The Poet Of Poor People Poem by Francis Duggan

George Crabbe was the poet of poor people but he's almost forgotten today
He did not write of squires and monarchs and what do you think that might say?
Had he written of the landed gentry and the plight of the poor did ignore
His poems today might be read widely and his fame to live forever more.

George Crabbe was a marvellous wordsmith his great poems to that testify
His poems deal with tough social issues to which most others turned a blind eye
Most of his contemporaries ignored the slum dwellers for the gentry they only did write
But Crabbe championed the poor and downtrodden and their hardships he did highlight.

Some may claim his poems lacked in humour but a humorist he could not be
Since Crabbe wrote on serious matters what humour is in poverty?
His poems were on children of the workhouse who in their mid twenties looked old
And the homeless people of the slum streets who died of the hunger and cold.

George Crabbe himself experienced great poverty though the great Edmund Burke came to his aid
And for the great poems he had written a pittance he only was paid
About the lives of the poor and downtrodden not many 'twould seem care to know
And things have not changed much since Crabbe's time and he lived a long time ago.

He was known as the poet of poor people and he himself was very poor
And he was a wonderful person uncorruptible and so pure,
Had he written of the landed gentry he would have enjoyed wealth and fame
But his poems were of poor people only and none greater than Crabbe one could name.