Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LANGLEY'S FOLLY', by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LANGLEY'S FOLLY', by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Honor to langley, from humble and great!
Last Line: Honor to langley, the king of the air
Subject(s): Langley, Samuel Pierpont (1834-1906); Avilation & Aviators; Failure


[The pioneer aeroplane conatructed by Professor Langley of the Smithsonian Institution failed to fly
were remedied by others after ten years, whereupon this first of air-ships made a triumphal flight.
"Langley's Folly." as the invention was called, hastened the death of the patient investigator who b

Honor to Langley, from humble and great!
Hail to his genius, immortally rare!
Better than never, though shamefully late;
Honor to Langley, the King of the Air!

Praise for the toll of the bold pioneer!
Patiently, skilfnlly framing the plan,
Learning the far from the common and near.
Blazing a path in the heavens for man.

Folly and Folly and Folly we cried,
Mocked at his dreams of the wonderful way,
Till, broken-hearted, the pioneer died
Oat of these hindering wrappings of clay.

Spirit of venturing?, spirit of light.
How you escaped from our bickering sneers
Happily forth on the beautiful flight,
Out in the glow of the welcoming spheres!

After a decade, unheeded, forgot,
Testing your "Folly." we find that it flies!
Penitent, shamed, we erase the long blot.
Lifting your praise to the echoing skies.

Better than never, though shamefully late;
Sadly our folly at last we repair.
Hail to the spirit so patiently great
Honor to Langley, the King of the Air!





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