FOR these are sacred fishes all Who know that lord who is lord of all; Come to the brim and nose the friendly hand That sways and can beshadow all the land. Nor only so, but have their names, and come When they are summoned by the Lord of Rome. Here once his line an impious Lybian threw; And as with tremulous reed his prey he drew, Straight, the light failed him. He groped, nor found the prey that he had ta'en. Now as a warning to the fisher clan Beside the lake he sits, a beggarman. Thou, then, while still thine innocence is pure, Flee swiftly, nor presume to set thy lure; Respect these fishes, for their friends are great; And in the waters empty all thy bait. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HAIL TEESSIDE! by CECIL DAY LEWIS EROS by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES A WOMAN'S ANSWER by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER SONNET: 129 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ON BUTLER'S MONUMENT [IN WESTMINSTER] by SAMUEL WESLEY TEARS by TUMADIR BINT IBN AL-SHARID AL-KHANSA |