Man? Is knowledge so despised? 
'Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste? 
'Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold 
'Longer thy offered good; why else set here? 
This said, he paused not, but with venturous arm 
He plucked, he tasted; me damp horrour chilled 
At such bold words vouched with a deed so bold: 
But he thus, overjoyed; 'O fruit divine, 
'Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropt, 
'Forbid...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...y 
Gave elocution to the mute, and taught 
The tongue not made for speech to speak thy praise: 
Thy praise he also, who forbids thy use, 
Conceals not from us, naming thee the tree 
Of knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil; 
Forbids us then to taste! but his forbidding 
Commends thee more, while it infers the good 
By thee communicated, and our want: 
For good unknown sure is not had; or, had 
And yet unknown, is as not had at all. 
In plain then, what forbids he but...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...pted Son, 
Obtain; all thy request was my decree: 
But, longer in that Paradise to dwell, 
The law I gave to Nature him forbids: 
Those pure immortal elements, that know, 
No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul, 
Eject him, tainted now; and purge him off, 
As a distemper, gross, to air as gross, 
And mortal food; as may dispose him best 
For dissolution wrought by sin, that first 
Distempered all things, and of incorrupt 
Corrupted. I, at first, with two fair gifts 
Creat...Read more of this...

by Robinson, Edwin Arlington
...r you in time 
How far you are away from Amsterdam, 
Or that the one same law that bids you see
Where now you see alone forbids in turn 
Your light from Holland eyes till Holland ears 
Are told of it; for that way, my good fellow, 
Is one way more to death. If at the first 
Of your long turning, which may still be longer
Than even your faith has measured it, you sigh 
For distant welcome that may not be seen, 
Or wayside shouting that will not be heard, 
You may as well a...Read more of this...

by Milton, John
...clad
To appear as fits before th' illustrious Lords.

Sam: Thou knowst I am an Ebrew, therefore tell them,
Our Law forbids at thir Religious Rites 
My presence; for that cause I cannot come.

Off: This answer, be assur'd, wi...Read more of this...

by Jackson, Laura Riding
...aration
With this evidence of immortality—
The total silence to say:
I am dead.

For death is all ugly, all lovely,
Forbids mysteries to make
Science of splendor, or any separate disclosing
Of beauty to the mind out of body's book
That page by page flutters a world in fragments,
Permits no scribbling in of more
Where spaces are,
Only to look.

Body as Body lies more than still.
The rest seems nothing and nothing is
If nothing need be.
But if need be,
Thought n...Read more of this...

by Cowper, William
...hade,
Enjoy'd--spare feast!--a radish and an egg!
Discourse ensues, not trivial, yet not dull,
Nor such as with a frown forbids the play
Of fancy, or proscribes the sound of mirth:
Nor do we madly, like an impious world,
Who deem religion frenzy, and the God
That made them an intruder on their joys,
Start at his awful name, or deem his praise
A jarring note. Themes of a graver tone,
Exciting oft our gratitude and love,
While we retrace with mem'ry's pointing wand,
That ca...Read more of this...

by Gibran, Kahlil
...moment of fearful realization he added, "No, No, oh merciful Death! Mind not talk, for even fear reveals what the heart forbids. 

"Take a bushelful of my gold, or a handful of my slave's souls, but leave me. I have accounts with Life requiring settling; I have due from people much gold; my ships have not reached the harbor; my demand, but spare my life. Death, I own harems of supernatural beauty; your choice is my gift to you. Give heed, Death -- I have but o...Read more of this...

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Book: Shattered Sighs