@3"It hardly matters who has done this thing, But greatly it matters that it has been done -- That this light toward the common weal is won Through a deeply-loving soul's adventuring. It counts but little that the brave bells ring In honor of this daughter or that son; But it signifies that the healing art has spun Lightward, -- that widely restored lives may sing! So why praise whom it has been given to find Herself? She is paid in full. There would be cause -- Had she not met life's challenge so -- for blame!"@1 Thus protested to the tumult that is fame The Radiant Heart that solved for all mankind, Yet shrank from the encirclement of applause. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON A TREE FALLEN ACROSS THE ROAD (TO HEAR US TALK) by ROBERT FROST ONE'S-SELF I SING by WALT WHITMAN BROWN OF OSSAWATOMIE [DECEMBER 2, 1859] by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER IMPROMPTU ON CHARLES II (2) by JOHN WILMOT CALMNESS OF THE SUBLIME by PHILIP JAMES BAILEY SILENUS IN PROTEUS by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES THE HEALERS by LAURENCE BINYON THE GOLDEN ODES OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA: IMR EL KAIS by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |