BETTER to smell the violet Than sip the glowing wine; Better to hearken to a brook Than watch a diamond shine. Better to have a loving friend Than ten admiring foes; Better a daisy's earthy root Than a gorgeous, dying rose. Better to love in loneliness Than bask in love all day; Better the fountain in the heart Than the fountain by the way. Better be fed by mother's hand Than eat alone at will; Better to trust in God, than say, My goods my storehouse fill. Better to be a little wise Than in knowledge to abound; Better to teach a child than toil To fill perfection's round. Better to sit at some man's feet Than thrill a listening state; Better suspect that thou art proud Than be sure that thou art great. Better to walk the realm unseen Than watch the hour's event; Better the @3Well done, faithful slave!@1 Than the air with shoutings rent. Better to have a quiet grief Than many turbulent joys; Better to miss thy manhood's aim Than sacrifice the boy's. Better a death when work is done Than earth's most favoured birth; Better a child in God's great house Than the king of all the earth. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GAMBOLS OF CHILDREN by GEORGE DARLEY THE LIGHT OF STARS by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE BELLS OF SHANDON by FRANCIS SYLVESTER MAHONY THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX [APRIL 9, 1865] by HERMAN MELVILLE A GOOD PLAY by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON DAFFODILS by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH THE RHYME OF SIR LAUNCELOT BOGLE; A LEGEND OF GLASGOW by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN |