Good poems
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The Minstrel; or, The Progress of Genius
© James Beattie
THE FIRST BOOK (excerpts) The steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar! Ah! who can tell how many a soul sublime Hath felt the influence of malignant star, And wag'd with Fortune an eternal war! Check'd by the scoff of Pride, by Envy's frown, And Poverty's unconquerable bar, In life's low vale remote hath pin'd aloneThen dropt into the grave, unpitied and unknown!
And yet, the languor of inglorious days Not equally oppressive is to all
The Jackaw of Rheims
© Richard Harris Barham
The Jackdaw sat on the Cardinal's chair! Bishop, and abbot, and prior were there; Many a monk, and many a friar, Many a knight, and many a squire,With a great many more of lesser degree,--In sooth a goodly company;And they served the Lord Primate on bended knee
An Inventory of the Furniture in Dr. Priestley's Study
© Anna Lætitia Barbauld
A map of every country known,With not a foot to call his own
Dirge: Written November 1808
© Anna Lætitia Barbauld
Pure spirit! O where art thou now! O whisper to my soul!O let some soothing thought of thee, The bitter grief control!
The Violin
© Ball J. E.
The Violin, all good musicians say, While yet in babyhood you must begin; And so, beneath my little rounded chin,'Twas promptly tucked, and I began to play The Violin.
Work While it is Day
© Askham John
"Work while it is yet day, for the night cometh on when no man can work."
The Vicar Of Bray
© Anonymous
In good King Charles's golden days, When loyalty no harm meant;A furious High-Church man I was, And so I gain'd preferment
The Time When I First Fell in Love
© Anonymous
The time when first I fell in love, Which now I must lament;The year wherein I lost such time To compass my content.
Thys Boke ys On
© Anonymous
Thys boke ys on, Crystys curs ys anodyr.He that sstellyth the ton, I pray Good send hym the todyr.
A Sonnet upon the Pitiful Burning of the Globe Playhouse in London
© Anonymous
Now sitt thee downe, Melpomene,Wrapt in a sea-coal robe,And tell the dolefull tragedie,That late was playd at Globe;For noe man that can singe and sayeBut was scard on St
The Seafarer
© Anonymous
Mæg ic be me sylfum soðgied wrecan, [I can utter a true tale about myself,]siþas secgan, hu ic geswincdagum [tell of my travels, how in laboursome days]earfoðhwile oft þrowade, [a time of hardship I often suffered,]bitre breostceare gebiden hæbbe, [how bitter sorrow in my breast I have borne,]gecunnad in ceole cearselda fela, [made trial on shipboard of many sorrowful abodes; ]atol yþa gewealc, þær mec oft bigeat [dread was the rolling of the waves; there my task was often]nearo nihtwaco æt nacan stefnan, [the hard night-watch at the boat's prow,]þonne he be clifum cnossað
The Masque of B-ll--l
© Anonymous
First come I. My name is J-W-TT.There's no knowledge but I know it.I am Master of this College,What I don't know isn't knowledge.
The Leather Bottel
© Anonymous
Now God alone that made all things,Heaven and earth and all that's in,The ships that in the seas do swimTo keep out foes from coming in,Then every one does what he can,All for the good and use of man: And I wish in Heaven his soul may dwell That first devis'd the leather bottel
A Jest of Robin Hood
© Anonymous
Lyth and lystyn, gentilmen, All that nowe be here;Of Litell Johnn, that was the knigh{.e}es man, Goode myrth ye shall here.
Get Up and Bar the Door
© Anonymous
##. And a gay time it was then,When our goodwife got puddings to make, And she 's boild them in the pan.
Frankie and Johnnie
© Anonymous
Frankie and Johnnie were lovers,O, my Gawd, how they could love,They swore to be true to each other,As true as the stars above; He was her man, but he done her wrong.
