England, My England By William Ernest Henley WHAT have I done for you, England, my England? What is there I would not do, England, my own? With your glorious eyes austere, As the Lord were walking near, Whispering terrible things…
Tag: poem analysis
Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death
Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death By Roger McGough Let me die a youngman’s death not a clean and inbetween the sheets holy water death not a famous-last-words peaceful out of breath death. When I’m 73 and in constant good…
A Married State
A Married State By Katherine Philips A married state affords but little ease The best of husbands are so hard to please. This in wives’ careful faces you may spell Though they dissemble their misfortunes well. A virgin state is…
A Quoi Bon Dire
A Quoi Bon Dire By Charlotte Mew Seventeen years ago you said Something that sounded like Good-bye; And everybody thinks that you are dead, But I. So I, as I grow stiff and cold To this and that say Good-bye…
Lost Beauty
Lost Beauty By Jwani Mwaikusa There are only white women around: Awful fakes of white females Reflecting an awful mass of ugliness: And I want a lady To mount the rostrum with And announce to the world: ―Black is beautiful!…
Mother of the Groom
Mother of the Groom by Seamus Heaney What she remembers Is his glistening back In the bath, his small boots In the ring of boots at her feet. Hands in her voided lap, She hears a daughter welcomed. It’s as…
The Lie
The Lie By Sir Walter Ralegh Go, soul, the body’s guest, Upon a thankless errand; Fear not to touch the best; The truth shall be thy warrant. Go, since I needs must die, And give the world the lie. Say…
Birdshooting Season
Birdshooting Season By Olive Senior Birdshooting season the men make marriages with their guns My father’s house turns macho as from far the hunters gather All night long the contentless women stir their brews: hot coffee chocolata, cerassie wrap pone…
Winter Night: Edinburgh
Winter Night: Edinburgh By Andrew Forster Night falls quickly as turning back a clock But the City is alive with light Shops and cafes deny the darkness, throw light at the street like baited hooks. Offices spill workers onto pavements,…
Woman to Child
Woman to Child By Judith Wright You who were darkness warmed my flesh where out of darkness rose the seed. Then all a world I made in me; all the world you hear and see hung upon my dreaming blood.…
The United Fruit Company
The United Fruit Company By Pablo Neruda When the trumpet sounded, it was all prepared on the earth, the Jehovah parcelled out the earth to Coca Cola, Inc., Anaconda, Ford Motors, and other entities: The Fruit Company, Inc. reserved for…
The Thickness of Ice
The Thickness of Ice By Liz Loxley At first we’ll meet as friends (Though secretly I’ll be hoping we’ll become much more and hoping that you’re hoping that too) At first we’ll be like skaters testing the thickness of ice…
Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face
Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face By Jack Prelutsky Be glad your nose is on your face, not pasted on some other place, for if it were where it is not, you might dislike your nose a lot.…
You Will Never See Me Fall
You Will Never See Me Fall By Joyce Alcantara You may see me struggle but you won’t see me fall. Regardless if I’m weak or not I’m going to stand tall. Everyone says life is easy but truly living it…
Meeting Point
Meeting Point By Louis Macneice Time was away and somewhere else, There were two glasses and two chairs And two people with the one pulse (Somebody stopped the moving stairs): Time was away and somewhere else. And they were neither…
Wind and Window Flower
Wind and Window Flower By Robert Frost Lovers, forget your love, And list to the love of these, She a window flower, And he a winter breeze. When the frosty window veil Was melted down at noon, And the cagèd…
Visitors to the Black Belt
Visitors to the Black Belt By Langston Hughes You can talk about Across the railroad tracks— To me it’s here On this side of the tracks. You can talk about Up in Harlem— To me it’s here In Harlem. You…
Velvet Shoes
Velvet Shoes By Elinor Wylie Let us walk in the white snow In a soundless space With footsteps quiet and slow, At a tranquil pace, Under veils of white lace. I shall go shod in silk, And you in wool,…
During Wind and Rain
During Wind and Rain By Thomas Hardy They sing their dearest songs— He, she, all of them—yea, Treble and tenor and bass, And one to play; With the candles mooning each face. . . Ah, no; the years O! How…
The Laboratory
The Laboratory By Robert Browning Now that I, tying thy glass mask tightly, May gaze thro’ these faint smokes curling whitely, As thou pliest thy trade in this devil’s-smithy— Which is the poison to poison her, prithee? He is with…