Silence! 'The best' (he said) 'are silent now , That younger bearer of the laurel bough, Who with his Thyrsis, kindred souls divine, Harps only for Sicilian Proserpine: For Arnold died, and Browning died, and he The oldest, wisest, greatest of the three- Dies, and what voice shall dirge for him to-day? For the Muse went with him the darkling way, And left us mute! . . . Peace! who shall rhyme or rave? The violet blooms not on the new-made grave, And not in this first blankness of regret Are eyes of men who mourn their Master wet. New grief is dumb: himself through many a year Withheld the meed of his melodious tear While Hallam slept. But no! the moment flies! And rapid rhymers, when the Poet dies, Wail punctual, and prompt, and unafraid, In copious instant ditties ready made. Oh, peace! Ye do but make our loss more deep, Who wail above his unawaking sleep. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONG OF MARION'S MEN by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT STANZAS FOR MUSIC (2) by GEORGE GORDON BYRON AT THE TAVERN by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR TO ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF RUTLAND by BEN JONSON SONNETS TO LAURA IN LIFE: 109 by PETRARCH THREE THINGS by CHRISTOPHER BANNISTER AIR AN' LIGHT by WILLIAM BARNES |