by John Keats Bright star, were I as stedfast as thou art — Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite, The moving waters at their priestlike task, Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores, Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask Of snowContinue reading “Bright Star”
Category Archives: poetry
I Do Not Speak
by Stevie Smith I do not ask for mercy, for understanding and peace And in these heavy days I do not ask for release I do not ask that suffering shall cease. I do not pray to God to let me die To give an ear attentive to my cry To pause in his marchingContinue reading “I Do Not Speak”
Greater Love
by Wilfred Owen Red lips are not so red As the stained stones kissed by the English dead. Kindness of wooed and wooer Seems shame to their love pure. O love, your eyes lose lure When I behold eyes blinded in my stead! Your slender attitude Trembles not exquisite like limbs knife-skewed, Rolling and rollingContinue reading “Greater Love”
A Thousand Martyrs Have I Made
by Aphrah Behn A thousand Martyrs have I made, All sacrific’d to my desire; A thousand Beauties have betray’d, That language in resistless Fire. The untarri’d Heart to hand I brought, And fixt the wild and wandring Thought. I never vow’d nor sigh’d in vain But both, thô false, were well receiv’d. The Fair areContinue reading “A Thousand Martyrs Have I Made”
The Field Mouse
by Gillian Clarke Summer, and the long grass is a snare drum. The air hums with jets. Down at the end of the meadow, far from the radio’s terrible news, we cut the hay. All afternoon its wave breaks before the tractor blade. Over the hedge our neighbour travels his field, in a cloud ofContinue reading “The Field Mouse”
The Tyger
by William Blake Tyger! Tyger! burning bright, In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare sieze the fire? And what shoulder, and what art, CouldContinue reading “The Tyger”
Ode on Solitude
by Alexander Pope Happy the man whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground. Whose heards of milk, whose fields of bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire, Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire. Blest! who can unconcern’dly find Hours,Continue reading “Ode on Solitude”
The Race Industry
by Benjamin Zephaniah The coconuts have got the jobs. The race industry is a growth industry. We despairing, they careering. We want more peace they want more police. The Uncle Toms are getting paid. The race industry is a growth industry. We say sisters and brothers don’t fear. They will do anything for the Mayor.Continue reading “The Race Industry”
Look out tomorrow
Poetry in the morning and a little ramble later in the day. Books I think. Yes, books are good.
To His Mistress Going To Bed
by John Donne Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy, Until in labour, I in labour lie. The foe oft-times having the foe in sight Is tir’d with standing though he never fight. Off with that girdle, like heaven’s Zone glistering, But a far fairer world encompassing. Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear,Continue reading “To His Mistress Going To Bed”
Robin's Nest 