Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IN MEMORIAM; WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE, by LEWIS MORRIS (1833-1907)


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IN MEMORIAM; WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Ay, thou hast gained the end
Last Line: Thy crown of pain.
Subject(s): Gladstone, William Ewart (1809-1898)


AY, thou hast gained the end
Of long and glorious strife,
Consoled by love and friend,
Thrice blessed life!
If all the immortal die
What gain hath life to give,
If all the immortal live
Death brings no sigh!

Oh, long life lit with praise
For Duty nobly done,
High aims, laborious days,
And the crown won!
Why should we mourn and weep
That thou dost toil no more?
At length God gives thee sleep,
Thy labours o'er!

The crying of the weak
Called not to thee in vain;
Thy swift tongue burned to speak
Relief to pain.
The lightning of thy scorn
No wrong might long defy,
Thy ruth for lives forlorn,
Thy piercing eye.

Good Knight! no soil of wrong
Thy spotless shield might stain;
Thy keen sword served thee long,
And not in vain.
Oh, high impetuous soul,
That, mounting to the Light,
Spurned'st the dull world's control
To gain the Right.

'Mid strife the Century dies --
Massacre, Famine, War;
The noise of groans and sighs
Is borne afar.
The monstrous cannon roar,
The earth, the air, are torn,
'Mid thunderings evermore
Time's Dawns are born!

But thou no more art here,
But watchest far away,
Calm in some peaceful sphere,
The Eternal Day.
Oh, thou who long didst guide
Our Britain's loyal will,
Invisible at her side
Aid thou her still!

Oh, aged life and blest,
Wearing thy duteous years,
Enter thou on thy rest;
We shed no tears!

Wear thou thy labours to thy country given,
Thy eloquent tongue, thy keen untiring brain,
Thy changeless love of Man, thy trust in Heaven,
Thy crown of Pain.





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