Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO A FRIEND, by ROBERT SOUTHEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: And wouldst thou seek the low abode Last Line: Of hermit happiness. Subject(s): Comfort; Friendship; Life; Peace; Self-reliance; Solitude; Travel; Loneliness; Journeys; Trips | ||||||||
AND wouldst thou seek the low abode Where peace delights to dwell? Pause traveller on thy way of life? With many a snare and peril rife Is that long labyrinth of road: Dark is the vale of years before; Pause traveller on thy way! Nor dare the dangerous path explore Till old experience comes to lend his leading ray. Not he who comes with lanthorn light Shall guide thy groping pace aright With faltering feet and slow; No! let him rear the torch on high, And every maze shall meet thine eye, And every snare and every foe; Then with steady step and strong, Traveller, shalt thou march along. Though power invite thee to her hall, Regard not thou her tempting call Her splendour's meteor glare; Though courteous flattery there await And wealth adorn the doom of state, There stalks the midnight spectre, Care; Peace, traveller! does not sojourn there. If fame allure thee, climb not thou To that steep mountain's craggy brow, Where stands her stately pile; For far from thence does peace abide, And thou shalt find fame's favouring smile Cold as the feeble sun on Hecla's snow-clad side. And, traveller! as thou hopest to find That low and loved abode, Retire thee from the thronging road, And shun the mob of human-kind. Ah! hear how old experience schools, "Fly, fly the crowd of knaves and fools, And thou shalt fly from woe; The one thy heedless heart will greet With Judas smile, and thou wilt meet In every fool a foe!" So safely mayst thou pass from these, And reach secure the home of peace, And friendship find thee there. No happier state can mortal know, No happier lot can earth bestow, If love thy lot shall share. Yet still content with him may dwell Whom Hymen will not bless, And virtue sojourn in the cell Of hermit happiness. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RICHARD, WHAT'S THAT NOISE? by RICHARD HOWARD LOOKING FOR THE GULF MOTEL by RICHARD BLANCO RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL DESTINATIONS by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE ONE WHO WAS DIFFERENT by RANDALL JARRELL THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON SESTINA: TRAVEL NOTES by WELDON KEES TO H. B. (WITH A BOOK OF VERSE) by MAURICE BARING BISHOP BRUNO by ROBERT SOUTHEY |
|