Famous Made Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Before The World Was Made

by William Butler Yeats
 If I make the lashes dark 
And the eyes more bright 
And the lips more scarlet, 
Or ask if all be right 
From mirror after mirror, 
No vanity's displayed: 
I'm looking for the face I had 
Before the world was made. 

What if I look upon a man 
As though on my beloved, 
And my blood be cold the...Read more of this...

54. Man was made to Mourn: A Dirge

by Robert Burns
 WHEN chill November’s surly blast
 Made fields and forests bare,
One ev’ning, as I wander’d forth
 Along the banks of Ayr,
I spied a man, whose aged step
 Seem’d weary, worn with care;
His face furrow’d o’er with years,
 And hoary was his hair.


“Young stranger, whither wand’rest thou?”
 Began the rev’rend sage;
“Does thirst of wealth thy step constrain,
 Or youthful pleasure’s rage?
Or...Read more of this...

Holy Sonnet I: Tho Has Made Me

by John Donne
 Tho has made me, and shall thy work decay?
Repair me now, for now mine end doth haste;
I run to death, and death meets me as fast,
And all my pleasures are like yesterday.
I dare not move my dim eyes any way,
Despair behind, and death before doth cast
Such terror, and my feeble flesh doth waste
By sin in it, which it towards...Read more of this...

524. Song—The lass that made the bed to me

by Robert Burns
 WHEN Januar’ wind was blawing cauld,
 As to the north I took my way,
The mirksome night did me enfauld,
 I knew na where to lodge till day:


By my gude luck a maid I met,
 Just in the middle o’ my care,
And kindly she did me invite
 To walk into a chamber fair.


I bow’d fu’ low unto this maid,
 And...Read more of this...

Self-Made Man

by Robert William Service
 A hundred people I employed,
But when they struck for higher pay,
I was so damnably annoyed
I told them they could stay away.
I simply shut my business down;
I closed my doors and locked them out,
And now you'll find all round the town
A lot of idle men about.

Of course I know it is my loss,
And I their point of view can see,
But...Read more of this...

Note how the zephyrs have made the roses bloom!

by Omar Khayyam
Note how the zephyrs have made the roses bloom!
Note how their fragrant beauty glads the nightingale!
Go, then, repose in the shadow of these flowers, for
very speedily they depart from the earth and very often
ne'er return again....Read more of this...

He who has made the foundations of the world, the

by Omar Khayyam
He who has made the foundations of the world, the
wheel of the heavens, how He has crucified the heart of
man with affliction! How many ruby-colored lips has He
buried in this little globe of earth! How many locks of
hair perfumed with musk has He hidden in the bosom of
the dust!...Read more of this...

The Ships Are Made Ready In Silence

by W S Merwin
 Moored to the same ring:
The hour, the darkness and I,
Our compasses hooded like falcons.

Now the memory of you comes aching in
With a wash of broken bits which never left port
In which once we planned voyages,
They come knocking like hearts asking:
What departures on this tide?

Breath of land, warm breath,
You tighten the cold around the navel,
Though all shores but the first...Read more of this...

Upon the saying that my VERSES were made by another

by Anne Killigrew
 NExt Heaven my Vows to thee (O Sacred Muse! ) 
I offer'd up, nor didst thou them refuse. 
 O Queen of Verse, said I, if thou'lt inspire, 
And warm my Soul with thy Poetique Fire, 
No Love of Gold shall share with thee my Heart, 
Or yet Ambition in my Brest have Part, 
More Rich, more Noble I...Read more of this...

Holy Sonnet V: I Am A Little World Made Cunningly

by John Donne
 I am a little world made cunningly
Of elements, and an angelic sprite;
But black sin hath betrayed to endless night
My worlds both parts, and (oh!) both parts must die.
You which beyond that heaven which was most high
Have found new spheres, and of new lands can write,
Pour new seas in mine eyes, that so I might
Drown my world with my weeping...Read more of this...

Sonnets LIII: What is your substance whereof are you made

by William Shakespeare
 What is your substance, whereof are you made,
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
Since everyone hath, everyone, one shade,
And you, but one, can every shadow lend.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Is poorly imitated after you;
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
And you in Grecian tires are painted new.
Speak of the spring and foison of the year,
The one doth...Read more of this...

God made no act without a cause

by Emily Dickinson
 God made no act without a cause,
Nor heart without an aim,
Our inference is premature,
Our premises to blame....Read more of this...

