Song in the Manner of Housman
O woe, woe,
People are born and die,
We also shall be dead pretty soon
Therefore let us act as if we were
Dead already.
The bird sits on the hawthorn tree
But he dies also, presently.
Some lads get hung, and some get shot.
Woeful is this human lot.
Woe! woe, etcetera. . . .
London is a woeful place,
Shropshire is much pleasanter.
Then let us smile a little space
Upon fond nature’s morbid grace.
Oh, Woe, woe, woe, etcetera. . .
Similar poems:
- Villonaud for This Yule Towards the Noel that morte saison (Christ make the shepherds’ homage dear!) Then when the grey wolves everychone Drink of […]...
- E. P. Ode Pour L’election De Son Sepulchre For three years, out of key with his time, He strove to resuscitate the dead art Of poetry; to maintain […]...
- Envoi Go, dumb-born book, Tell her that sang me once that song of Lawes: Hadst thou but song As thou hast […]...
- Sestina: Altaforte LOQUITUR: En Bertans de Born. Dante Alighieri put this man in hell For that he was a stirrer up of […]...
- Lament of the Frontier Guard By the North Gate, the wind blows full of sand, Lonely from the beginning of time until now! Trees fall, […]...
- Ancient Music Winter is icummen in, Lhude sing Goddamm. Raineth drop and staineth slop, And how the wind doth ramm! Sing: Goddamm. […]...
- Invern Earth’s winter cometh And I being part of all And sith the spirit of all moveth in me I must […]...
- La Regina Avrillouse Lady of rich allure, Queen of the spring’s embrace, Your arms are long like boughs of ash, Mid laugh-broken streams, […]...
- The Seafarer (From the early Anglo-Saxon text) May I for my own self song’s truth reckon, Journey’s jargon, how I in harsh […]...
- The Seeing Eye The small dogs look at the big dogs; They observe unwieldy dimensions And curious imperfections of odor. Here is the […]...
- The Garret Come, let us pity those who are better off than we are. Come, my friend, and remember that the rich […]...
- Portrait d’Une Femme Your mind and you are our Sargasso Sea, London has swept about you this score years And bright ships left […]...
- Francesca You came in out of the night And there were flowers in your hand, Now you will come out of […]...
- Taking Leave of a Friend Blue mountains to the north of the walls, White river winding about them; Here we must make separation And go […]...
- The Jewel Stairs’ Grievance The jewelled steps are already quite white with dew, It is so late that the dew soaks my gauze stockings, […]...
- The Encounter All the while they were talking the new morality Her eyes explored me. And when I rose to go Her […]...
- Further Instructions Come, my songs, let us express our baser passions. Let us express our envy for the man with a steady […]...
- Hugh Selwyn Mauberly (Part I) “Vocat aestus in umbram” Nemesianus Es. IV. E. P. Ode pour l’élection de son sépulchre For three years, out of […]...
- Epilogue O chansons foregoing You were a seven days’ wonder. When you came out in the magazines You created considerable stir […]...
- Sub Mare It is, and is not, I am sane enough, Since you have come this place has hovered round me, This […]...
- In the Old Age of the Soul I do not choose to dream; there cometh on me Some strange old lust for deeds. As to the nerveless […]...
- Notes for Canto CXX I have tried to write Paradise Do not move Let the wind speak That is paradise. Let the Gods forgive […]...
- These Fought in Any Case These fought in any case, And some believing Pro domo, in any case….. Died some, pro patria, Walked eye-deep in […]...
- A Pact I make a pact with you, Walt Whitman I have detested you long enough. I come to you as a […]...
- From “Hugh Selwyn Mauberly” For three years, out of key with his time, He strove to resuscitate the dead art Of poetry; to maintain […]...
- Cino Italian Campagna 1309, the open road Bah! I have sung women in three cities, But it is all the same; […]...
- The Lake Isle O God, O Venus, O Mercury, patron of thieves, Give me in due time, I beseech you, a little tobacco-shop, […]...
- The Summons I can not bow to woo thee With honey words and flower kisses And the dew of sweet half-truths Fallen […]...
- Medallion Luini in porcelain! The grand piano Utters a profane Protest with her clear soprano. The sleek head emerges From the […]...
- Historion No man hath dared to write this thing as yet, And yet I know, how that the souls of all […]...