Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONNET: 18, by HILAIRE BELLOC Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: When you to acheron's ugly water came Last Line: Good land to leave: and young love satisfied. Alternate Author Name(s): Belloc, Joseph Hilaire Pierre Rene Subject(s): Death; Dead, The | ||||||||
WHEN you to Acheron's ugly water come Where darkness is and formless mourners brood And down the shelves of that distasteful flood Survey the human rank in order dumb. When the pale dead go forward, tortured more By nothingness and longing than by fire, Which bear their hands in suppliance with desire, With stretched desire for the ulterior shore. Then go before them like a royal ghost And tread like Egypt or like Carthage crowned; Because in your Mortality the most Of all we may inherit has been found -- Children for memory: the Faith for pride. Good land to leave: and young Love satisfied. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY |
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