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Famous Harbours Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Burns, Robert
...of the country;
Men, three-parts made by tailors and by barbers,
Wha waste your weel-hain’d gear on d—’d new brigs and harbours!”


NEW BRIG “Now haud you there! for faith ye’ve said enough,
And muckle mair than ye can mak to through.
As for your Priesthood, I shall say but little,
Corbies and Clergy are a shot right kittle:
But, under favour o’ your langer beard,
Abuse o’ Magistrates might weel be spar’d;
To liken them to your auld-warld squad,
I must needs say, compari...Read more of this...



by Lawson, Henry
...ngs, 

But born to be thinkers and doers, and makers of wonderful things. 



Born to be builders of vessels in the Harbours of Waste and Loss, 

That shall carry our goods to the nations, flying the Southern Cross; 

And fleets that shall guard our seaboard---while the 

East is backed by the Jews--- 

Under Australian captains, and manned by Australian crews. 



Boys who are slight and quiet, but boys who are strong and true, 

Dreaming of great inventions---always...Read more of this...

by Donne, John
...ointures lose
Though they new lovers choose,
But we are made worse than those.

Who e'er rigged fair ship to lie in harbours
And not to seek new lands, or not to deal withal?
Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbors,
Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?
Good is not good unless
A thousand it possess,
But dost waste with greediness....Read more of this...

by Verhaeren, Emile
...t matters not that their reason approve or scoff, and, upright on its high walls, hold out to them, along the quays and harbours, its bright torches; they are the travellers from beyond the sea.
Far off, farther than the ocean and its black floods, they watch the day break from shore to shore; fixed certainty and trembling hope present the same front to their ardent gaze.
Happy and serene, they believe eagerly; their soul is the deep and sudden brightness with which they bu...Read more of this...

by Shelley, Percy Bysshe
...ng each other's heels, unheededly.
It is an isle under Ionian skies,
Beautiful as a wreck of Paradise,
And, for the harbours are not safe and good,
This land would have remain'd a solitude
But for some pastoral people native there,
Who from the Elysian, clear, and golden air
Draw the last spirit of the age of gold,
Simple and spirited; innocent and bold.
The blue Aegean girds this chosen home,
With ever-changing sound and light and foam,
Kissing the sifted sands, and ...Read more of this...



by Pope, Alexander
...r Vitruvius was before:
Till kings call forth th' ideas of your mind,
Proud to accomplish what such hands design'd,
Bid harbours open, public ways extend,
Bid temples, worthier of the God, ascend;
Bid the broad arch the dang'rous flood contain,
The mole projected break the roaring main;
Back to his bounds their subject sea command,
And roll obedient rivers through the land;
These honours, peace to happy Britain brings,
These are imperial works, and worthy kings....Read more of this...

by Moore, Thomas
...the tears thy lid 
Lets fall in lonely weepin. 
Glens, where Ocean comes, 
To 'scape the wild wind's rancour; 
And harbours, worthiest homes 
Where Freedom's fleet can anchor. 

Then, if, while scenes so grand, 
So beautiful, shine before thee, 
Pride for thy own dear land 
Should haply be stealing o'er thee, 
Oh, let grief come first, 
O'er pride itself victorious -- 
Thinking how man hath curst 
What Heaven hath made so glorious....Read more of this...

by Browning, Robert
...
Lord, I'm not angry! Bid your hang-dogs go 
Drink out this quarter-florin to the health 
Of the munificent House that harbours me 
(And many more beside, lads! more beside!) 
And all's come square again. I'd like his face-- 
His, elbowing on his comrade in the door 
With the pike and lantern,--for the slave that holds 
John Baptist's head a-dangle by the hair 
With one hand ("Look you, now," as who should say) 
And his weapon in the other, yet unwiped! 
It's not your ch...Read more of this...

by Gregory, Rg
...books do say something about deception
how when you pass him in the street his back is turned
as if (of who you are) he harbours no conception
so you (of him) though wary cannot be that concerned
appearances appearances (its kudos earned)
the book crows - being too aware of inside-outs
knowing full well the volte-face nature of the scorned
the dullest horses may best play havoc with the touts
nor hillside towns dispel the speeding tourist’s doubts

you have to turn off - want...Read more of this...

by Marvell, Andrew
...ust, 
The busy hammer sleeps, the ropes untwine, 
The stores and wages all are mine and thine. 
Along the coast and harbours they make care 
That money lack, nor forts be in repair. 
Long thus they could against the House conspire, 
Load them with envy, and with sitting tire. 
And the loved King, and never yet denied, 
Is brought to beg in public and to chide; 
But when this failed, and months enow were spent, 
They with the first day's proffer seem content, 
And ...Read more of this...

by Carew, Thomas
...I'LL gaze no more on her bewitching face, 
Since ruin harbours there in every place ; 
For my enchanted soul alike she drowns 
With calms and tempests of her smiles and frowns. 
I’ll love no more those cruel eyes of hers, 
Which, pleased or anger’d, still are murderers : 
For if she dart, like lightning, through the air 
Her beams of wrath, she kills me with despair : 
If she behold me with a pleasing eye, ...Read more of this...

by Abercrombie, Lascelles
...er the seas, 
Along which the intent prows wonderfully 
Nose like lean hounds, and tack their journeys out, 
Making for harbours as some sleuth was laid 
For them to follow on their shifting road. 
Again I front my appointed ministry. -- 
But why the Indian lot to me? Why mine 
Such fearful gospelling? For the Lord knew 
What a frail soul He gave me, and a heart 
Lame and unlikely for the large events. -- 
And this is worse than Baghdad! though that was 
A fearful...Read more of this...

by Lawson, Henry
...morrow – 
My brothers they doubt me – but my dreams come true. 

And so I was born of fathers 
From where ice-bound harbours are 
Men whose strong limbs never rested 
And whose blue eyes saw afar. 
Till, for gold, one left the ocean, 
Seeking over plain and hill; 
And so I was born of mothers 
Whose deep minds were never still. 

I rest not, 'tis best not, the world is a wide one 
And, caged for an hour, I pace to and fro; 
I see things and dree things and plan wh...Read more of this...

by Mansfield, Katherine
...
But there are streams
And waterfalls
And mountain-peaks
Covered with lovely weed.
There are little shores and safe harbours,
Caves for cool and plains for sun and wind.
Lovely is the sound of the rivers,
Lovely the flashing brightness
Of the lovely peaks.
I am content.

But Thy kingdom is small,
Said the God of the Sea.
Thy kingdom shall fall;
I shall not let thee be.
Thou art proud!
With a loud
Pealing of laughter,
He rose and covered
The tiny God's ...Read more of this...

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