The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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| II. |
| III. | III |
| IV. |
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| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
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 | The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley |  |
III
Why should we loiter on this wavering sand,
Training the world at last to hear our will:
Why should we thrust our foreheads to its brand
And kneel and burn our abject incense still,
Training the world at last to hear our will:
Why should we thrust our foreheads to its brand
And kneel and burn our abject incense still,
Serving to rule, dissembling to fulfil?
Let this world-idol grin with idiot shape:
Let the wise crowd, in wrestling fervour shrill,
Pray to the measured shadow of this ape,
Let this world-idol grin with idiot shape:
Let the wise crowd, in wrestling fervour shrill,
Pray to the measured shadow of this ape,
And strangle Hope with each accursed prayer.
Then, to their wish, like birds that concourse flows,
One, a spring thrush, the upmost twig has bent
And cracks his heart with piping to the air:
Then, to their wish, like birds that concourse flows,
One, a spring thrush, the upmost twig has bent
And cracks his heart with piping to the air:
Some, for worm banquet stalk as strutting crows
Behind the furrows of world government.
Behind the furrows of world government.
| The Collected Poems of Lord De Tabley | |