Poring on Caesar's death with earnest eye, I heard a fretful buzzing in the pane: 'Poor bee!' I cried, 'I'll help thee by-and-by'; Then dropp'd mine eyes upon the page again. Alas! I did not rise; I help'd him not: In the great voice of Roman history I lost the pleading of the window-bee, And all his woes and troubles were forgot. In pity for the mighty chief, who bled Beside his rival's statue, I delay'd To serve the little insect's present need; And so he died for lack of human aid. I could not change the Roman's destiny; I might have set the honey-maker free. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SING-SONG; A NURSERY RHYME BOOK: 48 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI SAINT BRIDE'S LULLABY by WILLIAM SHARP TO THE RETURNED GIRLS by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS A STREET SKETCH by JOSEPH ASHBY-STERRY A VINDICATION by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |