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Famous Wyatt Poems by Famous Poets

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

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry
...See her come bearing down, a tidy craft!
Gaily her topsails bulge, her sidelights burn!
There's jigging in her rigging fore and aft,
And beauty's self, not name, limned on her stern.

See at her head the Jolly Roger flutters!
"God, is she fully manned? If she's one short..."
Cadet, bargee, longshoreman, shellback mutters;
Drowned is reason that should me c...Read more of this...
by Amis, Kingsley



...WHAT should I say? 
 --Since Faith is dead, 
And Truth away 
 From you is fled? 
 Should I be led 
 With doubleness? 
 Nay! nay! mistress. 

I promised you, 
 And you promised me, 
To be as true 
 As I would be. 
 But since I see 
 Your double heart, 
 Farewell my part! 

Thought for to take 
 'Tis not my mind; 
But to forsake 
 One so unkind; 
 And as I f...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Alas, madam, for stealing of a kiss
Have I so much your mind there offended?
Have I then done so grievously amiss
That by no means it may be amended? 

Then revenge you, and the next way is this:
Another kiss shall have my life ended, 
For to my mouth the first my heart did suck; 
The next shall clean out of my breast it pluck....Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay, for shame,
To save thee from the blame
Of all my grief and grame;
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath loved thee so long
In wealth and woe among?
And is thy heart so strong
As for to leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath give...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Avising the bright beams of these fair eyes 
Where he is that mine oft moisteth and washeth,
The wearied mind straight from the heart departeth
For to rest in his worldly paradise
And find the sweet bitter under this guise.
What webs he hath wrought well he perceiveth 
Whereby with himself on love he plaineth
That spurreth with fire and bridleth with ice.
...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas



...Forget not yet the tried intent 
Of such a truth as I have meant 
My great travail so gladly spent 
Forget not yet.

Forget not yet when first began 
The weary life ye knew, since whan 
The suit, the service, none tell can, 
Forget not yet.

Forget not yet the great assays, 
The cruel wrongs, the scornful ways, 
The painful patience in denays 
Forget not y...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...I find no peace, and all my war is done. 
I fear and hope. I burn and freeze like ice. 
I fly above the wind, yet can I not arise;
And nought I have, and all the world I season.
That loseth nor locketh holdeth me in prison 
And holdeth me not--yet can I scape no wise-- 
Nor letteth me live nor die at my device, 
And yet of death it giveth me occasion.
With...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Lux, my fair falcon, and your fellows all, 
How well pleasant it were your liberty. 
Ye not forsake me that fair might ye befall, 
But they that sometime liked my company, 
Like lice away from dead bodies they crawl. 
Lo, what a proof in light adversity. 
But ye, my birds, I swear by all your bells, 
Ye be my friends, and so be but few else....Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Mine own John Poynz, since ye delight to know
The cause why that homeward I me draw,
And flee the press of courts, whereso they go,
Rather than to live thrall under the awe
Of lordly looks, wrappèd within my cloak,
To will and lust learning to set a law:
It is not for because I scorn or mock
The power of them, to whom fortune hath lent
Charge over us, of r...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...My galley, chargèd with forgetfulness,
Thorough sharp seas in winter nights doth pass
'Tween rock and rock; and eke mine en'my, alas,
That is my lord, steereth with cruelness;
And every owre a thought in readiness,
As though that death were light in such a case.
An endless wind doth tear the sail apace
Of forced sighs and trusty fearfulness.
A rain of tear...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...My lute awake! perform the last
Labour that thou and I shall waste,
And end that I have now begun;
For when this song is sung and past,
My lute be still, for I have done.

As to be heard where ear is none,
As lead to grave in marble stone,
My song may pierce her heart as soon;
Should we then sigh or sing or moan?
No, no, my lute, for I have done.

The rock...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...My mother's maids, when they did sew and spin,
They sang sometime a song of the field mouse,
That, for because her livelood was but thin,

Would needs go seek her townish sister's house.
She thought herself endurèd too much pain;
The stormy blasts her cave so sore did souse

That when the furrows swimmèd with the rain,
She must lie cold and wet in sorry pl...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...ety, and rest, 
For seeming wealth wherein she thought to reign. 
Alas, my Poynz, how men do seek the best [a friend of Wyatt] 
And find the worst, by error as they stray. 
And no marvel, when sight is so opprest 
And blind the guide. Anon out of the way 
Goeth guide and all in seeking quiet life. 
O wretched minds, there is no gold that may 
Grant that ye seek, no war, no peace, no strife, 
No, no, although thy head was hoopt with gold, [crowned] 
Sergeant with mace, haubert...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Since so ye please to hear me plain,
And that ye do rejoice my smart,
Me list no lenger to remain
To such as be so overthwart.

But cursed be that cruel heart
Which hath procur'd a careless mind
For me and mine unfeigned smart,
And forceth me such faults to find.

More than too much I am assured
Of thine intent, whereto to trust;
A speedless proof I have e...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...The long love that in my thought doth harbour, 
And in mine heart doth keep his residence, 
Into my face presseth with bold pretence, 
And therein campeth, spreading his banner. 
She that me learneth to love and suffer, 
And wills that my trust and lust's negligence 
Be reined by reason, shame, and reverence, 
With his hardiness taketh displeasure. 
Wherew...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...They flee from me that sometime did me seek
   With naked foot stalking in my chamber.
I have seen them gentle tame and meek
   That now are wild and do not remember
   That sometime they put themselves in danger
To take bread at my hand; and now they range
Busily seeking with a continual change.

Thanked be fortune, it hath been otherwise
   Twent...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Unstable dream, according to the place,
Be steadfast once, or else at least be true.
By tasted sweetness make me not to rue
The sudden loss of thy false feignèd grace.
By good respect in such a dangerous case
Thou broughtest not her into this tossing mew
But madest my sprite live, my care to renew,
My body in tempest her succour to embrace.
The body dead, ...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...What needeth these threnning words and wasted wind?
All this cannot make me restore my prey.
To rob your good, iwis, is not my mind,
Nor causeless your fair hand did I display. 
Let love be judge or else whom next we meet 
That may both hear what you and I can say: 
She took from me an heart, and I a glove from her.
Let us see now if th'one be worth th'oth...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,
But as for me, alas, I may no more.
The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
I am of them that farthest cometh behind.
Yet may I by no means my wearied mind
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Who list her hunt, I p...Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas
...With serving still 
This I have won, 
For my goodwill 
To be undone.

And for redress 
Of all my pain, 
Disdainfulness 
I have again.

And for reward 
Of all my smart, 
Lo, thus unheard, 
I must depart.

Wherefore all ye 
That after shall 
By fortune be, 
As I am, thrall,

Example take 
What I have won, 
Thus for her sake 
To be undone....Read more of this...
by Wyatt, Sir Thomas

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Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry