Famous Petitions Poems by Famous Poets

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

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116. On a Scotch Bard gone to the West Indies

...social key;
For now he’s taen anither shore.
 An’ owre the sea!


The bonie lasses weel may wiss him,
And in their dear petitions place him:
The widows, wives, an’ a’ may bless him
 Wi’ tearfu’ e’e;
For weel I wat they’ll sairly miss him
 That’s owre the sea!


O Fortune, they hae room to grumble!
Hadst thou taen aff some drowsy bummle,
Wha can do nought but fyke an’ fumble,
 ’Twad been nae plea;
But he was gleg as ony wumble,
 That’s owre the sea!


Auld, cantie Kyle may wee...Read more of this...
by Burns, Robert


An A.b.c

... he made thee mistress                     *handmaid
Of heav'n and earth, our *billes up to bede;*   *offer up our petitions*
This world awaiteth ever on thy goodness;
For thou ne failedst never wight at need.

                               P.

Purpose I have sometime for to enquere
Wherefore and why the Holy Ghost thee sought,
When Gabrielis voice came to thine ear;
He not to war* us such a wonder wrought,                        *afflict
But for to save us, t...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey

Hymn 163

...thy feeble sheep:
Reveal the glory of thy power,
And chain him to the deep.

Must we indulge a long despair?
Shall our petitions die?
Our mourning's never reach thine ear,
Nor tears affect thine eye?]

If thou despise a mortal groan,
Yet hear a Savior's blood;
An Advocate so near the throne
Pleads and prevails with God.

He brought the Spirit's powerful sword
To slay our deadly foes;
Our sins shall die beneath thy word,
And hell in vain oppose.

How boundless is our Father's...Read more of this...
by Watts, Isaac

Hymn 37

...well, my soul, he died for thee,
And shed his vital blood;
Appeased stern justice on the tree,
And then arose to God.

Petitions now, and praise may rise,
And saints their off'rings bring;
The Priest, with his own sacrifice,
Presents them to the King.

[Let papists trust what names they please,
Their saints and angels boast;
We've no such advocates as these,
Nor pray to th' heav'nly host.]

Jesus alone shall bear my cries
Up to his Father's throne;
He, dearest Lord! perfumes...Read more of this...
by Watts, Isaac

Niobe in Distress

...ladies fair
"To give their incense to surrounding air?
"Say why this new sprung deity preferr'd?
"Why vainly fancy your petitions heard?
"Or say why Cæus offspring is obey'd,
"While to my goddesship no tribute's paid?
"For me no altars blaze with living fires,
"No bullock bleeds, no frankincense transpires,
"Tho' Cadmus' palace, not unknown to fame,
"And Phrygian nations all revere my name.
"Where'er I turn my eyes vast wealth I find,
"Lo! here an empress with a goddess join'...Read more of this...
by Wheatley, Phillis


Psalm 141

...bruise, but cheer my head.

When I behold them pressed with grief,
I'll cry to heav'n for their relief;
And by my warm petitions prove
How much I prize their faithful love....Read more of this...
by Watts, Isaac

The Vanity of Human Wishes (excerpts)

...is fate?
345 Must no dislike alarm, no wishes rise,
346 No cries attempt the mercies of the skies?
347 Enquirer, cease, petitions yet remain,
348 Which Heav'n may hear, nor deem religion vain.
349 Still raise for good the supplicating voice,
350 But leave to Heav'n the measure and the choice.
351 Safe in his pow'r, whose eyes discern afar
352 The secret ambush of a specious pray'r.
353 Implore his aid, in his decisions rest,
354 Secure whate'er he gives, he gives the best.
35...Read more of this...
by Johnson, Samuel

The world's annoys I rate not at one grain,

...e grain,
So I eat once a day I don't complain;
And, since earth's kitchen yields no solid food,
I pester no man with petitions vain....Read more of this...
by Khayyam, Omar

Whispering in Wattle -Boughs

...
On the gangway one mute handgrip we exchanged, 
Do you, past the grave, employ, for your stubborn reckless boy, 
Those petitions that in life were ne’er estranged? 

Oh, tell me, sister dear—parting word and parting tear 
Never passed between us: let me bear the blame— 
Are you living, girl, or dead? bitter tears since then I’ve shed 
For the lips that lisped with mine a mother’s name. 

Oh, tell me, ancient friend, ever ready to defend 
In our boyhood, at the base of life’s...Read more of this...
by Gordon, Adam Lindsay

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