Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MAN WHO KNEW, by ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The dreamer visioned life as it might be Last Line: His song unsung, they found their dreamer -- dead. Subject(s): Dreams; Nightmares | ||||||||
The Dreamer visioned Life as it might be, And from his dream forthright a picture grew, A painting all the people thronged to see, And joyed therein -- till came the Man Who Knew, Saying: "'Tis bad! Why do ye gape, ye fools! He painteth not according to the schools." The Dreamer probed Life's mystery of woe, And in a book he sought to give the clue; The people read, and saw that it was so, And read again -- then came the Man Who Knew, Saying: "Ye witless ones! this book is vile: It hath not got the rudiments of style." Love smote the Dreamer's lips, and silver clear He sang a song so sweet, so tender true, That all the market-place was thrilled to hear, And listened rapt -- till came the Man Who Knew, Saying: "His technique's wrong; he singeth ill. Waste not your time." The singer's voice was still. And then the people roused as if from sleep, Crying: "What care we if it be not Art! Hath he not charmed us, made us laugh and weep? Come, let us crown him where he sits apart." Then, with his picture spurned, his book unread, His song unsung, they found their Dreamer -- dead. | 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 CLANCY OF THE MOUNTED POLICE by ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE |
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