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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WALTER PATER, by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Gracious god rest him, he who toiled so well | |||
Gracious God rest him! he who toiled so well Secrets of grace to tell Graciously; as the awed rejoicing priest Gracious God rest him! he who toiled so well Secrets of grace to tell Officiates at the feast, Knowing how deep within the liturgies Graciously; as the awed rejoicing priest Officiates at the feast, Lie hid the mysteries. Knowing how deep within the liturgies Half of a passionately pensive soul He showed us, not the whole: Lie hid the mysteries. Who loved him best, they best, they only, knew Half of a passionately pensive soul He showed us, not the whole: The deeps they might not view; Who loved him best, they best, they only, knew That which was private between God and him; The deeps they might not view; To others, justly dim. That which was private between God and him; Calm Oxford autumns and preluding springs! To others, justly dim. To me your memory brings Delight upon delight, but chiefest one: Calm Oxford autumns and preluding springs! The thought of Oxford's son, To me your memory brings Who gave me of his welcome and his praise, Delight upon delight, but chiefest one: The thought of Oxford's son, When white were still my days; Who gave me of his welcome and his praise, Ere death had left life darkling, nor had sent When white were still my days; Lament upon lament: Ere sorrow told me how I loved my lost, Ere death had left life darkling, nor had sent And bade me base love's cost. Lament upon lament: Scholarship's constant saint, he kept her light Ere sorrow told me how I loved my lost, And bade me base love's cost. In him divinely white: With cloistral jealousness of ardour strove Scholarship's constant saint, he kept her light To guard her sacred grove, In him divinely white: Inviolate by worldly feet, nor paced With cloistral jealousness of ardour strove To guard her sacred grove, In desecrating haste. Oh, sweet grave smiling of that wisdom, brought Inviolate by worldly feet, nor paced From arduous ways of thought; In desecrating haste. Oh, sweet grave smiling of that wisdom, brought Oh, golden patience of that travailing soul From arduous ways of thought; So hungered for the goal, Oh, golden patience of that travailing soul And vowed to keep, through subtly vigilant pain, So hungered for the goal, From pastime on the plain, Enamoured of the difficult mountain air And vowed to keep, through subtly vigilant pain, Up beauty's Hill of Prayer! From pastime on the plain, Stern is the faith of art, right stern, and he Enamoured of the difficult mountain air Loved her severity. Up beauty's Hill of Prayer! Stern is the faith of art, right stern, and he Momentous things he prized, gradual and fair Loved her severity. Births of a passionate air: Some austere setting of an ancient sun, Momentous things he prized, gradual and fair Births of a passionate air: Its midday glories done, Some austere setting of an ancient sun, Over a silent melancholy sea In sad serenity: Its midday glories done, Over a silent melancholy sea Some delicate dawning of a new desire, Distilling fragrant fire In sad serenity: On hearts of men prophetically fain Some delicate dawning of a new desire, Distilling fragrant fire To feel earth young again: On hearts of men prophetically fain Some strange rich passage of the dreaming earth, To feel earth young again: Fulfilled with warmth and worth. Some strange rich passage of the dreaming earth, Ended, his service: yet, albeit farewell Fulfilled with warmth and worth. Tolls the faint vesper bell, Ended, his service: yet, albeit farewell Patient beneath his Oxford trees and towers He still is gently ours: Tolls the faint vesper bell, Hierarch of the spirit, pure and strong, Patient beneath his Oxford trees and towers Worthy Uranian song. He still is gently ours: Hierarch of the spirit, pure and strong, Gracious God keep him: and God grant to me By miracle to see Worthy Uranian song. That unforgettably most gracious friend, Gracious God keep him: and God grant to me By miracle to see In the never-ending end! Gracious God rest him! he who toiled so well That unforgettably most gracious friend, Secrets of grace to tell In the never-ending end! Graciously; as the awed rejoicing priest Officiates at the feast, Knowing how deep within the liturgies Lie hid the mysteries. Half of a passionately pensive soul He showed us, not the whole: Who loved him best, they best, they only, knew The deeps they might not view; That which was private between God and him; To others, justly dim. Calm Oxford autumns and preluding springs! To me your memory brings Delight upon delight, but chiefest one: The thought of Oxford's son, Who gave me of his welcome and his praise, When white were still my days; Ere death had left life darkling, nor had sent Lament upon lament: Ere sorrow told me how I loved my lost, And bade me base love's cost. Scholarship's constant saint, he kept her light In him divinely white: With cloistral jealousness of ardour strove To guard her sacred grove, Inviolate by worldly feet, nor paced In desecrating haste. Oh, sweet grave smiling of that wisdom, brought From arduous ways of thought; Oh, golden patience of that travailing soul So hungered for the goal, And vowed to keep, through subtly vigilant pain, From pastime on the plain, Enamoured of the difficult mountain air Up beauty's Hill of Prayer! Stern is the faith of art, right stern, and he Loved her severity. Momentous things he prized, gradual and fair Births of a passionate air: Some austere setting of an ancient sun, Its midday glories done, Over a silent melancholy sea In sad serenity: Some delicate dawning of a new desire, Distilling fragrant fire On hearts of men prophetically fain To feel earth young again: Some strange rich passage of the dreaming earth, Fulfilled with warmth and worth. Ended, his service: yet, albeit farewell Tolls the faint vesper bell, Patient beneath his Oxford trees and towers He still is gently ours: Hierarch of the spirit, pure and strong, Worthy Uranian song. Gracious God keep him: and God grant to me By miracle to see That unforgettably most gracious friend, In the never-ending end! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CHURCH OF A DREAM; TO BERNHARD BERENSON by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON THE DARK ANGEL by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON A FRIEND by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON CELTIC SPEECH by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON ENTHUSIASTS by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON FRIENDS: 4 by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON HILL AND VALE by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON LOVE'S WAYS by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON MYSTIC AND CAVALIER by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON |
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