Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A PLAIN MAN'S DREAM, by FREDERICK KEPPEL First Line: Were I transported to some distant star Last Line: Love they would learn full soon without my teaching! Subject(s): Dreams; Nightmares | ||||||||
WERE I transported to some distant star With fifty little children, girls and boys, Or to some fabled land unknown, afar, Where never sound could come of this world's noise; Our world begun anew, as when of yore Sad Adam fled from Eden; I alone The sole custodian of all human lore, -- No books to aid, all rules and records gone, -- What could I teach each tender, untaught child? How much of this world's wisdom could I give To raise him from the savage, fierce and wild, And train each soul a worthy life to live? Plain human speech, some simple laws of life, A little tillage, household arts a few; The law of rectitude o'ercoming strife; Things clean and sane, the simple and the true. But of Man's long, slow climb from Error's reach, -- The hard-won, precious wisdom of the ages, -- What (and, alas, how little!) could I teach Which changes men from savages to sages? Some things I've known I never would impart. Somewhat I'd tell of building, writing, preaching; Some hints I'd give on healing, science, art; Love they would learn full soon without my teaching! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GIVE YOUR WISH LIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS ARMAGEDDON by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON |
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