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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MAN WITH THREE FRIENDS, by DORA GREENWELL Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: To one full sound and silently Alternate Author Name(s): Dorothy, Greenwell | |||
To one full sound and silently That slept, there came a heavy cry, 'Awake, arise! for thou hast slain A man.' 'Yea, have I to mine own pain,' He answer'd; 'but of ill intent And malice am I, that naught forecast, As is the babe innocent. From sudden anger our strife grew: I hated not, in times past, Him whom unwittingly I slew.' 'If it be thus indeed, thy case Is hard,' they said; 'for thou must die, Unless with the Judge thou canst find grace. Hast thou, in thine extremity, Friends soothfast for thee to plead?' Then said he, 'I have friends three: One whom in word and will and deed From my youth I have served, and loved before Mine own soul, and for him striven; To him was all I got given; And the longer I lived, I have loved him more. 'And another have I, whom (sooth to tell) I love as I love my own heart well; And the third I cannot now call To mind that ever loved at all He hath been of me, or in aught served; And yet, may be, he hath well deserved That I should love him with the rest. 'Now will I first to the one loved best.' Said the first, 'And art thou so sore bestead? See, I have gain'd of cloth good store, So will I give thee three ells and more (If more thou needest) when thou art dead, To wrap thee. Now hie thee away from my door: I have friends many, and little room.' And the next made answer, weeping sore, 'We will go with thee to the place of doom: There must we leave thee evermore.' 'Alack!' said the man, 'and well-a-day!' But the third only answered, 'Yea'; And while the man spake, all to start soon, Knelt down and buckled on his shoon, And said, 'By thee in the Judgement Hall I will stand and hear what the Judge decree; And if it be death, I will die with thee, Or for thee, as it may befall. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest... |
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