The Letter by Amy Lowell Little cramped words scrawling all over the paper Like draggled fly’s legs, What can you tell of the flaring moon Through the oak leaves? Or of my uncurtained window and the bare floor Spattered with moonlight? Your silly quirks and twists have nothing in them Of blossoming hawthorns, And this […]
Conversation Galante by T. S. Eliot
Conversation Galante by T. S. Eliot I observe: “Our sentimental friend the moon! Or possibly (fantastic, I confess) It may be Prester John’s balloon Or an old battered lantern hung aloft To light poor travellers to their distress.” She then: “How you digress!” And I then: “Some one frames upon the keys That exquisite nocturne, […]
Upstream by Carl Sandburg
Upstream by Carl Sandburg The strong men keep coming on. They go down shot, hanged, sick, broken. They live on, fighting, singing, lucky as plungers. The strong men … they keep coming on. The strong mothers pulling them from a dark sea, a great prairie, a long mountain. Call hallelujah, call amen, call deep thanks. […]
March by H. P. Lovecraft
March by H. P. Lovecraft Let other bards with nobler talents sing The beauties of the mild, maturer spring. My rustic Muse on bleaker times must dwell, When Earth, but new-escap’d from winter’s spell, Uncloth’d, unshelter’d, unadorn’d, is seen; Stript of white robes, nor yet array’d in green. Hard blows the breeze, but with a […]
THE LAMB by William Blake
? ?THE LAMB by William Blake ???? Little Lamb, who made thee ???? Dost thou know who made thee, ?? Gave thee life, and bid thee feed ?? By the stream and o’er the mead; ?? Gave thee clothing of delight, ?? Softest clothing, woolly, bright; ?? Gave thee such a tender voice, ?? Making […]
The Send-off by Wilfred Owen
The Send-off by Wilfred Owen Down the close, darkening lanes they sang their way To the siding-shed, And lined the train with faces grimly gay. Their breasts were stuck all white with wreath and spray As men’s are, dead. Dull porters watched them, and a casual tramp Stood staring hard, Sorry to miss them from […]
The Past-Present by Walt Whitman
The Past-Present by Walt Whitman I was looking a long while for the history of the past for myself, and for these chants and now I have found it. It is not in those paged fables in the libraries, (them I neither accept nor reject;) It is no more in the legends than in all […]
The Three Kings By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Three Kings by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Three Kings came riding from far away, Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar; Three Wise Men out of the East were they, And they traveled by night and they slept by day, For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star. The star was so beautiful, large and clear, That […]
A Christmas Carol by James Russell Lowell
A Christmas Carol by James Russell Lowell “What means this glory round our feet,” The Magi mused, “more bright than morn?” And voices chanted clear and sweet, “To-day the Prince of Peace is born!” “What means that star,” the Shepherds said, “That brightens through the rocky glen?” And angels, answering overhead, Sang, “Peace on earth, […]
The Death of Robin Hood by Eugene Field
The Death of Robin Hood ?by Eugene Field “Give me my bow,” said Robin Hood, “An arrow give to me; And where ‘t is shot mark thou that spot, For there my grave shall be.” Then Little John did make no sign, And not a word he spake; But he smiled, altho’ with mickle woe […]
Christmas in the Olden Time by Walter Scott
Christmas in the Olden Time by Walter Scott On Christmas-eve the bells were rung; The damsel donned her kirtle sheen; The hall was dressed with holly green; Forth to the wood did merry men go, To gather in the mistletoe. Thus opened wide the baron’s hall To vassal, tenant, serf and all; Power laid […]
Ballade of Christmas by Andrew Lang
Ballade of Christmas by Andrew Lang Between the moonlight and the fire In winter twilights long ago, What ghosts we raised for your desire, To make your merry blood run slow! How old, how grave, how wise we grow! No Christmas ghost can make us chill, Save those that troop in mournful row, The ghosts […]
A Christmas Carol by Christina G. Rossetti
A Christmas Carol by Christina G. Rossetti In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold him Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away, When […]
Song of the Holly by William Shakespeare
? Song of the Holly by William Shakespeare Blow, blow thou winter wind? Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude! Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh ho! sing heigh ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly. Then […]
CHRISTMAS BELLS by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
CHRISTMAS BELLS by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on […]