Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems including a Reprint of Echoes from Theocritus: By Wilfred Austin Gill: With a Critical Estimate of the Sonnets by the late John Addington Symonds |
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 | Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems |  |
160
THE DEAD POET
Blow the trumpet loud and clear;
Blow, and yet 'tis somewhat late.
Could the sound have reached his ear,
His had been a happier fate.
Blow, and yet 'tis somewhat late.
Could the sound have reached his ear,
His had been a happier fate.
While we had him, what his guerdon?
Wormwood rendered for his song,
Till he sank beneath the burden,—
You have waited over-long.
Wormwood rendered for his song,
Till he sank beneath the burden,—
You have waited over-long.
Gold and glory heaped for many,
Not a kindly word for him;
Ah! he would have blessed a penny,
When the light of life was dim.
Not a kindly word for him;
Ah! he would have blessed a penny,
When the light of life was dim.
Words that might have cheered, unspoken,
Shouted now, but all in vain;
If the silver cord be broken,
Is it ever joined again?
Shouted now, but all in vain;
If the silver cord be broken,
Is it ever joined again?
Call him noble, call him brave,
Call him genius, if you will;
But to call him from his grave
Far transcendeth all your skill.
Call him genius, if you will;
But to call him from his grave
Far transcendeth all your skill.
May 1878.
| Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems | |