Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONNET WRITTEN ON A FLY-LEAF OF 'THE RUBAIYAT', by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Who deems the soul to endless death is thrall Last Line: If man, dust-born, shall still return to dust? Subject(s): Omar Khayyam (1048-1122) | ||||||||
WHO deems the soul to endless death is thrall, That no life breathes beyond that moment dire, When every sense seems lost as outblown fire; -- Must walk, clothed round with darkness like a pall, Or on false gods of sensual rapture call; Pluck the rich rose-leaves! lift the wine cup higher! Wed delicate Instinct to malign Desire, (Like some Greek girl clasped by a barbarous Gaul!) Thus Omar preached, thus practised, centuries since; Wine, beauty, idlesse, orgies crowned by lust; All these he chanted in voluptuous song; Yet who shall vow, deep Thinker! poet Prince! Thy rhythmic creed the unnatural voice of wrong, If man, dust-born, shall still return to dust? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN A COPY OF OMAR KHAYYAM by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL QUATRAIN: OMAR KHAYYAM (AFTER FITZGERALD) by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH ON READING THE 'RUBAIYAT' OF OMAR KHAYYAM IN A KENTISH ROSE GARDEN by MATHILDE BLIND OMAR KHAYYAM by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH UNDER WHICH KING (VERSES READ AT OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB, 1903) by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON VERSES READ AT THE DINNER OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB (1) by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB (2) by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON ON READING OMAR KHAYYAM by NICHOLAS VACHEL LINDSAY A STORM IN THE DISTANCE (AMONG THE GEORGIAN HILLS) by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE |
|