Famous Succinct Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Cambridge Spring 1937

...At last the air fragrant, the bird's bubbling whistle
Succinct in the unknown unsettled trees:
O little Charles, beside the Georgian colleges
And milltown New England; at last the wind soft,
The sky unmoving, and the dead look
Of factory windows separate, at last,
From windows gray and wet:
 for now the sunlight
Thrashes its wet shellac on brickwalk and gutter,
White splinters streak midmorning and doorstep,
Wi...Read more of this...
by Schwartz, Delmore


Dream Song 93: General Fatigue stalked in and a Major-General

...auburn hairtidbits of youth's grey climb.
My beauty id off duty!-”

Henry relives a lady, how down vain,
spruce in her succinct parts, spruce everywhere.
They fed like muscles and lunched
after, between, before. He tracks her, hunched
(propped on red table elbows) at her telephone,
white rear bare in the air....Read more of this...
by Berryman, John

Paradise Lost: Book 03

...In curls on either cheek played; wings he wore 
Of many a coloured plume, sprinkled with gold; 
His habit fit for speed succinct, and held 
Before his decent steps a silver wand. 
He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, 
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned, 
Admonished by his ear, and straight was known 
The Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the seven 
Who in God's presence, nearest to his throne, 
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes 
That run through all the Heavens,...Read more of this...
by Milton, John

The Rape of the Lock

...d;
And four fair Queens whose hands sustain a Flow'r,
Th' expressive Emblem of their softer Pow'r;
Four Knaves in Garbs succinct, a trusty Band,
Caps on their heads, and Halberds in their hand;
And Particolour'd Troops, a shining Train,
Draw forth to Combat on the Velvet Plain.

The skilful Nymph reviews her Force with Care;
Let Spades be Trumps, she said, and Trumps they were.

Now move to War her Sable Matadores,
In Show like Leaders of the swarthy Moors.
Spadillio first, u...Read more of this...
by Pope, Alexander

The Rape of the Lock: Canto 3

...
And four fair Queens whose hands sustain a flow'r,
Th' expressive emblem of their softer pow'r;
Four Knaves in garbs succinct, a trusty band,
Caps on their heads, and halberds in their hand;
And parti-colour'd troops, a shining train,
Draw forth to combat on the velvet plain.

The skilful nymph reviews her force with care:
"Let Spades be trumps!" she said, and trumps they were.

Now move to war her sable Matadores,
In show like leaders of the swarthy Moors.
Spadi...Read more of this...
by Pope, Alexander


Victory

...ly instead of art we're eyeing
organisms traced and stained on cathedral transparencies
cruel blues embroidered purples succinct yellows
a beautiful tumor

•

I guess you're not alone I fear you're alone
There's, of course, poetry:
awful bridge rising over naked air: I first
took it as just a continuation of the road: 
"a masterpiece of engineering
praised, etc." then on the radio: 
"incline too steep for ease of, etc."
Drove it nonetheless because I had to
this being how— So...Read more of this...
by Rich, Adrienne

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