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Famous Vexation Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry
...e douce folk I’ve borne aboon the broo,
Were ye but here, what would ye say or do?
How would your spirits groan in deep vexation,
To see each melancholy alteration;
And, agonising, curse the time and place
When ye begat the base degen’rate race!
Nae langer rev’rend men, their country’s glory,
In plain braid Scots hold forth a plain braid story;
Nae langer thrifty citizens, an’ douce,
Meet owre a pint, or in the Council-house;
But staumrel, corky-headed, graceless Gentry,
The ...Read more of this...
by Burns, Robert



...own power
And well-laid bottom, on the iron and rock,
Which tries, and counter-stands the shock
And ram of time, and by vexation grows
The stronger. Virtue dies when foes
Are wanting to her exercise, but, great
And large she spreads by dust and sweat.
Safe stand thy walls, and thee, and so both will,
Since neither's height was raised by th'ill
Of others; since no stud, no stone, no piece
Was rear'd up by the poor-man's fleece;
No widow's tenement was rack'd to gild
Or fret th...Read more of this...
by Herrick, Robert
...tate, his mind, his body break--
201 From some of these he never finds cessation
202 But day or night, within, without, vexation,
203 Troubles from foes, from friends, from dearest, near'st Relation. 

30 

204 And yet this sinful creature, frail and vain,
205 This lump of wretchedness, of sin and sorrow,
206 This weather-beaten vessel wrackt with pain,
207 Joys not in hope of an eternal morrow.
208 Nor all his losses, crosses, and vexation,
209 In weight, in frequency and lo...Read more of this...
by Bradstreet, Anne
...-Children Street.

Though elsewhere the world be o'erburdened with care,
Though poverty fall to my lot,
Though toil and vexation be always my share,
What care I - they trouble me not!
This thought maketh life ever joyous and Sweet:
There's a dear little home in Good-Children street....Read more of this...
by Field, Eugene
...Page_67" target="_blank">[Pg 67]No foeman shall appall me.
Upon thy breast
Secure I rest,
From sorrow and vexation;
No more by sinful cares oppressed,
But in thy presence ever blest,
O God of my salvation.
...Read more of this...
by Laurence Dunbar, Paul



...d Tom that broke glasses 
(Sad mischiefs thro' which a good housekeeper passes!) 

From some real care but more fancied vexation, 
From a life parti-colour'd half reason half passion, 
Here lies after all the best wench in the nation. 

From the Rhine to the Po, from the Thames to the Rhone, 
Joanna or Janneton, Jinny or Joan, 
'Twas all one to her by what name she was known. 

For the idiom of words very little she heeded, 
Provided the matter she drove at succeeded, 
She to...Read more of this...
by Prior, Matthew
...Keep from the trouble and vexation of aiming to acquire
white silver or yellow gold. Eat with thy friend,
ere thy warm breath be cooled, for after thee come enemies
who will eat thee....Read more of this...
by Khayyam, Omar
...Multiplication is vexation,    Division is as bad;The Rule of Three doth puzzle me,    And Practice drives me mad....Read more of this...
by Goose, Mother
...e station at night. 

And life has grown dull on the station, 
The boys are all silent and slow; 
Their work is a daily vexation, 
And sport is unknown to them now. 
Whenever they think how they stranded, 
They squeal just as guinea-pigs squeal; 
They'd bit their own hook, and were landed 
With fifty pounds loss on the deal....Read more of this...
by Paterson, Andrew Barton
...or old,
5.88 To mean, to noble, fearful, or to bold.
5.89 From King to beggar, all degrees shall find
5.90 But vanity, vexation of the mind.
5.91 Yea, knowing much, the pleasant'st life of all
5.92 Hath yet amongst that sweet, some bitter gall.
5.93 Though reading others' Works doth much refresh,
5.94 Yet studying much brings weariness to th' flesh.
5.95 My studies, labours, readings all are done,
5.96 And my last period can e'en elmost run.
5.97 Corruption, my Father, I do ...Read more of this...
by Bradstreet, Anne
...t's desire,
And twice a year I span its girth,
 Its beauty to admire.
But when a pub I seek each night,
 To my profound vexation
On form they hand me I've to write
 My occupation.

So once in a derisive mood
 My pen I nibbled;
And though I know I never should:
 'Gangster' I scribbled.
But as the clerk with startled face
 Looked stark suspicion,
I blurred it out and in its place
 Put 'Politician.'

Then suddenly dissolved his frown;
 His face fused to a grin,
As humorously he ...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William
...to-day in joy hast drown'd.

SOLO.

Brief must be my explanation,

For I really have done nought.
Free from trouble and vexation,

I a landlord's business bought.
There I've done, with all due ardour,

All that duty order'd me;
Each one ask'd me for the larder,

And there was no scarcity.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round!
For all sighs and groans of anguish

Thou to-day in joy hast drown'd.

LEADER.

Each should thus make proclamation

...Read more of this...
by von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang
...d a silver sage
 With race nigh run:
'Tell me in old of age
 Your wisdom won?'
Said he: 'From fret and strife
 And vain vexation,
The all I've learned from life
 Is--Resignation.'

I asked a Bard who thrummed
 A harp clay-cold:
'How is your story summed
 Now you are old?'
Though golden voice was his,
 And fame had he,
He sighed: 'The finish is
 --Futility.'

I'm old; I have no wealth
 Toil to reward;
Yet for the boon of health
 I thank the Lord.
While Beauty I can see,
 To li...Read more of this...
by Service, Robert William
...AND now, ye lying Vanities of Life!
You ever-tempting, ever-cheating Train!
Where are you now? and what is your Amount?
Vexation, Disappointment, and Remorse. 
Sad, sickening, Thought! and yet, deluded Man,
A Scene of wild, disjointed, Visions past,
And broken Slumbers, rises, still resolv'd,
With new-flush'd Hopes, to run your giddy Round.

FATHER of Light, and Life! Thou Good Supreme! 
O! teach me what is Good! teach me thy self!
Save me from Folly, Vanity and Vice,
From ev...Read more of this...
by Thomson, James
...s inward narrow crooked lanes
Do purge sea waters fretful salt away,
I thought, if I could draw my pains
Through rhymes vexation, I should them allay.
Grief brought to numbers cannot be so fierce,
For he tames it that fetters it in verse.

But when I have done so,
Some man, his art and voice to show,
Doth set and sing my pain,
And, by delighting many, frees again
Grief, which verse did restrain.
To Love and Grief tribute of verse belongs,
But not of such as pleases when 'tis ...Read more of this...
by Donne, John
...sdom, learning, arts?
Sure if on earth, it must be in those parts;
Yet these the wisest man of men did find
But vanity, vexation of the mind.
And he that know the most doth still bemoan
He knows not all that here is to be known.
What is it then? To do as stoics tell,
Nor laugh, nor weep, let things go ill or well?
Such stoics are but stocks, such teaching vain,
While man is man, he shall have ease or pain.
If not in honor, beauty, age, nor treasure,
Nor yet in learning, wisdo...Read more of this...
by Bradstreet, Anne

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Book: Reflection on the Important Things