IF YOU ARE TEMPTED to reveal A tale to you someone has told About another, make it pass, Before you speak, three gates of gold. These narrow gates: First, "Is it true?" Then, "Is it needful?" In your mind Give truthful answer. And the next Is last and narrowest, "Is it kind?" And if to reach your lips at last It passes through these gateways three, Then you may tell the tale, nor fear What the result of speech may be. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE TO THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY by SIDNEY LANIER EUROPE A PROPHECY by WILLIAM BLAKE F. DE SAMARA TO A.G.A. by EMILY JANE BRONTE NOTHING TO WEAR' by WILLIAM ALLEN BUTLER DEEDS OF VALOR AT SANTIAGO by CLINTON SCOLLARD THE BLACKBIRD by ALFRED TENNYSON ECCLESIASTICAL SONNETS: PART 3: 34. MUTABILITY by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |