Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PITY OF THE PARK FOUNTAIN, by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PITY OF THE PARK FOUNTAIN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Twas a summery day in the last of may
Last Line: And the fountain will play on!
Subject(s): Fountains; New York City - 19th Century


'TWAS a summery day in the last of May --
Pleasant in sun or shade;
And the hours went by, as the poets say,
Fragrant and fair on their flowery way;
And a hearse crept slowly through Broadway --
And the Fountain gaily play'd.

The Fountain play'd right merrily,
And the world look'd bright and gay;
And a youth went by, with a restless eye,
Whose heart was sick and whose brain was dry;
And he pray'd to God that he might die --
And the Fountain play'd away.

Uprose the spray like a diamond throne,
And the drops like music rang --
And of those who marvell'd how it shone,
Was a proud man, left, in his shame, alone;
And he shut his teeth with a smother'd groan --
And the Fountain sweetly sang.

And a rainbow spann'd it changefully,
Like a bright ring broke in twain;
And the pale, fair girl, who stopp'd to see,
Was sick with the pangs of poverty --
And from hunger to guilt she chose to flee
As the rainbow smiled again.

And all as gay, on another day,
The morning will have shone;
And at noon, unmark'd, through bright Broadway,
A hearse will take its silent way;
And the bard who sings will have pass'd away --
And the Fountain will play on!





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