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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONNETS UPON THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH: 6, by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Poet Analysis Poet's Biography
First Line: Ye brood of conscience - spectres! That frequent
Last Line: Survive not judgment that requires his own?
First Line: Ye brood of conscience - spectres! That frequent
Last Line: Survive not judgment that requires his own?
YE brood of conscience -- Spectres! that frequent
The bad Man's restless walk, and haunt his bed --
Fiends in your aspect, yet beneficent
In act, as hovering Angels when they spread
Their wings to guard the unconscious Innocent --
Slow be the Statutes of the land to share
A laxity that could not but impair
'Your' power to punish crime, and so prevent.
And ye, Beliefs! coiled serpent-like about
The adage on all tongues, "Murder will out,"
How shall your ancient warnings work for good
In the full might they hitherto have shown,
If for deliberate shedder of man's blood
Survive not Judgment that requires his own?
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Other Poems of Interest...
A JEWISH FAMILY; IN A SMALL VALLEY OPPOSITE ST. GOAR by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
ADMONITION [TO A TRAVELLER] by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
AN APRIL MORNING by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
ANIMAL TRANQUILITY AND DECAY; A SKETCH by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
AT FLORENCE by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
AT THE GRAVE OF BURNS; SEVEN YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
BUONAPARTE by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
COMPOSED AT NEIDPATH CASTLE, 1803 by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
COMPOSED BY THE SEA-SIDE NEAR CALAIS [AUGUST 1802] by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH