 | Love-Lore (1895) |  |
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ODE TO YOUTH
Opeoples! heartless, soulless skeletons!—
O Youth! give me thy wings,
That I may mount aloft from this dead earth
And soar to where Enthusiasm flings
Its light on nobler things,
Waking new blossoms of most wondrous worth
And blessing Hope with dreams of her belovèd ones.
O Youth! give me thy wings,
That I may mount aloft from this dead earth
And soar to where Enthusiasm flings
Its light on nobler things,
Waking new blossoms of most wondrous worth
And blessing Hope with dreams of her belovèd ones.
For him whose sight is nigh eclipsed by age,
Whose wrinkled brow is bow'd unto the ground,
Be his pale vision's bound
The scant horizon of a measured page!
Whose wrinkled brow is bow'd unto the ground,
Be his pale vision's bound
The scant horizon of a measured page!
But Youth! thy vigourous sight
Should leap beyond the earth, and sun-like wend
Thorough the path of life, from height to height,
From end to end.
Should leap beyond the earth, and sun-like wend
Thorough the path of life, from height to height,
From end to end.
Look down! on yonder chaos, whose dark girth
Is wrapp'd in sluggishness as in a fog:
It is the earth.
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It is the earth.
Lo where on that dead ocean, like a log,
Floats some strange reptile shell'd in shapeless rind,
Itself its ship, its pilot, and its helm,—
Feeding on what less reptiles it can find,
Now on the wave-top, now deep in the whelm,
All heedless of the unheeding tempest's shock.
Now bubble-like it bursts against a rock:
And no one of its life or burial wist.
It is the Egotist.
Floats some strange reptile shell'd in shapeless rind,
Itself its ship, its pilot, and its helm,—
Feeding on what less reptiles it can find,
Now on the wave-top, now deep in the whelm,
All heedless of the unheeding tempest's shock.
Now bubble-like it bursts against a rock:
And no one of its life or burial wist.
It is the Egotist.
Youth! the nectar of my life
Is only sweet when it it shared with others.
Let friendship's golden thread enlink you, brothers!
And heaven-joys shall in your hearts be rife.
Is only sweet when it it shared with others.
Let friendship's golden thread enlink you, brothers!
And heaven-joys shall in your hearts be rife.
Together, then, young friends!
Each one is happy in united ends
And strong, and in enthusiasm wise.
Together, then, young friends!
Nor is he hapless who nears not the aim.
Enthusiasm leading him, he dies,
In mid career struck down; his brethren rise
O'er him, as on a stair, toward eternal fame.
Each one is happy in united ends
And strong, and in enthusiasm wise.
Together, then, young friends!
Nor is he hapless who nears not the aim.
Enthusiasm leading him, he dies,
In mid career struck down; his brethren rise
O'er him, as on a stair, toward eternal fame.
Together, then, young friends!
Though steep and slippery be the path,
Though Violence or Weakness you prevent:
Let Wrath be vanquish'd by diviner Wrath,
And wrestle in youth with Weakness till her charms are spent!
Though steep and slippery be the path,
Though Violence or Weakness you prevent:
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And wrestle in youth with Weakness till her charms are spent!
Who could with baby hands the serpents quell
Can grapple with the centaur in his prime;
Will bring back victims from the throat of Hell,
And reach at last to Heaven's wreath sublime.
So reach thou far beyond the grasp of sight!
Burst through what thy mere reason can not pierce!
Youth! be thy soaring like the eagle's flight;
Thy arm a thunderbolt, so swift and fierce.
Can grapple with the centaur in his prime;
Will bring back victims from the throat of Hell,
And reach at last to Heaven's wreath sublime.
So reach thou far beyond the grasp of sight!
Burst through what thy mere reason can not pierce!
Youth! be thy soaring like the eagle's flight;
Thy arm a thunderbolt, so swift and fierce.
Hurrah! foot set to foot, with mighty hands
Our arms shall bind the sphere,
Our thoughts concentre here;
Our souls one will commands.
We'll tear this lump of earth from its deep base,
And push the sluggard on a newer track;
Rend off its mouldy rind, and give it back
Its spring of life, fresh as our youthful grace.
Our arms shall bind the sphere,
Our thoughts concentre here;
Our souls one will commands.
We'll tear this lump of earth from its deep base,
And push the sluggard on a newer track;
Rend off its mouldy rind, and give it back
Its spring of life, fresh as our youthful grace.
Over dark chaos and the void of eld,
Confusion with confusion wildly blent,
God's Word forth went:
And lo, the worlds appear'd, in space upheld.
Shouted the hurricane, the waters leap'd,
And myriad stars the heavens in splendour steep'd:
So in the nations' hearts is darkness now,—
Will, like the elements, with will contending:
Confusion with confusion wildly blent,
God's Word forth went:
And lo, the worlds appear'd, in space upheld.
Shouted the hurricane, the waters leap'd,
And myriad stars the heavens in splendour steep'd:
So in the nations' hearts is darkness now,—
Will, like the elements, with will contending:
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But the divinity of Youth its brow
Uplifts, and lo, the agony is ending.
The new world issues from the gloom:
With Love henceforth upon its bright path wending,
And by Love's power upheld through the eternal doom.
Uplifts, and lo, the agony is ending.
The new world issues from the gloom:
With Love henceforth upon its bright path wending,
And by Love's power upheld through the eternal doom.
Light driveth down the sky the cloudy wrack
Of error; feeling bursts its icy bar.
Welcome, thrice welcome, Freedom's Morning Star!
The Saviour Sun close follows on thy track.
Of error; feeling bursts its icy bar.
Welcome, thrice welcome, Freedom's Morning Star!
The Saviour Sun close follows on thy track.
| Love-Lore (1895) | |