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Famous Off Hand Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by McGonagall, William Topaz
...ssel and went to Greenland 

And while Matthew was away at Greenland,
David Bately wanted to marry Annie Marshall right off hand,
But Annie refused to marry David Bately,
So in anger David Bately went another voyage to sea. 

A few nights after David Bately had gone to sea,
Annie's thoughts reverted to Matthew Pengelly,
And as she sat in the Downderry station watching the boiling waves below,
The wind blew a terrific gale, which filled her heart with woe. 

And as she...Read more of this...



by Hugo, Victor
...the wolves who slake 
 Their month-whet thirst. No captives, none! 
 We die or win! but should we die, 
 The lopped-off hand will wave on high 
 The broken brand to hail the sun! 


 




...Read more of this...

by Browning, Robert
...An imaginary composer.]

I.

Hist, but a word, fair and soft!
Forth and be judged, Master Hugues!
Answer the question I've put you so oft:
What do you mean by your mountainous fugues?
See, we're alone in the loft,---

II.

I, the poor organist here,
Hugues, the composer of note,
Dead though, and done with, this many a year:
Let's have a colloqu...Read more of this...

by Browning, Robert
...(PIANO DI SORRENTO.)

Fortu, Frotu, my beloved one,
Sit here by my side,
On my knees put up both little feet!
I was sure, if I tried,
I could make you laugh spite of Scirocco;
Now, open your eyes— 
Let me keep you amused till he vanish
In black from the skies,
With telling my memories over
As you tell your beads;
All the memories plucked at Sorrento
—T...Read more of this...

by Betjeman, John
...Golden haired and golden hearted
I would ever have you be,
As you were when last we parted
Smiling slow and sad at me.
Oh! the fighting down of passion!
Oh! the century-seeming pain-
Parting in this off-hand fashion
In Dungarvan in the rain.

Slanting eyes of blue, unweeping
Stands my Swedish beauty where
Gusts of Irish rain are sweeping
Round the ...Read more of this...



by Hardy, Thomas
...Had he and I but met 
By some old ancient inn, 
We should have set us down to wet 
Right many a nipperkin! 

But ranged as infantry, 
And staring face to face, 
I shot at him as he at me, 
And killed him in his place. 

I shot him dead because-- 
Because he was my foe, 
Just so: my foe of course he was; 
That's clear enough; although 

He thought he'd ...Read more of this...

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