Famous Overtake Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Seal Lullaby

by Rudyard Kipling
 Oh! hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us
And black are the waters that sparkled so green.
The moon, O'er the combers, looks downward to find us
At rest in the hollows that rustle between.
Where billow meets billow, there soft by the pillow.
Oh, weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease!
The storm shall not wake thee, no shark shall overtake thee
Asleep...Read more of this...

The Birds begun at Four oclock --

by Emily Dickinson
 The Birds begun at Four o'clock --
Their period for Dawn --
A Music numerous as space --
But neighboring as Noon --

I could not count their Force --
Their Voices did expend
As Brook by Brook bestows itself
To multiply the Pond.

Their Witnesses were not --
Except occasional man --
In homely industry arrayed --
To overtake the Morn --

Nor was it for applause --
That I could...Read more of this...

This heart that broke so long

by Emily Dickinson
 This heart that broke so long --
These feet that never flagged --
This faith that watched for star in vain,
Give gently to the dead --

Hound cannot overtake the Hare
That fluttered panting, here --
Nor any schoolboy rob the nest
Tenderness builded there....Read more of this...

Mowglis Song

by Rudyard Kipling
 The Song of Mowgli -- I, Mowgli, am singing. Let
 the jungle listen to the things I have done.
Shere Khan said he would kill -- would kill! At the
 gates in the twilight he would kill Mowgli, the
 Frog!
He ate and he drank. Drink deep, Shere Khan, for
 when wilt thou drink again? Sleep and dream
 of the kill.
I...Read more of this...

Like A Scarf

by James Tate
 The directions to the lunatic asylum were confusing,
more likely they were the random associations
and confused ramblings of a lunatic.
We arrived three hours late for lunch
and the lunatics were stacked up on their shelves,
quite neatly, I might add, giving credit where credit is due.
The orderlies were clearly very orderly, and they
should receive all the credit that is their due.
When I...Read more of this...

Wild Strawberries

by Robert Graves
 Strawberries that in gardens grow 
 Are plump and juicy fine, 
But sweeter far as wise men know 
 Spring from the woodland vine. 

No need for bowl or silver spoon, 
 Sugar or spice or cream, 
Has the wild berry plucked in June 
 Beside the trickling stream. 

One such to melt at the tongue's root, 
 Confounding...Read more of this...

A light exists in spring

by Emily Dickinson
A light exists in spring
   Not present on the year
At any other period.
   When March is scarcely here

A color stands abroad
   On solitary hills
That science cannot overtake,
   But human nature feels.

It waits upon the lawn;
   It shows the furthest tree
Upon the furthest slope we know;
   It almost speaks...Read more of this...

The Half-way House

by Gerard Manley Hopkins
 Love I was shewn upon the mountain-side
And bid to catch Him ere the dropp of day.
See, Love, I creep and Thou on wings dost ride: 
Love it is evening now and Thou away; 
Love, it grows darker here and Thou art above; 
Love, come down to me if Thy name be Love.

My national old Egyptian reed gave way; 
I...Read more of this...

Reverse cannot befall

by Emily Dickinson
 Reverse cannot befall
That fine Prosperity
Whose Sources are interior --
As soon -- Adversity

A Diamond -- overtake
In far -- Bolivian Ground --
Misfortune hath no implement
Could mar it -- if it found --...Read more of this...

Thrushes

by Ted Hughes
 Terrifying are the attent sleek thrushes on the lawn,
More coiled steel than living - a poised
Dark deadly eye, those delicate legs
Triggered to stirrings beyond sense - with a start, a bounce, 
a stab
Overtake the instant and drag out some writhing thing. 
No indolent procrastinations and no yawning states,
No sighs or head-scratchings. Nothing but bounce and stab 
And a ravening...Read more of this...

Like A Scarf

by Edward Taylor
 The directions to the lunatic asylum were confusing,
more likely they were the random associations
and confused ramblings of a lunatic.
We arrived three hours late for lunch
and the lunatics were stacked up on their shelves,
quite neatly, I might add, giving credit where credit is due.
The orderlies were clearly very orderly, and they
should receive all the credit that is their due.
When I...Read more of this...

Lovers Gifts II: Come to My Garden Walk

by Rabindranath Tagore
 Come to my garden walk, my love. Pass by the fervid flowers that
press themselves on your sight. Pass them by, stopping at some
chance joy, which like a sudden wonder of sunset illumines, yet
elude.
For lover's gift is shy, it never tells its name, it flits
across the shade, spreading a shiver of joy along the dust.
Overtake it or miss it for...Read more of this...

Love Is A Parallax

by Sylvia Plath
 'Perspective betrays with its dichotomy:
train tracks always meet, not here, but only
 in the impossible mind's eye;
horizons beat a retreat as we embark
on sophist seas to overtake that mark
 where wave pretends to drench real sky.' 

'Well then, if we agree, it is not odd
that one man's devil is another's god
 or that the solar spectrum is
a multitude of...Read more of this...

The Complaint Of A Forsaken Indian Woman

by William Wordsworth
[When a Northern Indian, from sickness, is unable to continue his journey with his companions; he is left behind, covered over with Deer-skins, and is supplied with water, food, and fuel if the situation of the place will afford it. He is informed of the track which his companions intend to pursue, and if he is unable to follow, or...Read more of this...

The Strange Lady

by William Cullen Bryant
 The summer morn is bright and fresh, the birds are darting by, 
As if they loved to breast the breeze that sweeps the cool dear sky; 
Young Albert, in the forest's edge, has heard a rustling sound 
An arrow slightly strikes his hand and falls upon the ground. 

A lovely woman from the wood comes suddenly in sight; 
Her...Read more of this...

The Admirers Of The Little Box

by Vasko Popa
 Sing little box

Don't let sleep overtake you
The world's awake within you

In your four-sided emptiness
We turn distance into nearness
Forgetfulness into memory

Don't let your nails come loose

For the very first time
We watch sights beyond this world
Through your keyhole

Turn your key in our mouths
Swallow words and numbers
Out of your song

Don't let your lid fly open
Your bottom drop

Sing little box...Read more of this...

When Dearest I But Think of Thee

by Sir John Suckling
 When, dearest I but think of thee,
Methinks all things that lovely be
Are present, and my soul delighted:
For beauties that from worth arise
Are like the grace of deities,
Still present with us, tho’ unsighted.

Thus while I sit and sigh the day
With all his borrow’d lights away,
Till night’s black wings do overtake me,
Thinking on thee, thy beauties then,
As sudden lights do sleepy...Read more of this...

Behold these cups! Can He who deigned to make them,

by Omar Khayyam
Behold these cups! Can He who deigned to make them,
In wanton freak let ruin overtake them,
So many shapely feet and hands and heads,—
What love drives Him to make, what wrath to break them?...Read more of this...

I fear a Man of frugal Speech --

by Emily Dickinson
 I fear a Man of frugal Speech --
I fear a Silent Man --
Haranguer -- I can overtake --
Or Babbler -- entertain --

But He who weigheth -- While the Rest --
Expend their furthest pound --
Of this Man -- I am wary --
I fear that He is Grand --...Read more of this...

Wet-weather Talk

by James Whitcomb Riley
 It hain't no use to grumble and complane;
 It's jest as cheap and easy to rejoice. --
When God sorts out the weather and sends rain,
 W'y rain's my choice.


Men ginerly, to all intents --
 Although they're apt to grumble some --
Puts most theyr trust in Providence,
 And takes things as they come --
 That is, the commonality
 Of men...Read more of this...

The Captain

by John McCrae
 Here all the day she swings from tide to tide,
Here all night long she tugs a rusted chain,
A masterless hulk that was a ship of pride,
Yet unashamed: her memories remain.

It was Nelson in the `Captain', Cape St. Vincent far alee,
With the `Vanguard' leading s'uth'ard in the haze --
Little Jervis and the Spaniards and the fight that was to be,
Twenty-seven...Read more of this...

Abandoned Dog

by Robert William Service
 They dumped it on the lonely road,
 Then like a streak they sped;
And as along the way I strode
 I thought that it was dead:
And then I saw that yelping pup
 Rise, race to catch them up.

You know how silly wee dogs are.
 It thought they were in fun.
Trying to overtake their car
 I saw it run and run:
But...Read more of this...

Merlin

by Edwin Arlington Robinson
 “Gawaine, Gawaine, what look ye for to see, 
So far beyond the faint edge of the world? 
D’ye look to see the lady Vivian, 
Pursued by divers ominous vile demons 
That have another king more fierce than ours?
Or think ye that if ye look far enough 
And hard enough into the feathery west 
Ye’ll have a glimmer of the...Read more of this...

The Dog

by Ogden Nash
 What I was doing with my white teeth exposed
like that on the side of the road I don't know,
and I don't know why I lay beside the sewer
so that the lover of dead things could come back
with is pencil sharpened and his piece of white paper.
I was there for a good two hours whistling
dirges, shrieking a little, terrifying
hearts with...Read more of this...

Psalm 07

by John Milton
 Aug. 14. 1653.
Upon The Words Of Chush The Benjamite Against Him.


Lord my God to thee I flie
Save me and secure me under
Thy protection while I crie
Least as a Lion (and no wonder)
He hast to tear my Soul asunder
Tearing and no rescue nigh.

Lord my God if I have thought
Or done this, if wickedness
Be in my hands, if I have wrought
Ill...Read more of this...

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