 | By Severn Sea and Other Poems |  |
50
WILLIAM COLLINS
SCHOLAR OF WINCHESTER 1733–40 COMMONER OF QUEEN'S 1740–41. DEMY OF MAGDALEN 1741–44
Nightingale poet, all too delicate
For the world's noon; shy student, with the fair
Vision of ancient Hellas and the rare
Magic of her lost lyres impassionate;
Thou for a while of freedom, love, and fate,
Nature, and man's regret, didst trill thine air,
Thy bosom to the thorn, but could'st not bear
Of raptured frenzy the o'erteeming freight:
For the world's noon; shy student, with the fair
Vision of ancient Hellas and the rare
Magic of her lost lyres impassionate;
Thou for a while of freedom, love, and fate,
Nature, and man's regret, didst trill thine air,
Thy bosom to the thorn, but could'st not bear
Of raptured frenzy the o'erteeming freight:
Yet for thy suffering large reward was given,
In weakness to forerun corrival strength
And catch the music of the coming days,
From thy mad cell to hear the voice of Heaven
After earth's Babel, and on earth at length
Pure laurels and thy brethren's nicest praise.
In weakness to forerun corrival strength
And catch the music of the coming days,
From thy mad cell to hear the voice of Heaven
After earth's Babel, and on earth at length
Pure laurels and thy brethren's nicest praise.
| By Severn Sea and Other Poems | |