Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON THE DEAD, by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON THE DEAD, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thou in this wide cold church art laid
Last Line: Death follows with uplifted dart.
Subject(s): Cemeteries; Consolation; Death - Children; Graveyards; Death - Babies


Thou in this wide cold church art laid,
Close to the wall, my little maid!
My little Fanny Verchild! thou
Sole idol of an infant vow!
My playmate in life's break of day,
When all we had to do was play!
Even then, if any other girl
To kiss my forehead seiz'd a curl,
Thou wouldst with sad dismay run in,
And stamp, and call it shame and sin.
And should some rash intrusive boy
Bring thee an orange, flower, or toy,
That instant I laid fist on frill,
I bore my jealousy so ill,
And felt my bosom beat so bold,
Altho' he might be six years old.
Against the marble slab mine eyes
Dwell fixt; and from below arise
Thoughts, not yet cold nor mute, of thee
It was their earliest joy to see.
One who had marcht o'er Minden's plain
In thy young smile grew young again.
That stern one melted into love,
That father traced the line above.
His Roman soul used Roman speech,
And taught (ah thou too, thou didst teach!)
How, soon as in our course we start,
Death follows with uplifted dart.





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