WHY should we murmur, why repine, Phyllis, at thy fate, or mine? Like pris'ners, why do we those fetters shake; Which neither thou, nor I can break? There is a better way to baffle Fate, If mortals would but mind it, And 'tis not hard to find it: Who would be happy, must be desperate; He must despise those stars that fright Only fools that dread the night; Time and chance he must outbrave, He that crouches is their slave. Thus the wise Pagans, ill at ease, Bravely chastis'd their surly Deities. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN THE HOME STRETCH by ROBERT FROST ALL RELIGIONS ARE ONE by WILLIAM BLAKE FRAGMENT, ON THE BACK OF THE POET'S MS. OF CANTO I OF 'DON JUAN' by GEORGE GORDON BYRON A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND by PHOEBE CARY A DIRGE (1) by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS THE SONG OF HIAWATHA: PICTURE-WRITING by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW |