Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


CYNOTAPHIUM (1) by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER

First Line: WHEN SOME DEAR HUMAN FRIEND TO DEATH DOTH BOW
Last Line: I LAID THY SIGHTLESS HEAD FULL GENTLY THERE.
Subject(s): ANIMALS; DEATH; DOGS; DEAD, THE;

When some dear human friend to death doth bow,
Fair blooming flowers are strewn upon the bier,
And haply, in the silent house, we hear
The last wild kiss ring on the marble brow,
And lips that never missed reply till now;
And thou, poor dog, wert in thy measure dear -
And so I owe thee honour, and the tear
Of friendship, and would all thy worth allow.
In a false world, thy heart was brave and sound;
So, when my spade carved out thy latest lair,
A spot to rest thee on, I sought and found -
It was a tuft of primrose, fresh and fair,
And, as it was thy last hour above ground,
I laid thy sightless head full gently there.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net