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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LUCRETIUS by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: LUCRETIUS! KING OF MEN, THAT ARE
Subject(s): LUCRETIUS (99-55 B.C.); POETRY AND POETS;
I

Visions, to sear with flame his worn and haunted eyes,

Throng him: and fears unknown invest the black night hours.
I
His royal reason fights with undefeated Powers,
Visions, to sear with flame his worn and haunted eyes,
Armies of mad desires, legions of wanton lies;
Throng him: and fears unknown invest the black night hours.
His ears are full of pain, because of their fierce cries:
His royal reason fights with undefeated Powers,
Nor from his tended thoughts, for all their fruits and flowers,
Armies of mad desires, legions of wanton lies;
Comes solace: for Philosophy within her bowers
His ears are full of pain, because of their fierce cries:
Falls faint, and sick to death. Therefore Lucretius dies.
Nor from his tended thoughts, for all their fruits and flowers,

Comes solace: for Philosophy within her bowers

Falls faint, and sick to death. Therefore previous hit Lucretius next hit dies.
Dead! And his deathless death hath him, so still and stark!
Dead! And his deathless death hath him, so still and stark!
No change upon the deep, no change upon the earth,
No change upon the deep, no change upon the earth,
None in the wastes of nature, the starred wilderness.
None in the wastes of nature, the starred wilderness.
Wandering flames and thunders of the shaken dark:
Wandering flames and thunders of the shaken dark:
Among the mountain heights, winds wild with stormy mirth:
Among the mountain heights, winds wild with stormy mirth:
These were before, and these will be: no more, no less.
These were before, and these will be: no more, no less.
1890




II
II
Lucretius! King of men, that are
Lucretius! King of men , that are
No more, they think, than men:
No more, they think, than men:
Who, past the flaming walls afar,
Who, past the flaming walls afar,
Find nought within their ken:
Find nought within their ken:
The cruel draught, that wildered thee,

And drove thee upon sleep,

Was kinder than Philosophy,
The cruel draught, that wildered thee,
Who would not let thee weep.
And drove thee upon sleep,
Thou knowest now, that life and death
Was kinder than Philosophy,
Are wondrous intervals:
Who would not let thee weep.
The fortunes of a fitful breath,

Within the flaming walls.

Without them, an eternal plan,
Thou knowest now, that life and death
Which life and death obey:
Are wondrous intervals:
Divinity, that fashions man,
The fortunes of a fitful breath,
Its high, immortal way.
Within the flaming walls.
Or was he right, thy past compare,

Thy one true voice of Greece?

Then, whirled about the unconscious air,
Without them, an eternal plan,
Thou hast a vehement peace.
Which life and death obey:
No calms of light, no purple lands,
Divinity, that fashions man,
No sanctuaries sublime:
Its high, immortal way.
Like storms of snow, like quaking sands,

Thine atoms drift through time.


Or was he right, thy past compare,

Thy one true voice of Greece?
III
Then, whirled about the unconscious air,
Mightiest-minded of the Roman race,
Thou hast a vehement peace.
Lucretius!

In thy predestined, purgatory place,

Where thou and thine Iphigenia wait:
No calms of light, no purple lands,
What think'st thou of the Vision and the Fate,
No sanctuaries sublime:
Wherewith the Christ makes all thine outcries vain?
Like storms of snow, like quaking sands,
Art learning Christ through sweet and bitter pain,
Thine atoms drift through time.
Lucretius?
1889
Heaviest-hearted of the sons of men,

Lucretius!

Well couldst thou justify severe thoughts then,
III
Considering thy lamentable Rome:
Mightiest-minded of the Roman race,
But thou wilt come to an imperial home,
Lucretius!
With walls of jasper, past the walls of fire:
In thy predestined, purgatory place,
To God's proud City, and thine heart's desire,
Where thou and thine Iphigenia wait:
Lucretius!
What think'st thou of the Vision and the Fate,

Wherewith the Christ makes all thine outcries vain?

Art learning Christ through sweet and bitter pain,
Lucretius?


Heaviest-hearted of the sons of men,
Lucretius!
Well couldst thou justify severe thoughts then,
Considering thy lamentable Rome:
But thou wilt come to an imperial home,
With walls of jasper, past the walls of fire:
To God's proud City, and thine heart's desire,
Lucretius!
1887




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