What is your most favourite piece of poetry you remember learning when you were a youngster.?

Question

Mine was the obvious - Daffodils. The next was 'The Sage's Pigtail' and 'Old Father William'.

Since posting this question I have remembered on particular piece I really liked.
The Listeners by Walter de la Mare.


"Is there anybody there? said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door;
And his horse in the silence champed the grasses
Of the forest's ferny floor:
And a bird flew up out of the turret,
Above the Traveller's head:
And he smote upon the door again a second time;
'Is there anybody there he said.
But no-one descended to the Traveller;
No head from the leaf-fringed sill
Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,
Where he stood perplexed and still.
But only a host of phantom listeners
That dwelt in the lone house then
Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight
To that voice from the world of men:

This is just half; the rest is just as atmospheric............

Answer 1

Hiawatha .....I think it was Longfellow. I loved it though it was so long. also.

Many Mothers to many daughters........Kate Kate....you will be late
Where is your satchel......and so on. Its so true to life.

As I wondered lonely as a cloud...I saw a host of golden daffodils
Beside a lake, beneath the tree, fluttering and dancing in the breeze.......and so on. I love poetry but now out of all thepoems I love Ulysees.....its the best poem ever written.

Answer 2

Where The Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstien

Answer 3

The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on,
Nor all thy piety nor wit can move it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.

It was my old Grannys favourite verse and she was always quoting it. I didnt understand it when I was little but I loved the sound of it, My mum had a copy of the Rubaiiyat (Omar Khayyam) and she would read it to me as well and when I was old enough to understand, I in my turn got a copy and would read it to my daughter. I learnt this verse off by heart and whenever I got the chance would recite it. I even wrote it on someones plaster cast once!

Answer 4

Shel Silverstein has an entire book "Where The Sidewalk Ends" all of those poems are hillarious, written especially for children. I think my favorite was about the little girl who can't go to school because she has this huge list of ailments until her mother says "It's Saturday" to which the little girl replies "Oh yeah, I'm going out to play". Also loved:

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too
Went for a ride in a flying shoe
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too
Whatever Shall We Do

I think that's how it went

Answer 5

I loved everything from Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, The Giving Tree...).

Actually, I still like his poems, and I'm nearly 30--how can you not like the guy who wrote "A Boy Named Sue?!"

Answer 6

The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe

Answer 7

The Cremation of Sam McGee - Jack London

Answer 8

Not so much as poetry, but when I was young (I'm 56 now) there was a country dance we did to the words hey down ho down derry derry down among the leaves so green oh. And just for interest my wife whos about the same age can remember it too.

Dave B (Old fart)

Answer 9

Somehow; of all the poems we were made to learn in school I remember loving Wordsworth the most. My favourite poems are 'Daffodils' and 'Solitary Reaper' by Wordsworth and also highway man

Answer 10

You gave me a wonderful gift today
That made my life worthwhile
Although a very simple thing
I loved your lovely smile

You really timed it perfectly
I sure was feeling sad
Funny how such a little thing
Could make me feel so glad

Now if I see someone unhappy
Here's what I'm going to do
I'm going to keep on smiling
Until they're smiling to