Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FREDERIC TEMPLE, by FREDERICK WILLIAM HENRY MYERS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FREDERIC TEMPLE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Is there one man in disenchanted days
Last Line: And all the cornish capes and cornish sea.
Alternate Author Name(s): Myers, Frederic
Subject(s): Temple, Frederick (1821-1902)


I

Is there one man in disenchanted days
Who yet has feet on earth and head in heaven?
One viceroy yet to whom his King has given
The fire that kindles and the strength that sways?
Is there a wisdom whose extremest ways
Lead upward still? for us who most have striven,
Made wise too early and too late forgiven,
Our prudence palsies and our seeing slays.
We are dying; is there one alive and whole,
A hammer of the Lord, a simple soul,
Man with the men and with the boys a boy?
We are barren; let a male and conquering voice
Fill us and quicken us and make rejoice,
Even us who have so long forgotten joy.

II

And as I prayed, I heard him; harshly clear
Thro' the full house the loud vibration ran,
And in my soul responded the austere
And silent sympathy of man with man;
For as he spake I knew that God was near
Perfecting still the immemorial plan,
And once in Jewry and for ever here
Loves as He loved and ends what He began.
Wait, therefore, friends, rejoicing as ye wait
That 'mid faiths fallen and priests emasculate
For men to follow such a man should be;
To whom the waves shall witness with a roar,
Wild Marazion and Tintagel's shore,
And all the Cornish capes and Cornish sea.





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