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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


DIRGE FOR THE LATE JAMES CURRIE, M.D., OF LIVERPOOL by LUCY AIKEN

Poem Explanation

First Line: SPEED ON THE NIGHT-WIND'S WING, MY SIGHS
Last Line: THE GRAVE OF PARTED WORTH!
Subject(s): CURRIE, JAMES (1756-1805); PHYSICIANS; DOCTORS;

SPEED on the night-wind's wing, my sighs,
While bends my head to earth;
Go seek the grave where CURRIE lies,
The grave of parted worth!
The piercing, rapid, ardent mind,
To useful science bent;
The expansive soul, to human kind
With free devotion lent;
Ambition high of noble fame,
From pride, from envy clear,
That burnt, a bright benignant flame,
His onward course to cheer;
The large discourse of lucid flow,
With bland persuasion fraught;
The beaming glance, that lurked below
The furrowed brow of thought;
The helping hand, the watchful eye,
Awake to every call;
The heartfelt tone of sympathy
That dearer was than all: --
These, these, grim Death! thy hasty prey,
To yon cold tomb are borne;
And Memory, still, from day to day
Must linger there to mourn.
Speed on the night-wind's wing, my sighs,
While bends my head to earth;
Go seek the grave where CURRIE lies,
The grave of parted worth!



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