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Famous No Choice Poems by Famous Poets

These are examples of famous No Choice poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous no choice poems. These examples illustrate what a famous no choice poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry
......" he said, "Cat! ... Cat!..."

When I'm shot through heart and head,
And there's no choice but to die,
The last word I'll hear, no doubt,
Won't be "Charge!" or "Bomb them out!"
Nor the stretcher-bearer's cry,
"Let that body be, he's dead!"
But a voice cruel and flat
Saying for ever, "Cat! ... Cat! ... Cat!"...Read more of this...
by Graves, Robert



...s are singing still,
To crown, to challenge, and to kill; 
And if perforce there falls a voice 
On pious ears that have no choice 
Except to urge an erring hand 
To wreak its homage on the land,
Who of us that is worth his while 
Will, if he listen, more than smile? 

Who of us, being what he is, 
May scoff at others’ ecstasies? 
However we may shine to-day,
More-shining ones are on the way; 
And so it were not wholly well 
To be at odds with Azrael,— 
Nor were it kind of any...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Edwin Arlington
...a grace 
As though I would not, could I help it, take! 
An uniform I wear though over-rich-- 
Something imposed on me, no choice of mine; 
No fancy-dress worn for pure fancy's sake 
And despicable therefore! now folk kneel 
And kiss my hand--of course the Church's hand. 
Thus I am made, thus life is best for me, 
And thus that it should be I have procured; 
And thus it could not be another way, 
I venture to imagine. 



You'll reply, 
So far my choice, no doubt, is ...Read more of this...
by Browning, Robert
...br> 

Uninnocent, these conversations start, 
and then engage the senses, 
only half-meaning to. 
And then there is no choice, 
and then there is no sense; 

until a name 
and all its connotation are the same....Read more of this...
by Bishop, Elizabeth
...oo."

O Stars, sing in your harmony!
O Constellations raptly shine!
Flout me because I am not free,
Mock me because no choice is mine!
O Beauty, it so hurts to see!
 --O damnable Design!...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William



...after the coach
said this & which to him.
That happy day, whenas the pregnant back
of Number Two returned, and he'd no choice
but to make for it room.

Therefore he rowed rowed rowed. They did not win.
Forever in the winning & losing since
of his own crew, or rather
in the weird regattas of this afterworld,
cheer for the foe. He sat himself to time
the blue father....Read more of this...
by Berryman, John
...ng.
At last he said: "Poor lady, how thus long
Have I been able to endure that voice?
Fair Melody! kind Syren! I've no choice;
I must be thy sad servant evermore:
I cannot choose but kneel here and adore.
Alas, I must not think--by Phoebe, no!
Let me not think, soft Angel! shall it be so?
Say, beautifullest, shall I never think?
O thou could'st foster me beyond the brink
Of recollection! make my watchful care
Close up its bloodshot eyes, nor see despair!
Do gently mur...Read more of this...
by Keats, John
...mp seaweed-smelling sand.
What can we do but choose? The only way for human beings
is to choose. The fern has no choice but to live;
for this crime it receives earth water and night.

we close the door. "I have no claim on you."
Dusk comes. "The love I have had with you is enough."
We know we could live apart from the flock.
The sheldrake floats apart from the flock.
The oaktree puts out leaves alone on the lonely hillside.

...Read more of this...
by Bly, Robert
...yWhose buildings grope the sky:There is no such thing as the StateAnd no one exists alone;Hunger allows no choiceTo the citizen or the police;We must love one another or die. Defenceless under the nightOur world in stupor lies;Yet, dotted everywhere,Ironic points of lightFlash out wherever the JustExchange their messages:May I, composed like themOf Eros and of dust,Beleaguered by the sameNegation and despair,...Read more of this...
by Auden, Wystan Hugh (W H)
...s, 
He lifted his big Nonnan voice,
Shouting - 'Hands up who's coming to England.' 
That was swank 'cos they hadn't no choice.

They started away about tea-time - 
The sea was so calm and so still,
And at quarter to ten the next morning 
They arrived at a place called Bexhill.

King 'Arold came up as they landed - 
His face full of venom and 'ate - 
He said 'lf you've come for Regatta 
You've got here just six weeks too late.'

At this William rose, cool but '...Read more of this...
by Edgar, Marriott
...t 
But I hear him coughing all night long 
A hundred floors above me 
In the Tower of Song 
I was born like this, I had no choice 
I was born with the gift of a golden voice 
And twenty-seven angels from the Great Beyond 
They tied me to this table right here 
In the Tower of Song 
So you can stick your little pins in that voodoo doll 
I'm very sorry, baby, doesn't look like me at all 
I'm standing by the window where the light is strong 
Ah they don't let a woman kill you 
N...Read more of this...
by Cohen, Leonard
...brother Oakes, 
With you and with your artichokes: 
You have the vision, more or less.”

“By fate, that gives to me no choice, 
I have the vision and the voice: 
Dear Oliver, believe in me, 
And we shall see what we shall see; 
Henceforward let us both rejoice.”

“But first, while we have joy to spare 
We’ll plant a little here and there; 
And if you be not in the wrong, 
We’ll sing together such a song 
As no man yet sings anywhere.”

They planted and with fruitf...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Edwin Arlington

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Book: Reflection on the Important Things