Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DESTINY OF GENIUS, by MARIA ABDY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DESTINY OF GENIUS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Daughter of song! How truly hast thou spoken
Last Line: Save when they fix their hopes on one above?
Alternate Author Name(s): Smith, Maria; Abdy, Mira; M. A.
Subject(s): Genius


Daughter of song! how truly hast thou spoken!
Yet deem not that to thee alone belong
Sad memories of idols crush'd and broken,
Of wounding falsehood, and of bitter wrong:
Oh! in thy cares, thy trials, I can trace
The lot appointed for thy gifted race.

Genius is all too lavish of its feelings,
It gives its tenderness of heavenly birth,
To waste its bright and beautiful revealings
On the dull common natures of the earth,
Casting the flowers of a celestial land,
To droop and wither upon barren sand.

And earth's cold children cherish not the treasure,
The pure and blessed offering they repel,
Busied in worldly toil, or worldly pleasure,
Their souls respond not to the hidden spell
Touch'd by a hand whose skilful power was given
As the peculiar boon of favouring Heaven.

And must it then be so? -- must cold rejection
Still mock the heart where Genius warmly glows?
No! there is One on whom its deep affection
In fearless trusting ardour may repose;
Exhausting all the riches of its store,
Yet ever in return receiving more.

Yes: let it safely guard its true devotion
From the low commerce of the worthless sod,
Laying each fond and rapturous emotion
A tribute at the holy shrine of God:
Oh! where can gifted spirits wisely love,
Save when they fix their hopes on One above?





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