THOU listenest to us with unlistening ear; Alike to thee our censure and our praise: Thou hearest voices that we may not hear; Thou livest only in thy yesterdays! We see thee move, erect and pale and brave; Soft words are thine, sweet deeds, and gracious will; Yet thou art dead as any in the grave -- Only thy presence lingers with us still. With others, joy and sorrow seem to slip Like light and shade, and laughter kills regret: But thou -- the fugitive tremor of thy lip Lays bare thy secret -- thou canst not forget! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GARDEN YEAR by SARA COLERIDGE EPITAPH INTENDED FOR SIR ISAAC NEWTON, IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY by ALEXANDER POPE THE SEA-LIMITS by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THRENODY by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH WORK by MARGARET STEELE ANDERSON |