He was believed by his peers to be an important poet, But his erotic obsession, condemned and strictly forbidden, Compromised his standing, and led to his ruin. Over sixty, and a father many times over, The objects of his attention grew younger and younger: He tried to corrupt the sons of his dearest friends; He pressed on them drinks and drugs, And of course he was caught and publicly shamed. Was his death a suicide? No one is sure. But that's not the whole story; it's too sordid to tell. Besides, the memory of his poems deserves better. Though we were unable to look at them for a time His poems survive his death. There he appears as his finest self: Attractive, scholarly, dedicated to love. At last we can read him again, putting aside The brute facts of his outer life, And rejoice at the inner voice, so lofty and pure | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RUGBY CHAPEL by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE CROCODILE, FR. ALICE IN WONDERLAND by CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON CHRISMUS IS A-COMIN' by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ENVOY, TO 'MORE SONGS FROM VAGABONDIA' by RICHARD HOVEY TO A BLOCKHEAD by ALEXANDER POPE MONNA INNOMINATA, A SONNET OF SONNETS: 13 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI |