by Alice Oswald I heard a coughas if a thief was thereoutside my sleepa sharp intake of aira fox in her fox-furstepping acrossthe grass in her black glovesbarked at my housejust so abrupt and oddthe way she wenthungrily askingin the heart’s thick accentin such serious sleeplesstrespass she camea woman with a man’s voicebut no nameasContinue reading “Fox”
Category Archives: poetry
Always Marry An April Girl
by Ogden Nash Praise the spells and bless the charms,I found April in my arms.April golden, April cloudy,Gracious, cruel, tender, rowdy;April soft in flowered langour,April cold with sudden anger,Ever changing, ever true -I love April, I love you.
The Fish
by Marianne Moore wadethrough black jade.Of the crow-blue mussel-shells, one keepsadjusting ash heaps;opening and shutting itself likeaninjured fan.The barnacles which encrust the sideof the wave, cannot hidethere for the submerged shafts of thesunsplit like spunglass, move themselves with spotlight swiftness,into the crevices -in and out, illuminatingthe turquoise seaof bodies. The water drives a wedgeof ironContinue reading “The Fish”
A Prouder Man Than You
by Henry Lawson If you fancy that your people come from better stock than mine,If you hint of higher breeding by a word or by sign,If you’re proud because of fortune or the clever things you do -Then I’ll play no second fiddle: I’m a better man than you!If you think that your profession has theContinue reading “A Prouder Man Than You”
On Death
by Anne Killigrew Tell me thou safest end of all our woe,Why wretched mortals do avoid thee so.Thou gentle drier o’th’ afflicted’s tearsThou noble ender of the coward’s fears.Thou sweet repose to lovers sad dispaire,Thou calm t’ambitions rough tempestuous care.If in regard of bliss thou wert a curse,And then the joys of Paradise art worse,YetContinue reading “On Death”
One And Twenty
by Samuel Johnson Long-expected one and twentyLing’ring year at last has flownPomp and pleasure, pride and plentyGreat Sir John, are all your own.Loosen’d from the minor’s tether,Free to mortgage or to sell,Wild as wind, light as featherBid the slaves of thrift farewell.Call the Bettys, Kates and JenneysEv’ry name that laughs at care.Lavish of your Grandsire’sContinue reading “One And Twenty”
The Man He Killed
by Thomas Hardy Had he and I but metBy some old ancient inn,We should have set us down to wetRight many a nipperkin!But ranged as infantry,And staring face to face,I shot at him as he at me,And killed him in his place.I shot him dead because -Because he was my foe,Just so my foe heContinue reading “The Man He Killed”
First Memory
by Louise Gluck Long ago, I was wounded. I livedto revenge myselfagainst my father, notfor what he was -for what I was from the beginning of time,in childhood, I thoughtthat pain meantI was not loved.I was loved.
Hear, ye Ladies
by John Fletcher Hear, ye ladies that despiseWhat the mighty Love has done;Fear examples and be wise:Fair Callisto was a nun;Leda, sailing on the streamTo deceive the hopes of man,Love accounting but a dream,Doted on a silver swan;Danae, in a brazen tower,Where no love was, loved a shower.Hear, ye ladies that are coy,What the mightyContinue reading “Hear, ye Ladies”
The Knife
by Keith Douglas 1920-1944 Can I explain this to you? Your eyesare entrances the mouths of cavesI issue from wonderful interiorsupon a blessed sea and a fine day,from inside these caves I look and dream.Your hair as explicable as a waterfallin some black liquid cooled by legendfell across my thought in a momentbecame a garmentContinue reading “The Knife”
Robin's Nest 