'CAN I know it?' -- 'Nay.' -- 'Shall I know it?' -- 'Yea, When all mists have cleared away For ever and aye.' -- 'Why not then to-day?' -- 'Who hath said thee nay? Lift a hopeful heart and pray In a humble way.' -- 'Other hearts are gay.' -- 'Ask not joy to-day: Toil to-day along thy way Keeping grudge at bay.' -- 'On a past May-day Flowers pranked all the way; Nightingales sang out their say On a night of May.' -- 'Dost thou covet May On an Autumn day? Foolish memory saith its say Of sweets past away.' -- 'Gone the bloom of May, Autumn beareth bay: Flowerless wreath for head grown grey Seemly were to-day.' -- 'Dost thou covet bay? Ask it not to-day: Rather for a palm-branch pray; None will say thee nay.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PRELUDE; FOR GEOFFREY GORER by EDITH SITWELL THE CHOIR INVISIBLE by MARY ANN EVANS THE DORCHESTER GIANT by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE SWAMP FOX by WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS THE WINDS OF FATE by ELLA WHEELER WILCOX THE YOUNG CARPENTER by AL-RUSAFI |