While I touch the string, Wreathe my brows with laurel, For the tale I sing Has, for once, a moral. Common Sense, one night, Though not used to gambols, Went out by moonlight, With Genius, on his rambles. Common Sense went on, Many wise things saying; While the light that shone Soon set Genius straying. @3One@1 his eye ne'er raised From the path before him, T'@3other@1 idly gazed On each night-cloud o'er him. So they came, at last, To a shady river; Common Sense soon passed, Safe, as he doth ever; While the boy, whose look Was in Heaven that minute, Never saw the brook, But tumbled headlong in it. How the Wise One smiled, When safe o'er the torrent, At that youth, so wild, Dripping from the current! Sense went home to bed; Genius, left to shiver On the bank, 'tis said, Died of that cold river. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FIRST MOVIE by DAVID WAGONER TO GOD AND IRELAND TRUE by ELLEN O'LEARY CIVIL WAR by CHARLES DAWSON SHANLY THRENOS by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY THE CHILD IN A GARDEN by MARIA ABDY THE VIGILANTES by MARGARET ELIZA ASHMUN THE RING AND THE BOOK: BOOK 12. THE BOOK AND THE RING by ROBERT BROWNING |