O FOR a soul surrendered of all guile! A plain white soul with nothing on it writ, No creed of mockery to make men smile, No boast of wisdom travestied as wit; Only a clean soul where the infinite Calm of the heavens, as on some tropic isle, Should have looked down and on the face of it, Inscribed in sunlight, "Nothing here was vile." —Thus to my life I argue it to-day, Thus chide my heart its too long vanity, Its lawless strength, its insolence of play, Its ancient rage of storm-tossed chivalry. And yet, God wot, should Love's wind breathe my way, My heart would rise still, a tumultuous Sea. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PISCATAQUA RIVER by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH KEATS (1) by LIZETTE WOODWORTH REESE ANECDOTE OF THE JAR by WALLACE STEVENS LUCY (4) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH TO MY TOTEM by HENRY CHARLES BEECHING PETRUCHIO'S WIFE by AMELIA JOSEPHINE BURR |