Short and Sweet (or Sour)

Epigrams for this Poetry Friday. What's an epigram? A short, clever poem or saying. Here are some of the poetic variety:

Preparedness
by Edwin Markham

For all your days prepare,
And meet them ever alike:
When you are the anvil, bear—
When you are the hammer, strike.

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Written with a Diamond on her Window at Woodstock
by Queen Elizabeth I

Much suspected by me,
Nothing proved can be,
Quoth Elizabeth prisoner.

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The title of this epigram from Three Poets by Robert West is perfect.

2. THE TAXIDERMIST

Her father's dead at last, the lout—
but now he's all she writes about.

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This one doesn't seem like what we usually think of as an epigram, but I like the image of Zeus shaking the darkened clouds.

from the Four Epigrams of Asclepiades - (1995)
for high voice and piano
by Gary Bachlund
for pianist and coach, Theodore Crain

i. Zeu

Throw down snow,
hail,
make night,
darkness,
thunder;
Shake the darkened clouds across the earth.

Photo by Tim Hamilton
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Also, check out On Going Deaf by Anne Stevenson.

The Poetry Friday round-up is at Irene's today.