Fear not contamination on this earth! The bodies of the Pharoahs have been sold To heal the tissues of the young and old: The ancient dead have more than one re-birth. For poplars and the yew there is no dearth Below of rich, imperishable mold, And this same loam protects the seed from cold Till it becomes the wine of priests and mirth. Whatever is can harm to no man bring, For matter takes ten million lightning shapes That in their clash do but return to dust. So eat your fill of birds that do not sing, Scorn not the armored reptiles and the apes, And run your fingers tenderly through rust. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEN AND NOW by CECIL DAY LEWIS ADMETUS; TO MY FRIEND RALPH WALDO EMERSON by EMMA LAZARUS THE PLAYERS ASK FOR A BLESSING ON THE PSALTERIES AND ON THEMSELVES by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS BEFORE THE RAIN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH PSALM 8. MAN'S PLACE IN CREATION by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE SONNET: TO FANNY by JOHN KEATS THE BERG (A DREAM) by HERMAN MELVILLE TO MR. GAY, WHO WROTE HIM A CONGRATULATORY LETTER ON FINISHING HOUSE by ALEXANDER POPE |