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Famous Pierced Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry
...s world alight,
Upon a cross to suffer his passioun,
And suffer'd eke that Longeus his heart pight,*              *pierced
And made his hearte-blood to run adown;
And all this was for my salvatioun:
And I to him am false and eke unkind,
And yet he wills not my damnation;
*This thank I you,* succour of all mankind!               *for this I am
                                                        indebted to you*
                               Y.

Ysaac was fig...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey



...ife,
and angrily struck, so that the hard blade sheared
through her neck, breaking the bone-rings—
the sword utterly pierced the fate flesh-house.
She collapsed to the floor, the sword was dripping—
the man rejoiced at his deed. (ll. 1557-69)

The beams of light brightened, a glow stood within
even like that from heaven, shining so clearly,
the candle of the skies. He gazed through the hall,
turning by the wall, heaving up his weapon,
hard by the hilt, Hygelac’s th...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,
...der hoary rock
the atheling dared the deed alone
fearful quest, nor was Fitela there.
Yet so it befell, his falchion pierced
that wondrous worm, -- on the wall it struck,
best blade; the dragon died in its blood.
Thus had the dread-one by daring achieved
over the ring-hoard to rule at will,
himself to pleasure; a sea-boat he loaded,
and bore on its bosom the beaming gold,
son of Waels; the worm was consumed.
He had of all heroes the highest renown
among races of m...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,
...e polished throat, and pressed
His hot and beating heart upon her chill and icy breast.

It was as if Numidian javelins
Pierced through and through his wild and whirling brain,
And his nerves thrilled like throbbing violins
In exquisite pulsation, and the pain
Was such sweet anguish that he never drew
His lips from hers till overhead the lark of warning flew.

They who have never seen the daylight peer
Into a darkened room, and drawn the curtain,
And with dull eyes and wearie...Read more of this...
by Wilde, Oscar
...
At break of dawn the scouts crept in to say
The foe was camped a rifle shot away.
The baying of a dog, an infant's cry
Pierced through the air; sleep fled from every eye.
To horse! to arms! the dead demand the dead! 
Let the grand charge upon the lodge be led! 
Let the Mosaic law, life for a life
Pay the long standing debt of blood. War to the knife! 

XIII.

So spake each heart in that unholy rage
Which fires the brain, when war the thoughts engage.
War, hideous war, appeal...Read more of this...
by Wilcox, Ella Wheeler



...whom naught can save!" 
 Aware was Eviradnus that if he 
 Turned for a blade unto the armory, 
 He would be instant pierced—what can he do? 
 The moment is for him supreme. But, lo! 
 He glances now at Ladisläus dead, 
 And with a smile triumphant and yet dread, 
 And air of lion caged to whom is shown 
 Some loophole of escape, he bends him down. 
 
 "Ha! ha! no other club than this I need!" 
 He cried, as seizing in his hands with speed 
 The dead King's heels,...Read more of this...
by Hugo, Victor
...Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good gifts, what god of heaven or what mortal man has rapt away Persephone and pierced with sorrow your dear heart? For I heard her voice, yet saw not with my eyes who it was. But I tell you truly and shortly all I know."

[Line 59] So, then, said Hecate. And the daughter of rich-haired Rhea answered her not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios, who is watchman of both gods and men,...Read more of this...
by Homer,
...ith spear and shield 
Had stretched the Monster Patent on the field; 
Keen Whorwood next, in aid of damsel frail, 
That pierced the giant Mordaunt through his mail; 
And surly Williams, the accountants' bane; 
And Lovelace young, of chimney-men the cane. 
Old Waller, trumpet-general, swore he'd write 
This combat truer than the naval fight. 
How'rd on's birth, wit, strength, courage much presumes 
And in his breast wears many Montezumes. 
These and some more with single valou...Read more of this...
by Marvell, Andrew
...I

PRELUDE

Daughter of Psyche, pledge of that last night
When, pierced with pain and bitter-sweet delight,
She knew her Love and saw her Lord depart,
Then breathed her wonder and her woe forlorn
Into a single cry, and thou wast born?
Thou flower of rapture and thou fruit of grief;
Invisible enchantress of the heart;
Mistress of charms that bring relief
To sorrow, and to joy impart
A heavenly tone that keeps it undefiled...Read more of this...
by Dyke, Henry Van
...cant 
Vows made in pain, as violent and void. 
For never can true reconcilement grow, 
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep: 
Which would but lead me to a worse relapse 
And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear 
Short intermission bought with double smart. 
This knows my Punisher; therefore as far 
From granting he, as I from begging, peace; 
All hope excluded thus, behold, in stead 
Mankind created, and for him this world. 
So farewell, hope; and with hope far...Read more of this...
by Milton, John
...nd one was safe and asleep in his bed 
Who at the bridge would be first to fall, 
Who that day would be lying dead, 
Pierced by a British musket-ball. 

You know the rest. In the books you have read, 
How the British Regulars fired and fled,-- 
How the farmers gave them ball for ball, 
From behind each fence and farmyard-wall, 
Chasing the red-coats down the lane, 
Then crossing the fields to emerge again 
Under the trees at the turn of the road, 
And only pausing...Read more of this...
by Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
...ng!" 

V. 

No sound from Selim's lip was heard, 
At least that met old Giaffir's ear, 
But every frown and every word 
Pierced keener than a Christian's sword. 
"Son of a slave! — reproach'd with fear! 
Those gibes had cost another dear. 
Son of a slave! and who my sire?" 
Thus held his thoughts their dark career, 
And glances ev'n of more than ire 
Flash forth, then faintly disappear. 
Old Giaffir gazed upon his son 
And started; for within his eye 
He read how much his wra...Read more of this...
by Byron, George (Lord)
...And seen white Atalanta fleet of foot
In passionless and fierce virginity
Hunting the tusked boar, his honied lute
Hath pierced the cavern of the hollow hill,
And Venus laughs to know one knee will bow before her still.

And he hath kissed the lips of Proserpine,
And sung the Galilaean's requiem,
That wounded forehead dashed with blood and wine
He hath discrowned, the Ancient Gods in him
Have found their last, most ardent worshipper,
And the new Sign grows grey and dim before...Read more of this...
by Wilde, Oscar
...our name;
You have a manuscript, they say, worth a thousand -- think, man! the shame. . . ."
Brown with his heart pain-pierced the while, with his stern, starved face,
 and his lips stone-pale,
Shuddered and smiled his twisted smile: "Brother, I guess you go to gaol."

While poor Brown in the leer of dawn wrestled with God for the sacred fire,
Came there a woman weak and wan, out of the mob, the murk, the mire;
Frail as a reed, a fellow ghost, weary with woe, with sorrowing;...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William
...repared;—and from the rock
     A goat, the patriarch of the flock,
     Before the kindling pile was laid,
     And pierced by Roderick's ready blade.
     Patient the sickening victim eyed
     The life-blood ebb in crimson tide
     Down his clogged beard and shaggy limb,
     Till darkness glazed his eyeballs dim.
     The grisly priest, with murmuring prayer,
     A slender crosslet framed with care,
     A cubit's length in measure due;
     The shaft and lim...Read more of this...
by Scott, Sir Walter
...ncitement, egging on
Mankind was lorn,* and damned aye to die; *lost
For which thy child was on a cross y-rent:* *torn, pierced
Thy blissful eyen saw all his torment,
Then is there no comparison between
Thy woe, and any woe man may sustene.

"Thou saw'st thy child y-slain before thine eyen,
And yet now lives my little child, parfay:* *by my faith
Now, lady bright, to whom the woeful cryen,
Thou glory of womanhood, thou faire may,* *maid
Thou haven of refuge, bright star of da...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey
...hat is, the Present Company." 

Baffled, she gave a wolfish bark:
He, aiming blindly in the dark,
With random shaft had pierced the mark. 

She felt that her defeat was plain,
Yet madly strove with might and main
To get the upper hand again. 

Fixing her eyes upon the beach,
As though unconscious of his speech,
She said "Each gives to more than each." 

He could not answer yea or nay:
He faltered "Gifts may pass away."
Yet knew not what he meant to say. 

"If that be so," she...Read more of this...
by Carroll, Lewis
...ed about the corpse? The funeral 
Made the attraction, and the black the woe. 
There throbbed not there a thought which pierced the pall; 
And when the gorgeous coffin was laid low, 
It seamed the mockery of hell to fold 
The rottenness of eighty years in gold. 

XI 

So mix his body with the dust! It might 
Return to what it must far sooner, were 
The natural compound left alone to fight 
Its way back into earth, and fire, and air; 
But the unnatural balsams merely blight 
W...Read more of this...
by Byron, George (Lord)
...mble ever
Like things which every cloud can doom to die,--
Through lotus-paven canals, and wheresoever
The works of man pierced that serenest sky
With tombs and towers and fanes,--'twas her delight
To wander in the shadow of the night.

With motion like the spirit of that wind
Whose soft step deepens slumber, her light feet
Passed through the peopled haunts of humankind,
Scattering sweet visions from her presence sweet,--
Through fane and palace-court, and labyrinth mined
Wit...Read more of this...
by Shelley, Percy Bysshe
...red house I avoid on purpose,
Your red house murky river beside,
But I know, that I am disturbing
Gravely your heart-pierced respite.

Would it weren't you that, on to my lips pressing,
Prayed of love, and for love did wish,
Would it weren't you that with golden verses
Immortalized my anguish

Over future I do secret magic
If the evening is truly blue,
And I divine a second meeting,
Unavoidable meeting with you.



x x x

How spacious are these squares,
...Read more of this...
by Akhmatova, Anna

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Book: Reflection on the Important Things