Famous These Things Happen Poems by Famous Poets

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

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The Hero

by Rabindranath Tagore
 Mother, let us imagine we are travelling, and passing through a
strange and dangerous country.
You are riding in a palanquin and I am trotting by you on a
red horse.
It is evening and the sun goes down. The waste of Joradighi
lies wan and grey before us. The land is desolate and barren.
You are frightened and thinking-"I know not where we have...Read more of this...

The Reason Why The Closet-Man Is Never Sad

by Russell Edson
 This is the house of the closet-man. There are no rooms, 
just hallways and closets.
 Things happen in rooms. He does not like things to 
happen . . . Closets, you take things out of closets, 
you put things into closets, and nothing happens . . . 

 Why do you have such a strange house? 

 I am...Read more of this...

Twilight: After Haying

by Jane Kenyon
 Yes, long shadows go out
from the bales; and yes, the soul
must part from the body:
what else could it do?

The men sprawl near the baler, 
too tired to leave the field.
They talk and smoke,
and the tips of their cigarettes
blaze like small roses 
in the night air. (It arrived
and settled among them
before they were aware.)

The moon comes 
to count the bales,
and...Read more of this...

Poetics

by Howard Nemerov
 You know the old story Ann Landers tells
About the houseife in her basement doing the wash?
She's wearing her nightie, and she thinks, "Well, hell,
I might's well put this in as well," and then
Being dripped on by a leaky pipe puts on
Her son's football helmet; whereupon
The meter reader happens to walk through
and "Lady," he gravely says, "I sure hope your...Read more of this...

Manuelzinho

by Elizabeth Bishop
 Half squatter, half tenant (no rent)—
a sort of inheritance; white,
in your thirties now, and supposed
to supply me with vegetables,
but you don't; or you won't; or you can't
get the idea through your brain—
the world's worst gardener since Cain.
Titled above me, your gardens
ravish my eyes. You edge
the beds of silver cabbages
with red carnations, and lettuces
mix with alyssum. And then
umbrella ants arrive,
or...Read more of this...

Anseo

by Paul Muldoon
 When the master was calling the roll
At the primary school in Collegelands,
You were meant to call back Anseo
And raise your hand 
As your name occurred.
Anseo, meaning here, here and now,
All present and correct,
Was the first word of Irish I spoke.
The last name on the ledger
Belonged to Joseph Mary Plunkett Ward
And was followed, as often as not,
By silence, knowing looks,...Read more of this...

Some Clouds

by Steve Kowit
 Now that I've unplugged the phone,
no one can reach me--
At least for this one afternoon
they will have to get by without my advice
or opinion.
Now nobody else is going to call
& ask in a tentative voice
if I haven't yet heard that she's dead,
that woman I once loved--
nothing but ashes scattered over a city
that barely itself any longer exists.
Yes, thank you,...Read more of this...

Lines Written In The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

by Elizabeth Bishop
 You won't become a gourmet* cook 
By studying our Fannie's book-- 
Her thoughts on Food & Keeping House 
Are scarcely those of Lévi-Strauss. 
Nevertheless, you'll find, Frank dear, 
The basic elements** are here. 
And if a problem should arise: 
The Soufflé fall before your eyes, 
Or strange things happen to the Rice 
--You know I love to give advice....Read more of this...

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