The majesty of Rome to me is nought; The imperial story of her conquering car Touches me only with compassionate thought For the doomed nations faded by her star. Her palaces of Cæsars tombstones are For a whole world of freedoms vainly caught In her high fortune. Throned was she in war; By war she perished. So is justice wrought. A nobler Rome is here, which shall not die. She rose from the dead ashes of men's lust, And robed herself anew in chastity, And half redeemed man's heritage of dust. This Rome I fain would love, though darkly hid In mists of passion and desires scarce dead. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SKYFARER by ANNA EMILIA BAGSTAD THE TWO ARCHERS by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES A LYRIC OF AUTUMN by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF, OR THE LADY IN THE ARBOUR; A VISION by GEOFFREY CHAUCER THE STRONG by JOHN VANCE CHENEY TO NIGHT by GEORGE HERBERT CLARKE |