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166
[Here we've wander'd some few hours]
Here we've wander'd some few hours,Plagued with flies, and pleased with flowers;
Children dear, the sun is low,
The bell is tolling: let us go.
[The metal sleeps in its hidden vein]
The metal sleeps in its hidden vein,
The blue-eyed flax waves over the plain,
The silk-worm spins on the mulberry leaf;
The Days are spinning their joy and grief.
The blue-eyed flax waves over the plain,
The silk-worm spins on the mulberry leaf;
The Days are spinning their joy and grief.
Threads are a-twining, manifold,
Of flax, hemp, cotton, and silk, and gold;
For joyous Beauty, for Soldier proud,
For work-dress, cable, halter, and shroud.
Of flax, hemp, cotton, and silk, and gold;
For joyous Beauty, for Soldier proud,
For work-dress, cable, halter, and shroud.
From fields of sense, and mines of thought,
Threads of life are twisted and wrought:
We are weaving Character, weaving Fate,
And Human History, little and great.
Threads of life are twisted and wrought:
We are weaving Character, weaving Fate,
And Human History, little and great.
167
[We count men subject to mortality]
We count men subject to mortality;Yet take one man—we could not let him die.
[If I must die when all is said and done]
If I must die when all is said and done,I am dead now; true life has ne'er begun.
[If we saw these things clear, what then?]
If we saw these things clear, what then?This were not Earth, and we not Men.
[A skeleton typifies Death.]
A skeleton typifies Death.Let be: 'tis enough exact.
Death, the bones of a fact,
Wanting the blood and breath.
[What! am I too grown old? How days have hasted!]
What! am I too grown old? How days have hasted!Soon I must leave this world, nor loth to go.
Novelty, Hope, Defeat, Success, I've tasted,
Each various flavour of Life's joy and woe.
Great things I can surmise, but nothing know.
I've lived a man with men, and with the rest
Move on to die in turn, and say “So best.”
168
[A mystic tracery of Stars]
A mystic tracery of StarsHung in the midnight sky,
Wherein methought
In one great word was wrote,
Could I but read it, Human Destiny.
But Destiny debars.
[All things freely flow]
All things freely flow
In the starry current:
Sullen or abhorrent,
As half-drown'd we glide;
Know too much, too little;
Turn our strength and gladness
Into gloom and madness,
Struggling with the tide.
In the starry current:
Sullen or abhorrent,
As half-drown'd we glide;
Know too much, too little;
Turn our strength and gladness
Into gloom and madness,
Struggling with the tide.
Multitudes of germs
Travel unconfounded;
Planets simply rounded
Make gigantic way;
Terms of fate protect them,
Ignorant of treason:—
Well when human reason
Chooses to obey.
Travel unconfounded;
Planets simply rounded
Make gigantic way;
Terms of fate protect them,
Ignorant of treason:—
169
Chooses to obey.
Fatal flowing Time,
Strong thy liquid fetter;
Yet I swim the better,
Nor compassion crave:
Prime of thee and all things,
Nature's secret essence
Lives to its own presence
Where we break thy wave.
Strong thy liquid fetter;
Yet I swim the better,
Nor compassion crave:
Prime of thee and all things,
Nature's secret essence
Lives to its own presence
Where we break thy wave.
[O young Man! cast off cowardice]
O young Man! cast off cowardiceAnd sloth and selfishness; arise,
Wash with clear dew thy drowsy eyes,
Run on the joyful hills of morn,
Let dull dreams fly the breeze's horn,
And golden rays make fresh thy blood!
To Age the dubitating mood;
In youth audacity is wise.
170
[I hear the hum of earth, alive and merry]
I hear the hum of earth, alive and merryI hear the dashing of the restless wave;
I hear a slow bell ringing where they bury;
I hear a small bird singing by a grave;
I hear the steady tramp of Time; I hear
My own blood pulsing in my pillow'd ear.
I hear no sound at all, afar or near.
I hear a river of enchantment flowing
Out of the stars, and round the dim world going.
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