Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LILIES: 16. MY GIFT, by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913)


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LILIES: 16. MY GIFT, by                    
First Line: I give thee sorrow, and I give thee pain
Last Line: First sorrow; then a crown of many stars!


I give thee sorrow, and I give thee pain:
'Tis all the troubled singer has to give!
This, this is all thy guerdon while I live,—
And, now and then, the pleasure of a strain.
Not more can I bestow while I remain
On earth an outcast and a wayfarer,
With all the night's harsh dewdrops in my hair;—
This scant reward and piteous thou shalt gain!

But after death there comes my time of pleasure
When I may crown thee in more ample measure,—
Fill up thy coronet with golden bars:—
First friendship through the agony of earth;
Then heaven and close-bound hearts that sing for mirth!
First sorrow; then a crown of many stars!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net