Famous Wayfaring Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Beowulf (Old English)

...ed him too long; a load of care
to earls and athelings all he proved.
Oft indeed, in earlier days,
for the warrior’s wayfaring wise men mourned,
who had hoped of him help from harm and bale,
and had thought their sovran’s son would thrive,
follow his father, his folk protect,
the hoard and the stronghold, heroes’ land,
home of Scyldings. -- But here, thanes said,
the kinsman of Hygelac kinder seemed
to all: the other {13b} was urged to crime!
And afresh to the race...Read more of this...
by Anonymous,


Choriambics -- I

...when desire burns, and the wind calls, and the suns of spring
Light-foot dance in the woods, whisper of life, woo me to wayfaring;
Ah! not now should you come, now when the road beckons,
and good friends call,
Where are songs to be sung, fights to be fought, yea! and the best of all,
Love, on myriad lips fairer than yours, kisses you could not give! . . .
Dearest, why should I mourn, whimper, and whine, I that have yet to live?
Sorrow will I forget, tears for the best, love o...Read more of this...
by Brooke, Rupert

Endymion: Book I

...and of their glee:
But let a portion of ethereal dew
Fall on my head, and presently unmew
My soul; that I may dare, in wayfaring,
To stammer where old Chaucer used to sing.

 Leading the way, young damsels danced along,
Bearing the burden of a shepherd song;
Each having a white wicker over brimm'd
With April's tender younglings: next, well trimm'd,
A crowd of shepherds with as sunburnt looks
As may be read of in Arcadian books;
Such as sat listening round Apollo's pipe,
When...Read more of this...
by Keats, John

Gertrude of Wyoming

...couth)
That true to nature's fervid feelings ran;
(And song is but the eloquence of truth:)
Then forth uprose that lone wayfaring man;
But dauntless he, nor chart, nor journey's plan
In woods required, whose trained eye was keen,
As eagle of the wilderness, to scan
His path by mountain, swamp, or deep ravine,
Or ken far friendly huts on good savannas green.

Old Albert saw him from the valley's side--
His pirogue launch'd--his pilgrimage begun--
Far, like the red-bird's wing ...Read more of this...
by Campbell, Thomas

Meadowsweet

...et, 
Strown like a woman's love beneath his feet, 
In stately dance or jovial banqueting, 
When all was new; and in its wayfaring 
Our Streamlet curved, as now, through grass and wheat....Read more of this...
by Allingham, William


Subway

...DOWN between the walls of shadow
Where the iron laws insist,
The hunger voices mock.

The worn wayfaring men
With the hunched and humble shoulders,
Throw their laughter into toil....Read more of this...
by Sandburg, Carl

The Scribe

...nd hath made: 
The smooth-plumed bird 
In its emerald shade, 
The seed of the grass, 
The speck of the stone 
Which the wayfaring ant 
Stirs -- and hastes on! 

Though I should sit 
By some tarn in thy hills, 
Using its ink 
As the spirit wills 
To write of Earth's wonders, 
Its live, willed things, 
Flit would the ages 
On soundless wings 
Ere unto Z 
My pen drew nigh 
Leviathan told, 
And the honey-fly: 
And still would remain 
My wit to try -- 
My worn reeds broken, 
The d...Read more of this...
by de la Mare, Walter

The Souls of the Slain

...

 And the spirits of those who were homing 
 Passed on, rushingly, 
 Like the Pentecost Wind; 
 And the whirr of their wayfaring thinned 
And surceased on the sky, and but left in the gloaming 
 Sea-mutterings and me....Read more of this...
by Hardy, Thomas

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