WANDERER, behold Life's riddle writ in stone, Fronting Eternity with lidless eyes; Of all that is beneath the changing skies, Immutably abiding and alone. The handiwork of hands unseen, unknown, When Pharaohs of immortal dynasties Built Pyramids to brave the centuries, Cheating Annihilation of her own. The heart grows hushed before it. Nay, methinks That Man, and all on which Man wastes his breath, The World, and all the World inheriteth, With infinite, inexorable links Grappling the soul; that love, hate, birth and death Dwindle to nothingness before thee -- Sphinx. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOCKED OUT; AS TOLD TO A CHILD by ROBERT FROST CORIDON'S SONG (IN ISAAK WALTON'S 'COMPLEAT ANGLER') by JOHN CHALKHILL THE DAYS GONE BY by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY AN EPIGRAM ON SCOLDING by JONATHAN SWIFT A CRADLE SONG by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS PRAYER by EVGENY ABRAMOVICH BARATYNSKY |