Famous Pow Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Rovers Rest

by Robert William Service
 By parents I would not be pinned,
 Nor in my home abide,
For I was wanton as the wind
 And tameless as the tide;
So scornful of domestic hearth,
 And bordered garden path,
I sought the wilder ways of earth,
 The roads of wrath.

It scares me now to think of how
 Foolhardily I fared;
Though mighty scarred of pelt and pow
 A dozen...Read more of this...

John Anderson

by Robert Burns
 John Anderson, my jo John,
When we were first acquent
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is bald, John,
Your locks are like the snow;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson my jo!

John Anderson, my jo John,
We clamb the hill thegither,
And mony a canty day, John,
We've had wi' ane anither:
Now we maun totter down, John,
But...Read more of this...

219. Song—To Daunton Me

by Robert Burns
 THE BLUDE-RED rose at Yule may blaw,
The simmer lilies bloom in snaw,
The frost may freeze the deepest sea;
But an auld man shall never daunton me.
Refrain.—To daunton me, to daunton me,
 And auld man shall never daunton me.


To daunton me, and me sae young,
Wi’ his fause heart and flatt’ring tongue,
That is the thing you shall never see,
For an auld man...Read more of this...

The Summing Up

by Robert William Service
 When you have sailed the seven seas
And looped the ends of earth,
You'll long at last for slippered ease
Beside a bonny hearth;
A cosy cottage in the sun,
A pleasant page to read -
You'll find when all is said and done,
That's nearly all you need. 

You may have pow-wowed with the Great
And played a potent part
In serious affairs of state,
But now with...Read more of this...

Violet De Vere

by Robert William Service
 You've heard of Violet de Vere, strip-teaser of renown,
Whose sitting-base out-faired the face of any girl in town;
Well, she was haled before the Bench for breachin' of the Peace,
Which signifies araisin' Cain, an' beatin' up the police.
So there she stood before the Court of ruddy Judge McGraw
Whom folks called Old Necessity, because he knew no law.
Aye, crackin' in a...Read more of this...

366. Song—The weary Pund o' Tow

by Robert Burns
 Chorus.—The weary pund, the weary pund,
 The weary pund o’ tow;
I think my wife will end her life,
 Before she spin her tow.


I BOUGHT my wife a stane o’ lint,
 As gude as e’er did grow,
And a’ that she has made o’ that
 Is ae puir pund o’ tow.
 The weary pund, &c.


There sat a bottle in a bole,
...Read more of this...

Bonny Dundee

by Sir Walter Scott
 To the Lords of Convention ’twas Claver’se who spoke. 
‘Ere the King’s crown shall fall there are crowns to be broke; 
So let each Cavalier who loves honour and me, 
Come follow the bonnet of Bonny Dundee. 
Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,
Come saddle your horses, and call up your men; 
Come open the West...Read more of this...

488. Song—The Winter of Life

by Robert Burns
 BUT lately seen in gladsome green,
 The woods rejoic’d the day,
Thro’ gentle showers, the laughing flowers
 In double pride were gay:
But now our joys are fled
 On winter blasts awa;
Yet maiden May, in rich array,
 Again shall bring them a’.


But my white pow, nae kindly thowe
 Shall melt the snaws of Age;
My trunk of eild, but buss or beild,
...Read more of this...

542. Song—Fragment—the Wren's Nest

by Robert Burns
 THE ROBIN to the Wren’s nest
 Cam keekin’ in, cam keekin’ in;
O weel’s me on your auld pow,
 Wad ye be in, wad ye be in?
Thou’s ne’er get leave to lie without,
 And I within, and I within,
Sae lang’s I hae an auld clout
 To rowe ye in, to rowe ye in....Read more of this...

61. Second Epistle to J. Lapraik

by Robert Burns
 WHILE new-ca’d kye rowte at the stake
An’ pownies reek in pleugh or braik,
This hour on e’enin’s edge I take,
 To own I’m debtor
To honest-hearted, auld Lapraik,
 For his kind letter.


Forjesket sair, with weary legs,
Rattlin the corn out-owre the rigs,
Or dealing thro’ amang the naigs
 Their ten-hours’ bite,
My awkart Muse sair pleads and begs
 I would na write.


The tapetless, ramfeezl’d...Read more of this...

To William Holden

by David Lehman
 (July 15) 

We know who 
the guards are 
in those POW 
movies with brutal 
but easy to 
fool fat Germans 
or sadistic Japanese 
who never smiled 
they're the grown-ups 
we're the kids 
that's the secret...Read more of this...

271. Song—John Anderson My Jo

by Robert Burns
 JOHN ANDERSON, my jo, John,
 When we were first acquent;
Your locks were like the raven,
 Your bonie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
 Your locks are like the snaw;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
 John Anderson, my jo.


John Anderson, my jo, John,
 We clamb the hill thegither;
And mony a cantie day, John,
 We’ve had wi’ ane...Read more of this...

Mammy

by Robert William Service
 I often wonder how
 Life clicks because
They don't make women now
 Like Mammy was.
When broods of two or three
 Content most men,
How wonderful was she
 With children ten!

Though sixty years have gone,
 As I look back,
I see her rise at dawn,
 Our boots to black;
Pull us from drowsy bed,
 Wet sponge to pass,
And speed us porridge fed
 To morning...Read more of this...

171. Burlesque Lament fo Wm. Creech's Absence

by Robert Burns
 AULD chuckie Reekie’s 1 sair distrest,
Down droops her ance weel burnish’d crest,
Nae joy her bonie buskit nest
 Can yield ava,
Her darling bird that she lo’es best—
 Willie’s awa!


O Willie was a witty wight,
And had o’ things an unco’ sleight,
Auld Reekie aye he keepit tight,
 And trig an’ braw:
But now they’ll busk her like a fright,—
 Willie’s awa!


The stiffest o’...Read more of this...

An Excursion Steamer Sunk in the Tay

by William Topaz McGonagall
 'Twas in the year of 1888, and on July the 14th day,
That an alarming accident occurred in the River Tay.
Which resulted in the sinking of the Tay Ferries' Steamer "Dundee,"
Which was a most painful and sickening sight to see. 

The Steamer was engaged by the Independent Order of Rechabites,
And all were resolved to see some rural sights;
And the place...Read more of this...

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