Poems

Poems List

Explore poems from our collection

Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

Negress In Notre Dame

Negress In Notre Dame

When I attended Mass today
A coloured maid sat down by me,
And as I watched her kneel and pray,
Her reverence was g…

236
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

It's cruel cold on the water-front, silent and dark and drear;
Only the black tide weltering, only the hissing snow;
And I, alone,…

264
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

Nature's Way

Nature's Way

To tribulations of mankind
Dame Nature is indifferent;
To human sorrow she is blind,
And deaf to human discontent.
M…

263
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Will

My Will

I've made my Will. I don't believe
In luxury and wealth;
And to those loving ones who grieve
My age and frailing health
I…

210
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Twins

My Twins

Of twin daughters I'm the mother -
Lord! how I was proud of them;
Each the image of the other,
Like two lilies on one stem;

247
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Vineyard

My Vineyard

To me at night the stars are vocal.
They say: 'Your planet's oh so local!
A speck of dust in heaven's ceiling;
Your faith div…

228
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Son

My Son

I must not let my boy Dick down,
Knight of the air.

With wings of light he won renown
Then crashed somewhere.

174
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Tails

My Tails

I haven't worn my evening dress
For nearly twenty years;
Oh I'm unsocial, I confess,
A hermit, it appears.
So much moth-…

191
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Rocking-Chair

My Rocking-Chair

When I am old and worse for wear
I want to buy a rocking-chair,
And set it on a porch where shine
The stars of morning-g…

243
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Prisoner

My Prisoner

We was in a crump-'ole, 'im and me;
Fightin' wiv our bayonets was we;
Fightin' 'ard as 'ell we was,
Fightin' fierce as fire b…

252
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Picture

My Picture

I made a picture; all my heart
I put in it, and all I knew
Of canvas-cunning and of Art,
Of tenderness and passion true.

248
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Mate

My Mate

I've been sittin' starin', starin' at 'is muddy pair of boots,
And tryin' to convince meself it's 'im.
(Look out there, lad! That sniper …

215
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Library

My Library

Like prim Professor of a College
I primed my shelves with books of knowledge;
And now I stand before them dumb,
Just like a ch…

223
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Masterpiece

My Masterpiece

It's slim and trim and bound in blue;
Its leaves are crisp and edged with gold;
Its words are simple, stalwart too;
Its th…

200
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Husky Team

My Husky Team

I met an ancient man who mushed
With Peary to the Pole.
Said I, "In all that land so hushed
What most inspired your soul?" …

255
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Inner Life

My Inner Life

'Tis true my garments threadbare are,
And sorry poor I seem;
But inly I am richer far
Than any poet's dream.
For I'…

279
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Hundred Books

My Hundred Books

A thousand books my library
Contains;

And all are primed, it seems to me
With brains.

Mine are s…

216
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Hour

My Hour

Day after day behold me plying
My pen within an office drear;
The dullest dog, till homeward hieing,
Then lo! I reign a king of c…

192
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Garret

My Garret

Here is my Garret up five flights of stairs;
Here's where I deal in dreams and ply in fancies,
Here is the wonder-shop of all my wares,…

195
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Hero

My Hero

Of all the boys with whom I fought
In Africa and Sicily,
Bill was the bravest of the lot
In our dare-devil Company.
That …

196
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Foe

My Foe

A Belgian Priest-Soldier Speaks;

GURR! You cochon! Stand and fight!
Show your mettle! Snarl and bite!
Spawn of an accursed…

231
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Future

My Future

"Let's make him a sailor," said Father,
"And he will adventure the sea."
"A soldier," said Mother, "is rather
What I would pref…

232
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Favourite Fan

My Favourite Fan

Being a writer I receive
Sweet screeds from folk of every land;
Some are so weird you'd scarce believe,
And some quite h…

235
Robert W. Service
Robert W. Service

My Dog's My Boss

My Dog's My Boss

Each day when it's anighing three
Old Dick looks at the clock,
Then proudly brings my stick to me
To mind me of our walk…

197