On A Watch Made By A Blacksmith

by William Strode
 A Vulcan and a Venus seldom part.
A blacksmith never us'd to filinge art
Beyond a lock and key, for Venus' sake
Hath cut a watch soe small that sence will ake
In searching every wire, and subtile sphere
Which his industrious skill hath order'd theire:
It scarce outswells a nut, and is soe light
A Ladies eare might well indure the weight.
Twas for a Mistrisse:...Read more of this...

I Made A Mistake

by Charles Bukowski
 I reached up into the top of the closet
and took out a pair of blue panties
and showed them to her and
asked "are these yours?" 
and she looked and said,
"no, those belong to a dog." 
she left after that and I haven't seen
her since. she's not at her place.
I keep going there, leaving notes stuck
into the door. I go back...Read more of this...

Before you are made drunk by the cup of death, before

by Omar Khayyam
Before you are made drunk by the cup of death, before
the revolutions of time are full behind you, endeavor
to make a foundation here below, for you will profit
nothing by going away empty-handed....Read more of this...

Dream Song 25: Henry edged decidedly made up stories

by John Berryman
 Henry, edged, decidedly, made up stories
lighting the past of Henry, of his glorious
present, and his hoaries,
all the bight heals he tamped-” -”Euphoria,
Mr Bones, euphoria. Fate clobber all.
-”Hand me back my crawl,

condign Heaven. Tighten into a ball
elongate & valved Henry. Tuck him peace.
Render him sightless,
or ruin at high rate his crampon focus,
wipe out his need. Reduce him to the rest...Read more of this...

There is a chalice made with wit profound,

by Omar Khayyam
There is a chalice made with wit profound,
With tokens of the Maker's favour crowned;
Yet the world's Potter takes his masterpiece,
And dashes it to pieces on the ground!...Read more of this...

Sonnet 53: What is your substance whereof are you made

by William Shakespeare
 What is your substance, whereof are you made,
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
Since everyone hath, every one, one shade,
And you, but one, can every shadow lend.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Is poorly imitated after you;
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
And you in Grecian tires are painted new.
Speak of the spring, and foison of the year;
The one...Read more of this...

Dream Song 116: Through the forest followed Henry made his silky way

by John Berryman
 Through the forest, followed, Henry made his silky way,
No chickadee was troubled, small moss smiled 
on his swift passage.
But there were those ahead when at midday
they met in a clearing and lookt at each other awhile.
To kill was not the message.

He only could go with them-”odds? 20 to one-and-a-half;
pointless. Besides, palaver with the High Chief
might advance THE CAUSE.
Undoubtedly down...Read more of this...

Astrophel and Stella VII: WhenNature Made her Chief Work

by Sir Philip Sidney
 When Nature made her chief work, Stella's eyes,
In colour black why wrapt she beams so bright?
Would she in beamy black, like painter wise,
Frame daintiest lustre, mix'd of shades and light?
Or did she else that sober hue devise,
In object best to knit and strength our sight;
Lest, if no veil these brave gleams did disguise,
They, sunlike, should more dazzle than delight?
Or...Read more of this...

Sonnet 58: That god forbid that made me first your slave

by William Shakespeare
 That god forbid, that made me first your slave,
I should in thought control your times of pleasure,
Or at your hand th' account of hours to crave,
Being your vassal bound to stay your leisure!
O, let me suffer, being at your beck,
Th' imprisoned absence of your liberty,
And patience tame to sufferance, bide each check,
Without accusing you of injury.
Be where you list,...Read more of this...

Now that the nightingale has made its voice heard,

by Omar Khayyam
Now that the nightingale has made its voice heard,
think no longer of anything, but seize the ruby cup of
wine from the hand of the drinkers; arise, come, for the
rose blossoms are breathing out joy; avenge thyself,
avenge thyself for two or three days for the torments
thou hast endured....Read more of this...

A little road not made of man

by Emily Dickinson
A little road not made of man,
Enabled of the eye,
Accessible to thill of bee,
Or cart of butterfly.

If town it have, beyond itself,
'T is that I cannot say;
I only sigh,--no vehicle
Bears me along that way....Read more of this...

God made a little gentian

by Emily Dickinson
God made a little gentian;
It tried to be a rose
And failed, and all the summer laughed.
But just before the snows
There came a purple creature
That ravished all the hill;
And summer hid her forehead,
And mockery was still.
The frosts were her condition;
The Tyrian would not come
Until the North evoked it.
"Creator! shall I bloom?"...Read more of this...

Though sin hath made me ugly and forlorn, not without

by Omar Khayyam
Though sin hath made me ugly and forlorn, not without
hope am I like some idolater relying on his temple
gods. So, on the morn I die of yesternight's carouse,
give me some wine and call the one Beloved, for Hell
and Paradise are one to me....Read more of this...

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