"Nay" -- yet again thou pleadest -- "life is short; Lovers are many, heroes few and rare; Long years ago my one heart had its share Of easy pleasure, and its evil wrought. Leave me to my design, my single thought Just to grow perfect, inwardly aware Of victory than fairest bliss more fair; -- Shall my poor soul have freed herself for nought?" "Thus much for thine own gladness. What for ours?" -- Plead the unborn thy sons should live to aid; Pleads each most needy, noble thing unmade That should reap heritage of thy won powers. The Future pleads -- "By all thy spirit can, Be no mere saint for me, but loyal man." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO THE POOR by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD A SNOW-STORM; SCENE IN A VERMONT WINTER by CHARLES GAMAGE EASTMAN GASCOIGNE'S WOODMANSHIP by GEORGE GASCOIGNE SEVEN TIMES FOUR [ - MATERNITY] by JEAN INGELOW SONNET: TO J.M.K. by ALFRED TENNYSON THE SCHOLARS by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS |