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Famous Shotgun Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Harjo, Joy
...see vision in a burned tortilla, some in the face of a woman.

This is the bar of broken survivors, the club of the shotgun, knife wound, of
poison by culture.We who were taught not to stare drank our beer.The
players gossiped down their cues.Someone put a quarter in the jukebox to
relive despair.Richard's wife dove to kill her.We had to keep her
still, while Richard secretly bought the beauty a drink.

How do I say it?In this language there are no...Read more of this...



by Berryman, John
...My mother has your shotgun. One man, wide
in the mind, and tendoned like a grizzly, pried
to his trigger-digit, pal.
He should not have done that, but, I guess,
he didn't feel the best, Sister,—felt less
and more about less than us . . . ?

Now—tell me, my love, if you recall
the dove light after dawn at the island and all—
here is the story, Jack:
he...Read more of this...

by Hicok, Bob
...pile that high, five or ten seconds 
of taking in and being taken in by eyes and a brain, 
during which I don't build a shotgun from what's at hand, 
oatmeal and National Geographics or a taser from hair 
caught in the drain and the million volts of frustration 
popping through my body. Even though. Even though his face 
is an abstract painting called Void. Even though 
I'm wondering if my pajama flap is open, placing me 
at a postural disadvantage. Breathe I ...Read more of this...

by McGough, Roger
...ed" he declared
"fingers, feet or toes"

He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game

The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out

"Please may I leave the room sir?"
a trembling vandal enquired
"Of course you may" said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired

The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din ...Read more of this...

by Fincke, Gary
...PR on
The carburetor while my three children shivered
Through the unanswerable questions about stalled.
He chose shotgun, full in the face, so no one stepped
Into the cold, blowing on his hands, to fix him.
Let him rest now, the minister says.  Let this be,
Repeating himself to four brothers, five sisters,
All of them my neighbors until they grew and left.
Let us pray.  Let us manage what we need to say.
Let this house with its three hand-made...Read more of this...



by Frost, Robert
...in my overalls, 
With a big stick, the same as when the cows 
Haven't come down to the bars at milking time? 
Or with a shotgun for a stray black bear? 
'Twouldn't seem real to climb for climbing it." 
"I shouldn't climb it if I didn't want to-- 
Not for the sake of climbing. What's its name?" 
"We call it Hor: I don't know if that's right." 
"Can one walk around it? Would it be too far?" 
"You can drive round and keep in Lunenburg, 
But it's as much as ever you c...Read more of this...

by Piercy, Marge
...unk is out risking grisly 
death to cross the highway to mate; 
while the fox scales the wire fence 
where it knows the shotgun lurks 
to taste the sweet blood of a hen. 
Birds are greedy little bombs 
bursting to give voice to appetite. 
I had a cat who died of love.
Dogs trail their masters across con-
tinents. We are far too busy 
to be starkly simple in passion. 
We will never dream the intense 
wet spring lust of the toads....Read more of this...

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