WHAT time I lay these rhymes anear thy feet, Benignant friend, I will not proudly say As better poets use, 'These flowers I lay,' Because I would not wrong thy roses sweet, Blaspheming so their name. And yet, repeat Thou, overleaning them this springtime day, With heart as open to love as theirs to May, -- 'Low - rooted verse may reach some heavenly heat, Even like my blossoms, if as nature-true Though not as precious.' Thou art unper-plext -- Dear friend, in whose dear writings drops the dew And blow the natural airs, -- thou, who art next To nature's self in cheering the world's view, -- To preach a sermon on so known a text! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GREY ROCK by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE PINES AND THE SEA by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH THE TEMPEST: PROLOGUE by JOHN DRYDEN SONG, FR. MEASURE FOR MEASURE by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE TO A CERTAIN CIVILIAN by WALT WHITMAN PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 69. AL-MAKUTADIR by EDWIN ARNOLD EPITHALAMIUM by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |