'TIS idle! we exhaust and squander The glittering mine of thought in vain. All-baffled reason cannot wander Beyond her chain. The flood of life runs dark -- dark clouds Make lampless night around its shore: The dead, where are they! In their shrouds -- Man knows no more. Evoke the ancient and the past, Will one illumining star arise? Or must the film, from first to last O'erspread thine eyes? When life, love, glory, beauty, wither, Will wisdom's page, or science chart, Map out for thee the region whither Their shades depart? Supposest thou the wondrous powers, To high imagination given, Pale types of what shall yet be ours, When earth is heaven? When this decaying shell is cold, Oh! sayest thou the soul shall climb What magic mount she trod of old, Ere childhood's time? And shall the sacred pulse that thrilled, Thrill once again to glory's name? And shall the conquering love that filled All earth with flame, Reborn, revived, renewed, immortal, Resume his reign in prouder might, A sun beyond the ebon portal Of death and night? No more, no more -- with aching brow, And restless heart, and burning brain, We ask the When, the Where, the How, And ask in vain. And all philosophy, all faith, All earthly -- all celestial lore, Have but one voice, which only saith Endure -- adore! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CONCORD HYMN; SUNG AT COMPLETION OF CONCORD MONUMENT, 1836 by RALPH WALDO EMERSON LYDIA (1) by LIZETTE WOODWORTH REESE LOVE DISSEMBLED, FR. AS YOU LIKE IT by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE AT [OR AFTER] CORUNNA by CHARLES WOLFE CARN A-TURNEN YOLLER by WILLIAM BARNES HYMN TO HORUS by MATHILDE BLIND A VISION OF POETS by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |