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Famous Waistcoat Poems by Famous Poets

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

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by Lawson, Henry
...
Frayed and greened -- 
Like a man whose other coat is 
Being cleaned; 
Gone for ever round the edging 
Past repair -- 
Waistcoat pockets frayed with dredging 
After `sprats' no longer there. 

Wearing summer boots in June, or 
Slippers worn and old -- 
Like a man whose other shoon are 
Getting soled. 
Pants? They're far from being recent -- 
But, perhaps, I'd better not -- 
Says they are the only decent 
Pair he's got. 

And his hat, I am afraid, is 
Troubling hi...Read more of this...



by von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang
...ch the queen the page hies him fast,

Midst the swords and the fans crowded thickly.

The queen spied amain

On his waistcoat a stain;
For nought was inscrutable to her,
Like Sheba's queen--Solomon's wooer.

To her chief attendant she forthwith cried

"We lately together contended,
And thou didst assert, with obstinate pride,

That the spirit through space never wended,--

That traces alone

By the present were shown,--
That afar nought was fashion'd--not even
By the ...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...the face, and they scarcely could trace
The least likeness to what he had been: 
While so great was the fright that his waistcoat turned white--
A wonderful thing to be seen! 

To the horror of all who were present that day, 
He uprose in full evening dress, 
And with senseless grimaces endeavoured to say
What his tongue could no longer express. 

Down he sank in a chair--ran his hands through his hair--
And chanted in mimsiest tones
Words whose utter inanity proved his i...Read more of this...

by Austen, Jane
...Happy the lab'rer in his Sunday clothes!
In light-drab coat, smart waistcoat, well-darn'd hose,
Andhat upon his head, to church he goes;
As oft, with conscious pride, he downward throws
A glance upon the ample cabbage rose
That, stuck in button-hole, regales his nose,
He envies not the gayest London beaux.
In church he takes his seat among the rows,
Pays to the place the reverence he owes,
Likes best the prayers whose m...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...hold a scroll of something,
Hold it firmly in his left-hand;
He would keep his right-hand buried
(Like Napoleon) in his waistcoat;
He would contemplate the distance
With a look of pensive meaning,
As of ducks that die ill tempests. 

Grand, heroic was the notion:
Yet the picture failed entirely:
Failed, because he moved a little,
Moved, because he couldn't help it. 

Next, his better half took courage;
SHE would have her picture taken.
She came dressed beyond desc...Read more of this...



by Carroll, Lewis
...d a scroll of something, 
Hold it firmly in his left-hand; 
He would keep his right-hand buried 
(Like Napoleon) in his waistcoat; 
He would contemplate the distance 
With a look of pensive meaning, 
As of ducks that die in tempests. 

Grand, heroic was the notion: 
Yet the picture failed entirely: 
Failed, because he moved a little, 
Moved, because he couldn't help it. 


Next, his better half took courage; 
She would have her picture taken. 
She came dressed bey...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...hold a scroll of something,
Hold it firmly in his left-hand;
He would keep his right-hand buried
(Like Napoleon) in his waistcoat;
He would contemplate the distance
With a look of pensive meaning,
As of ducks that die ill tempests. 

Grand, heroic was the notion:
Yet the picture failed entirely:
Failed, because he moved a little,
Moved, because he couldn't help it. 

Next, his better half took courage;
SHE would have her picture taken.
She came dressed beyond desc...Read more of this...

by Service, Robert William
...ening dress.

So let this be my last request,
 That when I come to die,
In tails I may be deftly drest,
 With white waistcoat and tie.
No, not for me a vulgar shroud
 My carcass to caress;--
Oh let me do my coffin proud
 In evening dress!...Read more of this...

by Lowell, Amy
...>
Mr. Spruggins slipped off his top-coat and his muffler.
He slipped off his bottle-green coat
And his flowered waistcoat.
He put on a flannel dressing-gown,
And tied a peaked night-cap under his chin.
He wound his large gold watch
And placed it under his pillow.
Then he tiptoed over to the window and pulled back the curtain.
There was the moon dodging in and out of the clouds;
But behind him was his quiet candle.
There was the wind whisking along ...Read more of this...

by Lowell, Amy
...ned paths,
A bright and laughing maze for my heavy-booted lover,
Till he caught me in the shade,
And the buttons of his waistcoat bruised my body as he clasped me,
Aching, melting, unafraid.
With the shadows of the leaves and the sundrops,
And the plopping of the waterdrops,
All about us in the open afternoon --
I am very like to swoon
With the weight of this brocade,
For the sun sifts through the shade.
Underneath the fallen blossom
In my bosom,
Is a letter I have hi...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...e," I cried,
"And what it is you do!"

He said, "I hunt for haddocks' eyes
Among the heather bright,
And work them into waistcoat buttons
In the silent night.
And these I do not sell for gold
Or coin of silvery shine,
But for a copper halfpenny,
And that will purchase nine.

"I sometimes dig for buttered rolls,
Or set limed twigs for crabs;
I sometimes search the grassy knolls
For wheels of hansom-cabs.
And that's the way" (he gave a wink)
"By which I get my wealt...Read more of this...

by Lowell, Amy
...joint.
A spatter of blood, man!
That's just to anoint
And make supple your limbs.
'Tis a pity the silk
Of your waistcoat is stained.
Why! Your heart's full of milk,
And so full, it spills over!
I'm not of your ilk.
You said so, and laughed
At my old-fashioned hose,
At the cut of my hair,
At the length of my nose.
To carve it to pattern
I think you propose.
Your pardon, young Sir,
But my nose and my sword
Are proving themselves
In quite perfect accord....Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...the face, and they scarcely could trace
 The least likeness to what he had been:
While so great was his fright that his waistcoat turned white--
 A wonderful thing to be seen!

To the horror of all who were present that day,
 He uprose in full evening dress,
And with senseless grimaces endeavoured to say
 What his tongue could no longer express.

Down he sank in a chair--ran his hands through his hair--
 And chanted in mimsiest tones
Words whose utter inanity proved his i...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...e,' I cried,
'And what it is you do!'

He said, 'I hunt for haddocks' eyes
Among the heather bright,
And work them into waistcoat-buttons
In the silent night.
And these I do not sell for gold
Or coin of silvery shine,
But for a copper halfpenny,
And that will purchase nine.

'I sometimes dig for buttered rolls,
Or set limed twigs for crabs:
I sometimes search the grassy knolls
For wheels of Hansom-cabs.
And that's the way' (he gave a wink)
'By which I get my wealt...Read more of this...

by Carroll, Lewis
...ve,' I cried
'And what it is you do!'

He said, 'I hunt for haddocks' eyes
Among the heather bright,
And work them into waistcoat-buttons
In the silent night.
And these I do not sell for gold
Or coin of silvery shine,
But for a copper halfpenny,
And that will purchase nine.

'I sometimes dig for buttered rolls,
Or set limed twigs for crabs;
I sometimes search the grassy knolls
For wheels of hansom-cabs.
And that's the way' (he gave a wink)
'By which I get my wealt...Read more of this...

by Lear, Edward
...
There was an Old Man in a pew,Whose waistcoat was spotted with blue;But he tore it in pieces, to give to his Nieces,That cheerful Old Man in a pew. ...Read more of this...

by Lear, Edward
...
There was an old man of Port Grigor,Whose actions were noted for vigour;He stood on his head till his waistcoat turned red,That eclectic old man of Port Grigor. ...Read more of this...

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