Famous Shrift Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Guinevere

...k, unknown, among the nuns; 
Nor with them mixed, nor told her name, nor sought, 
Wrapt in her grief, for housel or for shrift, 
But communed only with the little maid, 
Who pleased her with a babbling heedlessness 
Which often lured her from herself; but now, 
This night, a rumour wildly blown about 
Came, that Sir Modred had usurped the realm, 
And leagued him with the heathen, while the King 
Was waging war on Lancelot: then she thought, 
`With what a hate the people and t...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord


Isabella or The Pot of Basil

...ey watch'd a time when they might sift
This hidden whim; and long they watch'd in vain;
For seldom did she go to chapel-shrift,
And seldom felt she any hunger-pain;
And when she left, she hurried back, as swift
As bird on wing to breast its eggs again;
And, patient as a hen-bird, sat her there
Beside her Basil, weeping through her hair.

LX.
Yet they contriv'd to steal the Basil-pot,
And to examine it in secret place:
The thing was vile with green and livid spot,
And yet they...Read more of this...
by Keats, John

The Sompnours Tale

...omas speak *a little throw:* *a little while*
These curates be so negligent and slow
To grope tenderly a conscience.
In shrift* and preaching is my diligence *confession
And study in Peter's wordes and in Paul's;
I walk and fishe Christian menne's souls,
To yield our Lord Jesus his proper rent;
To spread his word is alle mine intent."
"Now by your faith, O deare Sir," quoth she,
"Chide him right well, for sainte charity.
He is aye angry as is a pismire,* *ant
Though that he h...Read more of this...
by Chaucer, Geoffrey

The Talking Oak

...ist his girdle tight, and pat 
The girls upon the cheek, 

"Ere yet, in scorn of Peter's-pence, 
And number'd bead, and shrift, 
Bluff Harry broke into the spence 
And turn'd the cowls adrift: 

"And I have seen some score of those 
Fresh faces that would thrive 
When his man-minded offset rose 
To chase the deer at five; 

"And all that from the town would stroll, 
Till that wild wind made work 
In which the gloomy brewer's soul 
Went by me, like a stork: 

"The slight she-s...Read more of this...
by Tennyson, Alfred Lord

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