WHAT should a man desire to leave? A flawless work; a noble life: Some music harmoniz'd from strife, Some finish'd thing, ere the slack hands at eve Drop, should be his to leave. One gem of song, defying age; A hard-won fight; a well-work'd farm! A law no guile can twist to harm; Some tale, as our lost Thackeray's bright, or sage As the just Hallam's page. Or, in life's homeliest, meanest spot, With temperate step from year to year To move within his little sphere, Leaving a pure name to be known, or not, -- This is a true man's lot. He dies: he leaves the deed or name, A gift forever to his land, In trust to Friendship's prudent hand, Round 'gainst all adverse shocks to guard his fame, Or to the world proclaim. But the imperfect thing or thought, -- The crudities and yeast of youth, The dubious doubt, the twilight truth, The work that for the passing day was wrought, The schemes that came to nought, The sketch half-way 'twixt verse and prose That mocks the finish'd picture true, The quarry whence the statue grew, The scaffolding 'neath which the palace rose, The vague abortive throes And fever-fits of joy or gloom: -- In kind oblivion let them be! Nor has the dead worse foe than he Who rakes these sweepings of the artist's room, And piles them on his tomb. Ah, 't is but little that the best, Frail children of a fleeting hour, Can leave of perfect fruit or flower! Ah, let all else be graciously supprest When man lies down to rest! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY SISTER'S SLEEP by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE GOOD SHEPHERD WITH THE KID by MATTHEW ARNOLD GREENES FUNERALLS: SONNET 8 by RICHARD BARNFIELD JERUSALEM; THE EMANATION OF THE GIANT ALBION: CHAPTER 4 by WILLIAM BLAKE ON THE BIRTHDAY OF WASHINGTON by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD CHANGE UPON CHANGE by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |