The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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LINES WRITTEN WHILE VIEWING SOME REMAINS OF AN HUMAN BODY IN LOLHAM LANE |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
17
LINES WRITTEN WHILE VIEWING SOME REMAINS OF AN HUMAN BODY IN LOLHAM LANE
Sure t'was the murderers hand that laid thee low
And with the ponderous club or dredful knife
Or such like weapon struck the deadley blow
And rob'd thy body of its precious life
Nay it might not be so:—
Perhaps these mangled bones
When they was blest with life tho long ago
Hath trac'd sweet musick thro her highest tones
Perhaps a genious powerful and strong
Well skill'd in all the majesty of song
Dwelt in this dust—and this his wish to have
His bone inter'd in this sequester'd spot—
Vain roving thought—what this a poets grave
And not one record left—but all forgot
What such reward?
If thou had eloquence
What thou a bard?
And this thy recompence
And with the ponderous club or dredful knife
Or such like weapon struck the deadley blow
And rob'd thy body of its precious life
Nay it might not be so:—
Perhaps these mangled bones
When they was blest with life tho long ago
Hath trac'd sweet musick thro her highest tones
Perhaps a genious powerful and strong
Well skill'd in all the majesty of song
Dwelt in this dust—and this his wish to have
His bone inter'd in this sequester'd spot—
Vain roving thought—what this a poets grave
And not one record left—but all forgot
What such reward?
If thou had eloquence
What thou a bard?
And this thy recompence
Sure this cant be—howe're as nothing's shown
All these congecterings are but idly vain
Thy fate thy fame a like to me unknown
And all my searching fruitless to obtain
Yet he that governs all
And earth and air and sky
He knew thy death and end—he saw thy fall
And when and where for he is ever nigh
And if some impious ruffian laid the[e] low
If he or they it was that gave the blow
They will appear on that tremenduos day
When the redeemer comes to judge the land
Then will they all their guilty crimes display
Without disguise—and first that bloody hand
Then is their fate prepar'd
For this their vile offence
Then will they get their just reward
And thou thy recompence
All these congecterings are but idly vain
Thy fate thy fame a like to me unknown
And all my searching fruitless to obtain
18
And earth and air and sky
He knew thy death and end—he saw thy fall
And when and where for he is ever nigh
And if some impious ruffian laid the[e] low
If he or they it was that gave the blow
They will appear on that tremenduos day
When the redeemer comes to judge the land
Then will they all their guilty crimes display
Without disguise—and first that bloody hand
Then is their fate prepar'd
For this their vile offence
Then will they get their just reward
And thou thy recompence
| The early poems of John Clare | |