Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODES: IV, 9. THE IMMORTALTY OF VERSE, by QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODES: IV, 9. THE IMMORTALTY OF VERSE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Lest you should think that verse shall die
Last Line: They had no poet and are dead!
Alternate Author Name(s): Horace
Variant Title(s): The Immortality Of Verse
Subject(s): Immortality; Poetry & Poets


Lest you should think that Verse shall die,
Which sounds the Silver Thames along,
Taught on the Wings of Truth, to fly
Above the reach of vulgar Song;

Tho' daring Milton sits Sublime,
In Spencer native Muses play;
Nor yet shall Waller yield to time,
Nor pensive Cowley's moral Lay.

Sages and Chiefs long since had birth
E're Caesar was, or Newton nam'd,
These rais'd new Empires o'er the Earth,
And Those new Heav'ns and Systems fram'd;

Vain was the chief's and sage's pride
They had no Poet and they dyd!
In vain they schem'd, in vain they bled
They had no Poet and are dead!





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