VERSICLES by RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES

AMID the factions of the field of life
The Poet held his little neutral ground,
And they who mixed the deepest in the strife
Their evening way to his seclusion found.

There, meeting oft the' antagonists of the day,
Who near in mute defiance seemed to stand,
He said what neither would be first to say,
And, having spoken, left them hand in hand.

I sent my memo'ry out
To chase a Thought:
It brought back doubt on doubt,
But never caught
The fugitive, -- who will return some day
When I've no use for him in work or play.

The heart that Passion never fired,
Of other's Love can nothing tell --
How can I teach you what's inspired,
Unless you are inspired as well?

Because your nature can extend
Its vision to a needle's end,
And you, with self-sufficient air,
Announce the wonders you see there, --
You must not murmur that some eye
Moulded and trained to range the sky,
May read in yon far star as clear
As you can spy and potter here.

(PREFIXED TO PALM LEAVES.)

Eastward roll the orbs of heaven,
Westward tend the thoughts of men:
Let the Poet, nature-driven,
Wander Eastward now and then:
There the calm of life comparing
With his Europe's busy fate,
Let him, gladly homeward faring,
Learn to labour and to wait.

Through clouds of care mankind must move,
-- Each his appointed day;
Only the glorious care of Love
Drives other clouds away.
Since in this world's eternal chorus
Some voices must be high, some low,
Let those that like it bawl and bore us,
-- But in the things they @3really@1 know.

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...