Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE APOLOGY, by JAMES STEPHENS Poet's Biography First Line: Do not be distant with me, do not be Last Line: For his unstinted gift of verse and wit! Subject(s): Poetry & Poets | ||||||||
Do not be distant with me, do not be Angry to hear I drank deep of your wine, But treat a laughing matter laughingly; For 'tis the poet's failing, to incline, By nature and by art, to jollity. Always I loved to see -- sight all too rare! A rich, red, tide lip at a flagon's brim; To sit, half fool and half philosopher; To chat with every kind of her and him; And to shrug at lore of money-gatherer. Often I trudge the mud by hedge and wall; And often there's no money in my purse! Nor malice in my heart ever at all! And of my songs no person is the worse, But I myself, who give my all to all. Though busybody told, say -- what of it! Say, kindliest man of kindest men that live, -- The poet only takes his sup and bit! And say -- It is no great return to give For his unstinted gift of verse and wit! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ENVY OF OTHER PEOPLE'S POEMS by ROBERT HASS THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AS A SONG by ROBERT HASS THE FATALIST: TIME IS FILLED by LYN HEJINIAN OXOTA: A SHORT RUSSIAN NOVEL: CHAPTER 192 by LYN HEJINIAN LET ME TELL YOU WHAT A POEM BRINGS by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA JUNE JOURNALS 6/25/88 by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA FOLLOW ROZEWICZ by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA HAVING INTENDED TO MERELY PICK ON AN OIL COMPANY, THE POEM GOES AWRY by HICOK. BOB |
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