 | Collected poems |  |
204
ARS VICTRIX
(IMITATED FROM THÉOPHILE GAUTIER)
Yes; when the ways oppose—
When the hard means rebel,
Fairer the work out-grows,—
More potent far the spell.
When the hard means rebel,
Fairer the work out-grows,—
More potent far the spell.
O Poet, then, forbear
The loosely sandalled verse,
Choose rather thou to wear
The buskin—strait and terse;
The loosely sandalled verse,
Choose rather thou to wear
The buskin—strait and terse;
Leave to the tyro's hand
The limp and shapeless style,
See that thy form demand
The labour of the file.
The limp and shapeless style,
See that thy form demand
The labour of the file.
Sculptor, do thou discard
The yielding clay,—consign
To Paros marble hard
The beauty of thy line;—
The yielding clay,—consign
To Paros marble hard
The beauty of thy line;—
205
Model thy Satyr's face
For bronze of Syracuse;
In the veined agate trace
The profile of thy Muse.
For bronze of Syracuse;
In the veined agate trace
The profile of thy Muse.
Painter, that still must mix
But transient tints anew,
Thou in the furnace fix
The firm enamel's hue;
But transient tints anew,
Thou in the furnace fix
The firm enamel's hue;
Let the smooth tile receive
Thy dove-drawn Erycine;
Thy Sirens blue at eve
Coiled in a wash of wine.
Thy dove-drawn Erycine;
Thy Sirens blue at eve
Coiled in a wash of wine.
All passes. Art alone
Enduring stays to us;
The Bust outlasts the throne,—
The Coin, Tiberius;
Enduring stays to us;
The Bust outlasts the throne,—
The Coin, Tiberius;
Even the gods must go;
Only the lofty Rhyme
Not countless years o'erthrow,—
Not long array of time.
Only the lofty Rhyme
Not countless years o'erthrow,—
Not long array of time.
Paint, chisel, then, or write;
But, that the work surpass,
With the hard fashion fight,—
With the resisting mass.
But, that the work surpass,
With the hard fashion fight,—
With the resisting mass.
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