HADST thou a genius on thy peak, What tales, white-headed Ben, Couldst thou of ancient ages speak, That mock th' historian's pen! Thy long duration makes our lives Seem but so many hours; And likens to the bees' frail hives Our most stupendous towers. Temples and towers thou'st seen begun, New creeds, new conquerors' sway; And, like their shadows in the sun, Hast seen them swept away. Thy steadfast summit, heaven-allied, (Unlike life's little span,) Looks down, a Mentor, on the pride Of perishable man. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS ON TAGORE by MARIANNE MOORE A DROP OF DEW by ANDREW MARVELL A TEMPLE TO FRIENDSHIP by THOMAS MOORE THE WORLD; SONNET by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH YOUTH AND CALM by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE LILY OF THE VALLEY by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES ASOLANDO: WHICH? by ROBERT BROWNING TIME'S REVENGES by ROBERT BROWNING THE WANDERER: 1. IN ITALY: A FANCY by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |