Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FINAL PERSEVERANCE, by FREDERICK WILLIAM HENRY MYERS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FINAL PERSEVERANCE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Say is it true that if a soul up-springing
Last Line: "washed by the welter of the friendly sea."
Alternate Author Name(s): Myers, Frederic
Subject(s): Perseverance


SAY is it true that if a soul up-springing
Once,—for I know not nor it matters when,—
Plainly hath heard the seraphs at their singing,
Clearly hath looked upon the Light of men,—

Say ye that afterward tho' fast and faster
Downward she travel, daily she decline,
Marred with defeat and broken with disaster,
Filled with the earth, forgetting the divine,

Yet shall the fiend not utterly undo her,
Cannot constrain her living in the grave,—
God at the last shall know her as he knew her,
Come as he came and as he sought shall save?

Yes! tho' the darts exasperate and bloody
Fell on the fair side of Sebastian faint,
Think ye the round wounds and the gashes ruddy
Scar in God's house the beauty of the saint?

Who were the Lord to mock him and imprison,
Cheat with an endless agony of breath,
Bid him arise, and in his body risen
Carry the trouble and the pains of death?

No! if he wake it is a king's awaking,
Fresh from the night and fairer for his rest:
Aye and the soul, to resurrection breaking,
Springs in her flower and blossoms at her best.

Then tho' the man with struggle and with straining
Find not the faith and passion of the boy,
Yet shall he march upon the years remaining
Clad with a bitter and courageous joy;—

Morn after morn renewing the endeavour,
Eve after eve regretting: it is vain!
Ah, the sea-snake! a demi-god forever
Smote it and slew it and it was not slain.—

So, while the great deep round the king and under
Rose to the blowing, bellowed to the roar,
Fierce in the storm and fearless in the thunder
Sought he a sweet and visionary shore.

Once, as they say, in seeking it he found it,
Found in the sunset, lost it in the foam,
Westward and north and past it and around it
Fared in the homeless passion of a home.

Then with great heart amid the sailors craven
Spake he: "I leave you, be at rest again,
Sail without me for harbour and for haven,
Sail happy-hearted for your loves and Spain."

So to the waves he leapt, but ere his leaping
Cried, "Yet a hope! there is a hope for me,
Soon shall my corse upon that isle be sleeping,
Washed by the welter of the friendly sea."





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