Famous Mae Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Mae Marsh Motion Picture Actress

by Vachel Lindsay
 I

The arts are old, old as the stones
From which man carved the sphinx austere.
Deep are the days the old arts bring:
Ten thousand years of yesteryear.


II

She is madonna in an art
As wild and young as her sweet eyes:
A frail dew flower from this hot lamp
That is today's divine surprise.

Despite raw lights and gloating mobs
She is not seared: a picture still:
Rare...Read more of this...

59. Death and Dr. Hornbook

by Robert Burns
 SOME books are lies frae end to end,
And some great lies were never penn’d:
Ev’n ministers they hae been kenn’d,
 In holy rapture,
A rousing whid at times to vend,
 And nail’t wi’ Scripture.


But this that I am gaun to tell,
Which lately on a night befell,
Is just as true’s the Deil’s in hell
 Or Dublin city:
That e’er he nearer comes oursel’
...Read more of this...

211. Song—My Hoggie

by Robert Burns
 WHAT will I do gin my Hoggie die?
 My joy, my pride, my Hoggie!
My only beast, I had nae mae,
 And vow but I was vogie!
The lee-lang night we watch’d the fauld,
 Me and my faithfu’ doggie;
We heard nocht but the roaring linn,
 Amang the braes sae scroggie.


But the houlet cry’d frau the castle wa’,
 The blitter frae the...Read more of this...

141. Tam Samson's Elegy

by Robert Burns
 HAS auld Kilmarnock seen the deil?
Or great Mackinlay 1 thrawn his heel?
Or Robertson 2 again grown weel,
 To preach an’ read?
“Na’ waur than a’! cries ilka chiel,
 “Tam Samson’s dead!”


Kilmarnock lang may grunt an’ grane,
An’ sigh, an’ sab, an’ greet her lane,
An’ cleed her bairns, man, wife, an’ wean,
 In mourning weed;
To Death she’s dearly pay’d the kane—
 Tam...Read more of this...

In Memoriam Mae Noblitt

by A R Ammons
 This is just a place:
we go around, distanced, 
yearly in a star's

atmosphere, turning 
daily into and out of 
direct light and

slanting through the 
quadrant seasons: deep 
space begins at our

heels, nearly rousing 
us loose: we look up 
or out so high, sight's

silk almost draws us away:
this is just a place:
currents worry themselves

coiled and free in airs 
and oceans: water...Read more of this...

338. Song—My Tocher's the Jewel

by Robert Burns
 O MEIKLE thinks my luve o’ my beauty,
 And meikle thinks my luve o’ my kin;
But little thinks my luve I ken brawlie
 My tocher’s the jewel has charms for him.
It’s a’ for the apple he’ll nourish the tree,
 It’s a’ for the hinny he’ll cherish the bee,
My laddie’s sae meikle in luve wi’ the siller,
 He canna hae...Read more of this...

86. The Auld Farmer's New-Year-Morning Salutation to his Auld Mare Maggie

by Robert Burns
 A GUID New-year I wish thee, Maggie!
Hae, there’s a ripp to thy auld baggie:
Tho’ thou’s howe-backit now, an’ knaggie,
 I’ve seen the day
Thou could hae gaen like ony staggie,
 Out-owre the lay.


Tho’ now thou’s dowie, stiff, an’ crazy,
An’ thy auld hide as white’s a daisie,
I’ve seen thee dappl’t, sleek an’ glaizie,
 A bonie gray:
He should been tight that daur’t...Read more of this...

96. The Inventory

by Robert Burns
 SIR, as your mandate did request,
I send you here a faithfu’ list,
O’ gudes an’ gear, an’ a’ my graith,
To which I’m clear to gi’e my aith.


 Imprimis, then, for carriage cattle,
I hae four brutes o’ gallant mettle,
As ever drew afore a pettle.
My hand-afore ’s a guid auld has-been,
An’ wight an’ wilfu’ a’ his days been:
My hand-ahin ’s a weel...Read more of this...

283. Song—Willie brew'd a Peck o' Maut

by Robert Burns
 O WILLIE 1 brew’d a peck o’ maut,
 And Rob and Allen cam to see;
Three blyther hearts, that lee-lang night,
 Ye wadna found in Christendie.


Chorus.—We are na fou, we’re nae that fou,
 But just a drappie in our ee;
The cock may craw, the day may daw
 And aye we’ll taste the barley bree.


Here are we met, three merry boys,
...Read more of this...

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