What do we earn for all our gentle grace? A body stiff and cold from foot to face. If you have beauty, what is beauty worth? A mask to hide it, made of common earth. What do we get for all our song and prattle? A gasp for longer breath, and then a rattle. What do we earn for dreams, and our high teaching? The worms' contempt, that have no time for preaching. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE JEW TO JESUS by FLORENCE KIPER FRANK LA MORT D'ARTHUR by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN ON BEING ASKED IF ONE WAS A NUMBER, REPLY TO MR. HOUGHTON by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD THE SKY-GYPSY by WALTER BARDECK AN EVENING PRAYER by BERNARD BARTON MR. CROMEK TO MR. STOTHARD by WILLIAM BLAKE |