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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LIFE, by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN Poet's Biography First Line: O life of man, if life 'tis meet to call Last Line: With zigzags of the will, and kindly oneness marred. Alternate Author Name(s): Brown, T. E. Subject(s): Life | |||
O LIFE of man, if life 'tis meet to call This rolling with a rolling ball Some seventy periods round the sun -- O life, that only art to have begun A life, then straight art not a life at all. O rigid curve mechanical, If thou wert only absolute, If all our energies were summed in thee, If one great pathos thrilled the iron ring, If, points upon the circle, fixed and mute We felt the dominant spring And strain of power, then were it blest to be! -- Not death would all be death, if, truly free, We had the motion of the sphere, If no quick atom jarred Oblique, and crossed the act divine, And vexed the loyal round with idiot cheer Of self, and scrabbled all the line With zigzags of the will, and kindly oneness marred. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PRIVILEGE OF BEING by ROBERT HASS SEAWATER STIFFENS CLOTH by JANE HIRSHFIELD SAYING YES TO LIVING by DAVID IGNATOW THE WORLD IS SO DIFFICULT TO GIVE UP by DAVID IGNATOW A SERMON AT CLEVEDON; GOOD FRIDAY by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN |
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