The Poetical Works of David Gray A New and Enlarged Edition; Edited by Henry Glassford Bell |
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The Poet and his friend.
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 | The Poetical Works of David Gray |  |
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The Poet and his friend.
I spent a day—the landmark of a life—
With one, a hero in the realms of rhyme:
Ardent, yet calm—in human wisdoms rife,
And burning to be something in his time.
Through autumn foliage by a river side,
Through glen of ivied trees and hazel dell,
Each heart by its own sunshine glorified,
We wandered wildly wise; till it befel,
Beneath a faded elm, we came upon a well.
With one, a hero in the realms of rhyme:
Ardent, yet calm—in human wisdoms rife,
And burning to be something in his time.
Through autumn foliage by a river side,
Through glen of ivied trees and hazel dell,
Each heart by its own sunshine glorified,
We wandered wildly wise; till it befel,
Beneath a faded elm, we came upon a well.
125
And, sitting by the still translucent water,
In pleasaunce sweet we quaffed the liquid cold;
Lo! as we drank, there passed a fairer daughter
Of Beauty than Fidessa. Then the old—
Yet never old, immortal song of glory,
Breathing of summer bower and emerald lea,
And fountain bubbling coldly—Spenser's story
Thrilled all our brains to living ecstasy:
Such power had maiden floating onward maidenly.
In pleasaunce sweet we quaffed the liquid cold;
Lo! as we drank, there passed a fairer daughter
Of Beauty than Fidessa. Then the old—
Yet never old, immortal song of glory,
Breathing of summer bower and emerald lea,
And fountain bubbling coldly—Spenser's story
Thrilled all our brains to living ecstasy:
Such power had maiden floating onward maidenly.
And pondered we, above that placid wave,
How we were thrown upon a colder day;
Yet, by the sword of Arthur! quite as brave,
As wondrous willing for the haughty fray
As Arthegal and Guyon. So we rose
And joined our hands in fervent heat, and swore
By old Renown's endeavours, and by those
Who battled well and won, to dream no more,
But through a sea of fears to struggle for the shore.
How we were thrown upon a colder day;
Yet, by the sword of Arthur! quite as brave,
As wondrous willing for the haughty fray
As Arthegal and Guyon. So we rose
And joined our hands in fervent heat, and swore
By old Renown's endeavours, and by those
Who battled well and won, to dream no more,
But through a sea of fears to struggle for the shore.
126
I think no good of him who takes his ease,
As pigeon-livered in the human game
As Braggadocio: on the tranquil seas
All ships sail nobly; but whoe'er is tame
To face the waves when fringed with windy spray,
Is but a coward. Let him live, then rot!
No man shall speak of him, no pilgrim lay
A twist of wild-flowers on the common spot
That marks his meagre dust—the poltroon is forgot.
As pigeon-livered in the human game
As Braggadocio: on the tranquil seas
All ships sail nobly; but whoe'er is tame
To face the waves when fringed with windy spray,
Is but a coward. Let him live, then rot!
No man shall speak of him, no pilgrim lay
A twist of wild-flowers on the common spot
That marks his meagre dust—the poltroon is forgot.
But, good friend! we shall fight. Even he who fails
In a great cause is noble. Time will show
The best and worst of it; and while it hails
Some worthy Song-kings of the long-ago,
Perhaps our names will echo with the rest,
And in no feebleness. Meantime, oh fight!
In the thick hurry of the battle press'd,
Clothed on with resolution, the soul's might—
Be Hector or Achilles!—God defend the right!
In a great cause is noble. Time will show
The best and worst of it; and while it hails
Some worthy Song-kings of the long-ago,
Perhaps our names will echo with the rest,
And in no feebleness. Meantime, oh fight!
In the thick hurry of the battle press'd,
Clothed on with resolution, the soul's might—
Be Hector or Achilles!—God defend the right!
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