Poems List

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Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Gnu

The Gnu

G stands for Gnu, whose weapon of defence
Are long, sharp, curling horns, and common sense.
To these he adds a name so short and strong, …

323
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Fragment

The Fragment

Towards the evening of her splendid day
Those who are little children now shall say
(Finding this verse),'Who wrote it, Juliet?'

346
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Face

The Face

A face Sir Joshua might have painted! Yea:
Sir Joshua painted anything for pay . . .
And after all you're painted every day.

355
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Elm

The Elm

This is the place where Dorothea smiled.
I did not know the reason, nor did she.
But there she stood, and turned, and smiled at me:

357
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Early Morning

The Early Morning

The moon on the one hand, the dawn on the other:
The moon is my sister, the dawn is my brother.
The moon on my left and the daw…

597
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Diamond

The Diamond

This diamond, Juliet, will adorn
Ephemeral beauties yet unborn.
While my strong verse, for ever new,
Shall still adorn immort…

296
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Catholic Sun

The Catholic Sun

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Bened…

681
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

The Birds

The Birds

When Jesus Christ was four years old
The angels brought Him toys of gold,
Which no man ever had bought or sold.

And yet…

435
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Talking (and Singing) of the Nordic Man

Talking (and Singing) of the Nordic Man

I

Behold, my child, the Nordic man,
And be as like him, as you can;
His legs are long, hi…

587
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Sarah Byng, Who Could Not Read And Was Tossed Into A Thorny Hedge By A

Sarah Byng, Who Could Not Read And Was Tossed Into A Thorny Hedge By A
Bull

Some years ago you heard me sing
My doubts on Alexander Byng.

449
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

On Vital Statistics

On Vital Statistics

Ill fares the land to hast'ning ills a prey (1)
Where wealth accumulates and men decay.'
But how much more unfortunate are th…

335
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

On Torture: A Public Singer

On Torture: A Public Singer

Torture will give a dozen pence or more
To keep a drab from bawling at his door.
The public taste is quite a differen…

405
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Matilda Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death

Matilda Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death

Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her …

651
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

On the Ladies of Pixton

On the Ladies of Pixton

Three Graces; and the mother were a Grace,
But for profounder meaning in her face.

322
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Lines to a Don

Lines to a Don

Remote and ineffectual Don
That dared attack my Chesterton,
With that poor weapon, half-impelled,
Unlearnt, unsteady, hard…

427
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Lord Lundy

Lord Lundy

Who was too Freely Moved to Tears, and thereby ruined his Political Career

Lord Lundy from his earliest years
Was far too free…

441
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Juliet

Juliet


How did the party go in Portman Square?
I cannot tell you; Juliet was not there.

And how did Lady Gaster's party go?

503
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Is there any reward?

Is there any reward?

Is there any reward?
I'm beginning to doubt it.
I am broken and bored,
Is there any reward
Reassure me, Good…

450
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Her Final Role

Her Final Role

This man's desire; that other's hopeless end;
A third's capricious tyrant: and my friend.

400
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Heroic Poem in Praise of Wine

Heroic Poem in Praise of Wine

To exalt, enthrone, establish and defend,
To welcome home mankind's mysterious friend
Wine, true begetter of all ar…

705
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Ha'nacker Mill

Ha'nacker Mill

Sally is gone that was so kindly,
Sally is gone from Ha'nacker Hill
And the Briar grows ever since then so blindly;
And ev…

359
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Godolphin Horne

Godolphin Horne

Who was cursed with the Sin of Pride, and Became a Boot-Black.

Godolphin Horne was Nobly Born;
He held the Human Race in …

455
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

Fatigue

Fatigue


I'm tired of Love: I'm still more tired of Rhyme.
But Money gives me pleasure all the time.

480
Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc

From: Dedicatory Ode

From: Dedicatory Ode

I will not try the reach again,
I will not set my sail alone,
To moor a boat bereft of men
At Yarnton's tiny docks o…

372