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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TO THE MEMORY OF JAMES MERRISHAW A VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
TO THE MEMORY OF JAMES MERRISHAW A VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER
What no plain stone? to court the strangers eyeNo mournful strain to heave the tender sigh
Is not one record left? to mark the spot
Where thou art laid; or is thy name forgot
All! All! are lost, All perish'd in the tomb
And black oblivion triumphs oer thy doom
Ah! tho no careless muse one tribute gave
Nor cast one flowret on thy injur'd grave
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And health and memory their course sustains
While the blest vissitants attend my frame
I'll never cease to tell, thy worthy name
Tho weak my genius which would fain attone
To make thy memory and thy virtues known
Tho mean the lay to what thy worth requires
‘Yet naught is vain which gratitude inspires’
'Tis she that bids my artless muse pursue
Her lowly flight & give the tribute due
Due to thy worth thy memory and thy grave
For thou it was dear injur'd Man that gave
This little Learning which I now enjoy
A Gift so dear that nothing can destroy
T'was thou that taught my infant years to scan
The various evils that encompas man
Twas thou that taught my eager breast to shun
Those vain pursuits where thousands are undone
And if such choise Examples I decline
Then Shame belongs to me:—the praise is thine
This he has done for me:—Then rise my soul
Above the littlenes of lifes controul
Mind not what Booklearnt men or Critics say
Thine is the debt—and be it thine to pay
| The early poems of John Clare | |