Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON THE ART OF WRITING, by PHILIP AYRES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON THE ART OF WRITING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sure 'twas some god, in kindness first to men
Last Line: Which gives us lasting words, and lasting things.
Subject(s): Writing & Writers


SURE 'twas some God, in kindness first to men,
Taught us the curious art to use the pen.
'Tis strange the speaking quill should, without noise,
Express the various tones of human voice.

Of loudest accents we no sound retain,
Voice to its native air resolves again;
Yet tho' as wind words seem to pass away,
By pen we can their very echoes stay.

When we from other converse are confin'd,
This can reveal the secrets of the mind:
All authors must to it their praises own,
For 'twas the pen that made their labours known.

Good acts with bad tradition would confound,
But what we writ is kept entire and sound:
Of this ingenious art Fame loudly sings,
Which gives us lasting words, and lasting things.





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