Thou stately stream that with the swelling tide 'Gainst London walls incessantly dost beat, Thou Thames, I say, where barge and boat doth ride, And snow-white swans do fish for needful meat: When so my love, of force or pleasure, shall Flit on thy flood as custom is to do, Seek not with dread her courage to appall, But calm thy tide, and smoothly let it go, As she may joy, arrived to siker shore, To pass the pleasant stream she did before. To welter up and surge in wrathful wise, As did the flood where Helle drenched was Would but procure defame of thee to rise; Wherefore let all such ruthless rigor pass. So wish I that thou may'st with bending side Have power for aye in wonted gult to glide. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...REBEL COLOR-BEARERS AT SHILOH by HERMAN MELVILLE STEVENSON'S BIRTHDAY by KATHERINE WISE MILLER WHEN SHE COMES HOME by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY IN THE PINK' by SIEGFRIED SASSOON THE LOVE OF GOD by ELIZA SCUDDER SONNET: 3 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE CIVIL WAR by CHARLES DAWSON SHANLY TO A YOUNG LADY; WHO ... REPROACHED FOR TAKING LONG WALKS IN COUNTRY by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |