Famous Instructive Poems by Famous Poets

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

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An EPISTLE From A Gentleman To Madam Deshouliers

...own the Debt, 
And Gratitude before her set 
In its approved and fairest Light; 
Let her effectually be taught 
By that instructive, harmless Slight, 
That also in her turn she ought 
(Repaying ev'ry tender Thought) 
Kindness with Kindness to requite....Read more of this...
by Finch, Anne Kingsmill


Duino Elegies: The Tenth Elegy

...ere is something
special to see: how money multiplies. Anatomy made amusing!
Money's organs on view! Nothing concealed! Instructive,
and guaranteed to increase fertility!...

 Oh, and then outside,
behind the farthest billboard, pasted with posters for 'Deathless,'
that bitter beer tasting quite sweet to drinkers,
if they chew fresh diversions with it..
Behind the billboard, just in back of it, life is real.
Children play, and lovers hold each other, -aside,
earnestly, in the...Read more of this...
by Rilke, Rainer Maria

Ode to Meditation

...weary feet, 
'Till by her blest and cheering ray 
The clouds of sorrow fade away; 
Where conscious RECTITUDE retires; 
Instructive WISDOM; calm DESIRES; 
Prolific SCIENCE,­lab'ring ART; 
And GENIUS, with expanded heart. 

Far from thy lone and pure domain, 
Steals pallid GUILT, whose scowling eye 
Marks the rack'd soul's convulsive pain, 
Tho' hid beneath the mask of joy; 
Madd'ning AMBITION'S dauntless band; 
Lean AVARICE with iron hand; 
HYPOCRISY with fawning tongue; 
Sof...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Mary Darby

Preface to Hunting of the Snark

...the thing is wildly possible---the charge of writing 
nonsense were ever brought against the author of this brief but 
instructive poem, it would be based, I feel convinced, on the line 

``Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes'' 

In view of this painful possibility, I will not (as I might) appeal 
indignantly to my other writings as a proof that I am incapable of 
such a deed: I will not (as I might) point to the strong moral 
purpose of this poem itself, t...Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis

Psalm 94 part 1

...v.1,2,7-14 
C. M.
Saints chastised, and sinners destroyed; or, Instructive afflictions.

O God, to whom revenge belongs,
"Proclaim thy wrath aloud;
Let sovereign power redress our wrongs,
Let justice smite the proud.

They say, "The Lord nor sees nor hears:"
When will the fools be wise?
Can he be deaf who formed their ears?
Or blind, who made their eyes?

He knows their impious thoughts are vain,
And they shall feel his...Read more of this...
by Watts, Isaac


Sonnet XVII

...or parent would have done:Now chaste affection prompts her speech, now fear,Instructive speech, that points what several waysTo seek or shun, while journeying here below;Then all the ills of life she counts, and praysMy soul ere long may quit this terrene sphere:And by her words alone I'm soothed and freed from woe. 
Read more of this...
by Petrarch, Francesco

The Hunting Of The Snark

...and the thing is wildly possible--the charge of writing nonsense were ever brought against the author of this brief but instructive poem, it would be based, I feel convinced, on the line (in p.18) 

"Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes." 

In view of this painful possibility, I will not (as I might) appeal indignantly to my other writings as a proof that I am incapable of such a deed: I will not (as I might) point to the strong moral purpose of this poem its...Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis

The Rape of the Lock

...sometimes Tea.
Hither the Heroes and the Nymphs resort,
To taste awhile the Pleasures of a Court; 
In various Talk th' instructive hours they past,
Who gave the Ball, or paid the Visit last:
One speaks the Glory of the British Queen,
And one describes a charming Indian Screen.
A third interprets Motions, Looks, and Eyes;
At ev'ry Word a Reputation dies.
Snuff, or the Fan, supply each Pause of Chat,
With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that.

Mean while declining from the ...Read more of this...
by Pope, Alexander

The Rape of the Lock: Canto 3

...ometimes tea.
Hither the heroes and the nymphs resort,
To taste awhile the pleasures of a court;
In various talk th' instructive hours they pass'd,
Who gave the ball, or paid the visit last;
One speaks the glory of the British queen,
And one describes a charming Indian screen;
A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes;
At ev'ry word a reputation dies.
Snuff, or the fan, supply each pause of chat,
With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that.

Meanwhile, declinin...Read more of this...
by Pope, Alexander

The Swarm

...hat.
Elba, Elba, bleb on the sea!
The white busts of marshals, admirals, generals
Worming themselves into niches.

How instructive this is!
The dumb, banded bodies
Walking the plank draped with Mother France's upholstery
Into a new mausoleum,
An ivory palace, a crotch pine.

The man with gray hands smiles --
The smile of a man of business, intensely practical.
They are not hands at all
But asbestos receptacles.
Pom! Pom! 'They would have killed me.'

Stings big as drawing pi...Read more of this...
by Plath, Sylvia

The Task: Book IV The Winter Evening (excerpts)

...ient of his stay,
Down to the rosy west; but kindly still
Compensating his loss with added hours
Of social converse and instructive ease,
And gath'ring, at short notice, in one group
The family dispers'd, and fixing thought,
Not less dispers'd by day-light and its cares.
I crown thee king of intimate delights,
Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness,
And all the comforts that the lowly roof
Of undisturb'd retirement, and the hours
Of long uninterrupted ev'ning, know.
No rat...Read more of this...
by Cowper, William

The Vanity of Human Wishes (excerpts)

...are,
48 Th' insidious rival and the gaping heir.

49 Once more, Democritus, arise on earth,
50 With cheerful wisdom and instructive mirth,
51 See motley life in modern trappings dress'd,
52 And feed with varied fools th' eternal jest:
53 Thou who couldst laugh where want enchain'd caprice,
54 Toil crush'd conceit, and man was of a piece;
55 Where wealth unlov'd without a mourner died;
56 And scarce a sycophant was fed by pride;
57 Where ne'er was known the form of mock debate...Read more of this...
by Johnson, Samuel

There was an old man in a Marsh

...
There was an old man in a Marsh,Whose manners were futile and harsh;He sate on a log, and sang songs to a frog,That instructive old man in a Marsh. ...Read more of this...
by Lear, Edward

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