Famous Heartrending Poems by Famous Poets

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

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An All-Night Sea Fight

...great slaughter;
Their Captain Consail was mortally wounded in the fight
Along with many officers and men; oh! it was a heartrending sight
To see the wounded and dead weltering in their gore
After the cannonading had ceased and the fighting was o'er....Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz


The Albion Battleship Calamity

...aken to the fitter's shed, and attended to there
By the firemen and several nurses with the greatest care. 

Meanwhile, heartrending scenes were taking place,
Whilst the tears ran down many a Mother and Father's face,
That had lost their children in the River Thames,
Which they will remember while life remains. 

Oh, Heaven! it was horrible to see the bodies laid out in rows,
And as Fathers and Mothers passed along, adown their cheeks the tears flows,
While their poor, sickly...Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz

The Battle of Corunna

...the musketry and the cannon's roar,
Whilst the dead and the dying lay weltering in their gore. 

But O Heaven! It was a heartrending sight,
When Sir John Moore was shot dead in the thickest of the fight;
And as the soldiers bore him from the field they looked woebegone,
And the hero's last words were "Let me see how the battle goes on." 

Then he breathed his last with a gurgling sound,
And for the loss of the great hero the soldier's sorrow was profound,
Because he was alway...Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz

The Burning of the Steamer City of Montreal

...the night,
But when the big bell rang out, oh! what a pitiful sight;
To see mothers and their children crying, was most heartrending to behold,
As the blinding smoke began to ascend from the main hold. 

And the smoke before long drifted down below,
Which almost choked the passengers, and filled their hearts with woe;
Then fathers and mothers rushed madly upon the deck,
While the crew were struggling manfully the fire to check. 

Oh, it was a soul-harrowing and horrible sight...Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz

The Wreck of the Steamer Mohegan

...angry waves buffetted the breath out of them,
Alas, poor sickly children, also women and men. 

Oh, heaven, it was most heartrending to see
A little girl crying and imploring most piteously,
For some one to save her as she didn't want to die,
But, alas, no one seemed to hear her agonizing cry. 

For God's sake, boys, get clear, if ye can,
Were the captain's last words spoken like a brave man;
Then he and the officers sank with the ship in the briny deep,
Oh what a pitiful sig...Read more of this...
by McGonagall, William Topaz


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