Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE IMMORTALS, by SAMUEL VALENTINE COLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE IMMORTALS, by                    
First Line: Think! The gods have been among us, seen us
Last Line: We may heed them, know them, love them, ere these also rise and go.
Subject(s): Immortality


THINK! the gods have been among us, seen us, marked our speech and tone,
Touched the smallness of our natures with the largeness of their own,
Deigned to walk the path beside us, in our homes to eat and drink,
They, the deathless, ever-blessed—O my comrades, do you think?

And we watched them, never dreaming they were more than common men,—
Though we heard their gracious language, though again and yet again
We beheld the generous fashion which they used in going through
Every task and every duty given unto men to do,—
Till the great occasion called them, showed their stature to us, drew
Off the vail that hid their faces, as they vanished and we knew.

Hush! they may be walking round us in the twilight—who shall say?—
Others of the gods, and seeking if we give them yea or nay,
We, the deaf ones, we, the blind ones, needing better ears and eyes
To discern the great immortals through whatever strange disguise,
That, amid the blaze of noonday or the evening's purple glow,
We may heed them, know them, love them, ere these also rise and go.





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