STUCK in the mire of many philosophies, Quicksands of creeds and codes, I would have come to nothing if my soul had not laughed at me... "Stupid!" he said, "They speak of what @3they@1 want: but what do @3you@1 want? Go and question yourself! Surely the oak does not put forth apples, Nor the wild-rose many-eyed excellent potatoes!" Thanks, laugher! I'm off now down the long road of myself, The way is clear: I could shout in this wind of freedom, Even as the sun rejoices that it sheds natural sunbeams, And the sea that it runs down the tides. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MASTER-PLAYER by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR A BALLAD OF THE BOSTON TEA-PARTY [DECEMBER 16, 1773] by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES MONNA INNOMINATA, A SONNET OF SONNETS: 1 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI CASSANDRA SOUTHWICK; 1658 by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER SPRING THOUGHTS by FLORENCE E. BALDWIN APPEARANCES by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |