THOU, in that golden time whose other name Is opportunity, dost thou not know, Has no one ever told thee, of thy claim? Thou art the heir, for heaven hath made thee so; All things are thine; look up, and thou shalt see: Sun, moon, and stars are bowing down to thee, Making obeisance, as in Joseph's dream; For thee it is that waters roll, stars shine, Voices arise by lonely hill and stream, Friendly monitions, whisperings divine; For thee do Ariels sing; and where the walls 'Twixt the two worlds are thinnest, in the air Come momentary gleams—the sheen that falls As from no earthly garments ever: there, With heaven's power and blessing to bestow, The holy Presences pass to and fro. All possibilities are in thy hand, All powers thine to summon and command, And all for this: that thou, made brave of heart, Daring to seem not other than thou art, Mightst follow thine ideal, not the show Of what hath in it aught of base or low, But thine own best ideal, till thou be Thyself the man the world needs most to see! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE TRANSIENCE OF HANDS by KAREN SWENSON TO MUSIC [TO BECALM HIS FEVER] by ROBERT HERRICK AUTUMN (1) by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 43. ALLAH-AL-KARIM by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 53. ALLAH-AL-WAKIL by EDWIN ARNOLD SILENCE by MAVIS CLARE BARNETT THE MONITOR by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE |