Famous Overthrown Poems by Famous Poets

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

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A Sunset

...d wrack; 
Afar the fragments strew the sky, and each envermeiled cone 
Hangeth, peak downward, overhead, like mountains overthrown 
When the earthquake heaves its hugy back. 

These vapors, with their leaden, golden, iron, bronzèd glows, 
Where the hurricane, the waterspout, thunder, and hell repose, 
Muttering hoarse dreams of destined harms,-- 
'Tis God who hangs their multitude amid the skiey deep, 
As a warrior that suspendeth from the roof-tree of his keep 
His dreadful ...Read more of this...
by Hugo, Victor


Alfred Lord Tennyson - The Coming Of Arthur

...a stainless wife to Gorlos, 
So loathed the bright dishonour of his love, 
That Gorlos and King Uther went to war: 
And overthrown was Gorlos and slain. 
Then Uther in his wrath and heat besieged 
Ygerne within Tintagil, where her men, 
Seeing the mighty swarm about their walls, 
Left her and fled, and Uther entered in, 
And there was none to call to but himself. 
So, compassed by the power of the King, 
Enforced was she to wed him in her tears, 
And with a shameful swiftness...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Balin and Balan

...n than all 
In Arthur's court; that also have we proved; 
For whatsoever knight against us came 
Or I or he have easily overthrown.' 
'I too,' said Arthur, 'am of Arthur's hall, 
But rather proven in his Paynim wars 
Than famous jousts; but see, or proven or not, 
Whether me likewise ye can overthrow.' 
And Arthur lightly smote the brethren down, 
And lightly so returned, and no man knew. 

Then Balin rose, and Balan, and beside 
The carolling water set themselves again, 
And...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

First Anniversary

...ee, 
Or rock so savage, but it mourned for thee: 
And all about was heard a panic groan, 
As if that Nature's self were overthrown. 
It seemed the earth did from the centre tear; 
It seemed the sun was fall'n out of the sphere: 
Justice obstructed lay, and reason fooled; 
Courage disheartened, and religion cooled. 
A dismal silence through the palace went, 
And then loud shrieks the vaulted marbles rent, 
Such as the dying chorus sings by turns, 
And to deaf seas, and ruthles...Read more of this...
by Marvell, Andrew

Gareth And Lynette

...accept thee aught the more 
Or love thee better, that by some device 
Full cowardly, or by mere unhappiness, 
Thou hast overthrown and slain thy master--thou!-- 
Dish-washer and broach-turner, loon!--to me 
Thou smellest all of kitchen as before.' 

'Damsel,' Sir Gareth answered gently, 'say 
Whate'er ye will, but whatsoe'er ye say, 
I leave not till I finish this fair quest, 
Or die therefore.' 

'Ay, wilt thou finish it? 
Sweet lord, how like a noble knight he talks! 
The l...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord


Guinevere

...The mightiest of my knights, abode with me, 
Have everywhere about this land of Christ 
In twelve great battles ruining overthrown. 
And knowest thou now from whence I come--from him 
From waging bitter war with him: and he, 
That did not shun to smite me in worse way, 
Had yet that grace of courtesy in him left, 
He spared to lift his hand against the King 
Who made him knight: but many a knight was slain; 
And many more, and all his kith and kin 
Clave to him, and abode in ...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

Hurry Up Please Its Time

...uler, being man. 
Yet waiting to die we are the same thing. 
Jehovah pleasures himself with his axe 
before we are both overthrown. 
Skeezix, you are me. La de dah. 
You grow a beard but our drool is identical. 

Forgive us, Father, for we know not. 

Today is November 14th, 1972. 
I live in Weston, Mass., Middlesex County, 
U.S.A., and it rains steadily 
in the pond like white puppy eyes. 
The pond is waiting for its skin. 
the pond is waiting for its leather. 
The pond is w...Read more of this...
by Sexton, Anne

Mont Blanc

...stined path, or in the mangled soil
Branchless and shattered stand; the rocks, drawn down
From yon remotest waste, have overthrown
The limits of the dead and living world,
Never to be reclaimed. The dwelling-place
Of insects, beasts, and birds, becomes its spoil
Their food and their retreat for ever gone,
So much of life and joy is lost. The race
Of man flies far in dread; his work and dwelling
Vanish, like smoke before the tempest's stream,
And their place is not known. Belo...Read more of this...
by Shelley, Percy Bysshe

Paradise Lost: Book 02

...now thee, stranger, who thou art-- *** 
That mighty leading Angel, who of late 
Made head against Heaven's King, though overthrown. 
I saw and heard; for such a numerous host 
Fled not in silence through the frighted Deep, 
With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, 
Confusion worse confounded; and Heaven-gates 
Poured out by millions her victorious bands, 
Pursuing. I upon my frontiers here 
Keep residence; if all I can will serve 
That little which is left so to defend, 
Encroached...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Paradise Lost: Book 06

...put not forth, but checked 
His thunder in mid volley; for he meant 
Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven: 
The overthrown he raised, and as a herd 
Of goats or timorous flock together thronged 
Drove them before him thunder-struck, pursued 
With terrours, and with furies, to the bounds 
And crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening wide, 
Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed 
Into the wasteful deep: The monstrous sight 
Struck them with horrour backward, but far ...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

Ruins of Rome by Bellay

...d fight against the Gods of heavenly birth, 
Whilst Jove at them his thunderbolts let fly; 
All suddenly with lightning overthrown, 
The furious squadrons down the ground did fall, 
That th' earth under her children's weight did groan, 
And th' heavens in glory triumphed over all: 
So did that haughty front which heapéd was 
On these seven Roman hills, itself uprear 
Over the world, and lift her lofty face 
Against the heaven, that 'gan her force to fear. 
But now these scorn...Read more of this...
by Spenser, Edmund

Samson Agonistes

...pe relieves me, that the strife 
With me hath end; all the contest is now
'Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum'd,
Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,
His Deity comparing and preferring
Before the God of Abraham. He, he sure,
Will not connive, or linger, thus provok'd,
But will arise and his great name assert:
Dagon must stoop, and shall e're long receive
Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him
Of all these boasted Trophies won on me, 
And with confusion blank his ...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

The Double Image

...foxes' snare.

In south light, her smile is held in place,
her cheeks wilting like a dry
orchid; my mocking mirror, my overthrown
love, my first image. She eyes me from that face
that stony head of death
I had outgrown.

The artist caught us at the turning;
we smiled in our canvas home
before we chose our foreknown separate ways.
The dry redfur fox coat was made for burning.
I rot on the wall, my own
Dorian Gray.

And this was the cave of the mirror,
that double woman who st...Read more of this...
by Sexton, Anne

The Everlasting Mercy

...slumber 
Though he lets pass times without number. 
He'll come with trump to call his own, 
And t his world's way'll be overthrown. 
He'll come with glory and with fire 
To cast great darkness on the liar, 
To burn the drunkard and the treacher, 
And do his judgment on the lecher, 
To glorify the spirit's faces 
Of those whose ways were stony places 
Who chose with Ruth the better part; 
O Lord, i see Thee as Thou are, 
O God, the fiery, four-edged sword, 
The thunder of the ...Read more of this...
by Masefield, John

The Great Adventure of Max Breuck

...y heart!
I love you, oh! you must indeed have known.
In strictest honour I have played my part;
But all this misery has overthrown
My scruples. If you love me, marry me
Before the sun has dipped behind those trees.
You cannot be wed twice, and Grootver, foiled,
Can eat his anger. My care it shall be
To pay your father's debt, by such degrees
As I can compass, and for years I've greatly toiled.

41
This is not haste, Christine, for long I've known
My love, and silence forced u...Read more of this...
by Lowell, Amy

The Man Against the Sky

...found or known. 
No tonic and ambitious irritant 
Of increase or of want 
Has made an otherwise insensate waste
Of ages overthrown 
A ruthless, veiled, implacable foretaste 
Of other ages that are still to be 
Depleted and rewarded variously 
Because a few, by fate’s economy,
Shall seem to move the world the way it goes; 
No soft evangel of equality, 
Safe-cradled in a communal repose 
That huddles into death and may at last 
Be covered well with equatorial snows—
And all for...Read more of this...
by Robinson, Edwin Arlington

The Man of Laws Tale

...strength
Her to defend against this renegate?
O Goliath, unmeasurable of length,
How mighte David make thee so mate?* *overthrown
So young, and of armour so desolate,* *devoid
How durst he look upon thy dreadful face?
Well may men see it was but Godde's grace.

Who gave Judith courage or hardiness
To slay him, Holofernes, in his tent,
And to deliver out of wretchedness
The people of God? I say for this intent
That right as God spirit of vigour sent
To them, and saved them ou...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey

The Marriage Of Geraint

...two things shalt thou do, or thou shalt die.' 
And Edyrn answered, 'These things will I do, 
For I have never yet been overthrown, 
And thou hast overthrown me, and my pride 
Is broken down, for Enid sees my fall!' 
And rising up, he rode to Arthur's court, 
And there the Queen forgave him easily. 
And being young, he changed and came to loathe 
His crime of traitor, slowly drew himself 
Bright from his old dark life, and fell at last 
In the great battle fighting for the Ki...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

The Rock and The Bubble

...ve not stirred 
this many a long day. 

"Great billows have dashed, 
And angry winds blown; 
But my sturdy form 
Is not overthrown. 

"Nothing can stir me 
In the air or sea; 
Then, how can I move, 
Little friend, for thee?" 

Then the waves all laughed 
In their voices sweet; 
And the sea-birds looked, 
From their rocky seat, 

At the bubble gay, 
Who angrily cried, 
While its round cheek glowed 
With a foolish pride,-- 

"You SHALL move for me; 
And you shall not mock 
At t...Read more of this...
by Alcott, Louisa May

The Three Voices

...issected, word by word,
His speech, half guessed at and half heard,
As might a cat a little bird. 

Then, having wholly overthrown
His views, and stripped them to the bone,
Proceeded to unfold her own. 

"Shall Man be Man? And shall he miss
Of other thoughts no thought but this,
Harmonious dews of sober bliss? 

"What boots it? Shall his fevered eye
Through towering nothingness descry
The grisly phantom hurry by? 

"And hear dumb shrieks that fill the air;
See mouths that gap...Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis

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