CREEP into thy narrow bed, Creep, and let no more be said! Vain thy onset! all stands fast; Thou thyself must break at last. Let the long contention cease! Geese are swans, and swans are geese. Let them have it how they will! Thou art tired; best be still! They out-talk'd thee, hiss'd thee, tore thee. Better men fared thus before thee; Fired their ringing shot and pass'd, Hotly charged--and broke at last. Charge once more, then, and be dumb! Let the victors, when they come, When the forts of folly fall, Find thy body by the wall. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LINES ON OBSERVING A BLOSSOM [ON THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY 1796] by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE BELLS OF LYNN; HEARD AT NAHANT by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW ODE ON THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER by JORGE MANRIQUE AT MIDSUMMER by LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON HEATHER ALE: A GALLOWAY LEGEND by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON THE ART OF PRESERVING HEALTH: BOOK 2. RUSTIC INTERIOR by JOHN ARMSTRONG |