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Famous Glee Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry
...dest peer;
Certes if any comfort in us be,
That cometh of thee, Christe's mother dear!
We have none other melody nor glee,*                           *pleasure
Us to rejoice in our adversity;
Nor advocate, that will and dare so pray
For us, and for as little hire as ye,
That helpe for an Ave-Mary or tway.

                               O.

O very light of eyen that be blind!
O very lust* of labour and distress!                   *relief, pleasure
O treasurer of ...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey



...
before Halfdane’s battle-leader,
the singing wood was struck, verses often told,
when Hrothgar’s scop must make hall-glee
across the mead-benches, concerning the sons of Finn: (ll. 1063-68a)

When the swift conflict came upon them,
and the hero of the Half-Danes, Hnæf Scylding,
must fall in Frisian fighting. Nor indeed did Hildeburh
have much need to praise the troth of the Jutes—
guiltlessly she was deprived of her loved ones
at the shield-play, of sons and brothe...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,
...d jewels. The gentle wife
o’er paths of the deep to the Danes they bore,
led to her land.
The lay was finished,
the gleeman’s song. Then glad rose the revel;
bench-joy brightened. Bearers draw
from their “wonder-vats” wine. Comes Wealhtheow forth,
under gold-crown goes where the good pair sit,
uncle and nephew, true each to the other one,
kindred in amity. Unferth the spokesman
at the Scylding lord’s feet sat: men had faith in his spirit,
his keenness of courage, t...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,
...athirst,
And so I dare;
And I shall see what none shall see -
December skies gloom over me,
And mock them with my April glee,
And fearless fare.

"And I shall hear what none shall hear -
The hardy robin piping clear,
The Storm King gallop dark and drear
Across the sky;
And I shall know what none shall know -
The silent kisses of the snow,
The Christmas candles' silver glow,
Before I die.

"Then from your frost-gemmed window pane
One morning you will look in vain,
My smile of ...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William
...
I'm going, all along.

326

I cannot dance upon my Toes—
No Man instructed me—
But oftentimes, among my mind,
A Glee possesseth me,

That had I Ballet knowledge—
Would put itself abroad
In Pirouette to blanch a Troupe—
Or lay a Prima, mad,

And though I had no Gown of Gauze—
No Ringlet, to my Hair,
Nor hopped to Audiences—like Birds,
One Claw upon the Air,

Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,
Nor rolled on wheels of snow
Till I was out of sight, in sound...Read more of this...
by Dickinson, Emily



...rs as he on did pass
 Tipsily quaffing.

"Whence came ye, merry Damsels! whence came ye!
So many, and so many, and such glee?
Why have ye left your bowers desolate,
 Your lutes, and gentler fate?--
‘We follow Bacchus! Bacchus on the wing?
 A conquering!
Bacchus, young Bacchus! good or ill betide,
We dance before him thorough kingdoms wide:--
Come hither, lady fair, and joined be
 To our wild minstrelsy!'

"Whence came ye, jolly Satyrs! whence came ye!
So many, and so many, an...Read more of this...
by Keats, John
..., 
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. 

The waves beside them danced; but they 
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: 
A poet could not but be gay, 
In such a jocund company: 
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought 
What wealth the show to me had brought: 

For oft, when on my couch I lie 
In vacant or in pensive mood, 
They flash upon that inward eye 
Which is the bliss of solitude; 
And then my heart with pleasure fills, 
And dances with the daffodils. ...Read more of this...
by Wordsworth, William
...am beheld 
 A bark ply toward us. 
 Of exceeding eld, 
 And hoary showed the steersman, screaming shrill, 
 With horrid glee the while he neared us, "Woe 
 To ye, depraved! - Is here no Heaven, but ill 
 The place where I shall herd ye. Ice and fire 
 And darkness are the wages of their hire 
 Who serve unceasing here - But thou that there 
 Dost wait though live, depart ye. Yea, forbear! 
 A different passage and a lighter fare 
 Is destined thine." 
 But here my guide repli...Read more of this...
by Alighieri, Dante
...ter choice all accidents could hit, 
While Hector Harry steers by Will the Wit. 
They both accept the charge with merry glee, 
To fight a battle, from all gunshot free. 
Pleased with their numbers, yet in valour wise, 
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...Read more of this...
by Marvell, Andrew
...hair full of wisps. 

10
Alone, far in the wilds and mountains, I hunt, 
Wandering, amazed at my own lightness and glee; 
In the late afternoon choosing a safe spot to pass the night, 
Kindling a fire and broiling the fresh-kill’d game;
Falling asleep on the gather’d leaves, with my dog and gun by my side. 

The Yankee clipper is under her sky-sails—she cuts the sparkle and scud; 
My eyes settle the land—I bend at her prow, or shout joyously from the
 deck. 

Th...Read more of this...
by Whitman, Walt
...sexton, the chink of the spade,
Sound merrily under the willow's dank shade.
They are carnival notes, and I travel with glee
To learn what the churchyard has given to me.

Oh ! the worm, the rich worm, has a noble domain,
For where monarchs are voiceless I revel and reign ;
I delve at my ease and regale where I may ;
None dispute with the worm in his will or his way.
The high and the bright for my feasting must fall--
Youth, Beauty, and Manhood, I prey on ye all :
The Prince ...Read more of this...
by Cook, Eliza
...e boding tremblers learned to trace
The day's disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laughed, with counterfeited glee,
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he;
Full well the busy whisper, circling round,
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frowned;
Yet he was kind; or if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault.
The village all declared how much he knew;
'Twas certain he could write, and cipher too;
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,
An...Read more of this...
by Goldsmith, Oliver
...s cheek is like a cherry.   No man like him the horn could sound,  And no man was so full of glee;  To say the least, four counties round.  Had heard of Simon Lee;  His master's dead, and no one now  Dwells in the hall of Ivor;  Men, dogs, and horses, all are dead;  He is the sole survivor.   His hunting feats have him bereft  Of his right eye, as you may see:&nbs...Read more of this...
by Wordsworth, William
...eir beds, complain  Of many things which never troubled me;  Of feet still bustling round with busy glee,  Of looks where common kindness had no part.  Of service done with careless cruelty,  Fretting the fever round the languid heart,  And groans, which, as they said, would make a dead man start.   These things just served to stir the torpid sense,  Nor pain nor pity in my bosom raised.&nb...Read more of this...
by Wordsworth, William
...ere the Baker had met with the Snark.

In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
 In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away---
 For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.

THE END....Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis
...hat shines above his head  Is not more still and mute than he.   His heart it was so full of glee,  That till full fifty yards were gone,  He quite forgot his holly whip,  And all his skill in horsemanship,  Oh! happy, happy, happy John.   And Betty's standing at the door,  And Betty's face with joy o'erflows,  Proud of herself, and proud of him,  She sees him in ...Read more of this...
by Wordsworth, William
...its signet sage,
     Yet had not quenched the open truth
     And fiery vehemence of youth;
     Forward and frolic glee was there,
     The will to do, the soul to dare,
     The sparkling glance, soon blown to fire,
     Of hasty love or headlong ire.
     His limbs were cast in manly could
     For hardy sports or contest bold;
     And though in peaceful garb arrayed,
     And weaponless except his blade,
     His stately mien as well implied
     A high-born...Read more of this...
by Scott, Sir Walter
...in
Fallen over the tortured mind beguiled
His sorrow. Like a little child
He would play with his watches and gems, with glee
Calling the Shadow to look and see
How the spots on the ceiling danced prettily
When he flashed his stones. "Mother, the green
Has slid so cunningly in between
The blue and the yellow. Oh, please look down!"
Then, with a pitiful, puzzled frown,
He would get up slowly from his play
And walk round the room, feeling his way
From table to chair, from chair ...Read more of this...
by Lowell, Amy
...The First Voice 


HE trilled a carol fresh and free,
He laughed aloud for very glee:
There came a breeze from off the sea: 

It passed athwart the glooming flat -
It fanned his forehead as he sat -
It lightly bore away his hat, 

All to the feet of one who stood
Like maid enchanted in a wood,
Frowning as darkly as she could. 

With huge umbrella, lank and brown,
Unerringly she pinned it down,
Right through the centre of the crown. 

Th...Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis
...Let poets piece prismatic words,
Give me the jewelled joy of birds!

What ecstasy moves them to sing?
Is it the lyric glee of Spring,
The dewy rapture of the rose?
Is it the worship born in those
Who are of Nature's self a part,
The adoration of the heart?

Is it the mating mood in them
That makes each crystal note a gem?
Oh mocking bird and nightingale,
Oh mavis, lark and robin - hail!
Tell me what perfect passion glows
In your inspired arpeggios?

A thrush is thrilling as...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry