Famous Postman Poems by Famous Poets

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

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A Childs Christmas In Wales

...rew overnight on the roofs of the houses like a pure and grandfather moss, minutely -ivied the walls and
settled on the postman, opening the gate, like a dumb, numb thunder-storm of white, torn Christmas cards."

"Were there postmen then, too?"
"With sprinkling eyes and wind-cherried noses, on spread, frozen feet they crunched up to the doors and
mittened on them manfully. But all that the children could hear was a ringing of bells."
"You mean that the postman went rat-a-tat-...Read more of this...
by Thomas, Dylan


A Sick Child

...The postman comes when I am still in bed.
"Postman, what do you have for me today?"
I say to him. (But really I'm in bed.)
Then he says - what shall I have him say?

"This letter says that you are president
Of - this word here; it's a republic."
Tell them I can't answer right away.
"It's your duty." No, I'd rather just be sick.

Then he tells me there are letter...Read more of this...
by Jarrell, Randall

A Wife In London

...hough shaped so shortly: 
He--he has fallen--in the far South Land...

II

'Tis the morrow; the fog hangs thicker, 
The postman nears and goes: 
A letter is brought whose lines disclose 
By the firelight flicker 
His hand, whom the worm now knows:

Fresh--firm--penned in highest feather-- 
Page-full of his hoped return, 
And of home-planned jaunts of brake and burn 
In the summer weather, 
And of new love that they would learn....Read more of this...
by Hardy, Thomas

Camouflage

...Beside the bare and beaten track of travelling flocks and herds 
The woodpecker went tapping on, the postman of the birds, 
"I've got a letter here," he said, "that no one's understood, 
Addressed as follows: 'To the bird that's like a piece of wood.' 
"The soldier bird got very cross -- it wasn't meant for her; 
The spurwing plover had a try to stab me with a spur: 
The jackass laughed, and said the thing was written for a lark. 
I think I'll chuck this po...Read more of this...
by Paterson, Andrew Barton

Camouflage

...Beside the bare and beaten track of travelling flocks and herds 
The woodpecker went tapping on, the postman of the birds, 
"I've got a letter here," he said, "that no one's understood, 
Addressed as follows: 'To the bird that's like a piece of wood.' 
"The soldier bird got very cross -- it wasn't meant for her; 
The spurwing plover had a try to stab me with a spur: 
The jackass laughed, and said the thing was written for a lark. 
I think I'll chuck this po...Read more of this...
by Paterson, Andrew Barton


It Is A Spring Afternoon

...winter cave.
The scarecrow has plucked out
his two eyes like diamonds
and walked into the village.
The general and the postman
have taken off their packs.
This has all happened before
but nothing here is obsolete.
Everything here is possible.

Because of this
perhaps a young girl has laid down
her winter clothes and has casually
placed herself upon a tree limb
that hangs over a pool in the river.
She has been poured out onto the limb,
low above the houses of the fishes
as th...Read more of this...
by Sexton, Anne

The Bee Meeting

...s are waiting for,
This apparition in a green helmet,
Shining gloves and white suit.
Is it the butcher, the grocer, the postman, someone I know?

I cannot run, I am rooted, and the gorse hurts me
With its yellow purses, its spiky armory.
I could not run without having to run forever.
The white hive is snug as a virgin,
Sealing off her brood cells, her honey, and quietly humming.

Smoke rolls and scarves in the grove.
The mind of the hive thinks this is the end of everything.
...Read more of this...
by Plath, Sylvia

The Celebrated Woman - An Epistle By A Married Man

...-and not a look!
A sort of rushlight of a life,
Put out by that great orb--my wife!

Scarce is the morning gray--before
Postman and porter crowd the door;
No premier has so dear a levee--
She finds the mail-bag half its trade;
My God--the parcels are so heavy!
And not a parcel carriage-paid!
But then--the truth must be confessed--
They're all so charmingly addressed:
Whate'er they cost, they well requite her--
"To Madame Blank, the famous writer!"
Poor thing, she sleeps so so...Read more of this...
by Schiller, Friedrich von

The Frog Prince

...ssed into place.
Do not be afraid, Princess,
he said, I am not a vagabond,
a cattle farmer, a shepherd,
a doorkeeper, a postman
or a laborer.
I come to you as a tradesman.
I have something to sell.
Your ball, he said,
for just three things.
Let me eat from your plate.
Let me drink from your cup.
Let me sleep in your bed.
She thought, Old Waddler,
those three you will never do,
but she made the promises
with hopes for her ball once more.
He brought it up in his mouth
like a tr...Read more of this...
by Sexton, Anne

The Ghosts

...'n and Hell.)
Yet those two in the silence there, seemed less weariful than before.
Hark! a step on the garret stair, a postman knocks at the flimsy door.
"Registered letter!" Brown thrills with fear; opens, and reads, then bends above:
"Glorious tidings! Egypt, dear! The book is accepted -- life and love."...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

The Wicked Postman

...e from school.
What has happened to you that you look so strange?
Haven't you got a letter from father today?
I saw the postman bringing letters in his bag for almost
everybody in the town.
Only father's letters he keeps to read himself. I am sure the
postman is a wicked man.
But don't be unhappy about that, mother dear.
Tomorrow is market day in the next village. You ask your maid
to buy some pens and papers.
I myself will write all father's letters; you will not find
a sing...Read more of this...
by Tagore, Rabindranath

To England

...pril morning,
and the birds are falling into the trees
like chess pieces into an unplayed game,
and John Donne sees the postman coming up the street,
the postman walks very carefully because his cane
is made of glass....Read more of this...
by Brautigan, Richard

Young Fellow My Lad

...I sit
 Into the quiet night.

 * * * *

"What is the matter, Young Fellow My Lad?
 No letter again to-day.
Why did the postman look so sad,
 And sigh as he turned away?
I hear them tell that we've gained new ground,
 But a terrible price we've paid:
God grant, my boy, that you're safe and sound;
But oh I'm afraid, afraid."

 * * * *

"They've told me the truth, Young Fellow My Lad:
 You'll never come back again:
(Oh God! the dreams and the dreams I've had,
 and the hopes I'v...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William

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