WHAT shall I wish him? Strength and health May be abused, and so may wealth. Even fame itself may come to be But wearing notoriety. What better can I ask than this? -- A life of brave unselfishness, Wisdom for council, eloquence For Freedom's need, for Truth's defence, The championship of all that's good, The manliest faith in womanhood, The steadfast friendship changing not With change of time or place or lot, Hatred of sin, but not the less A heart of pitying tenderness And charity, that, suffering long, Shames the wrong-doer from his wrong: One wish expresses all -- that he May even as his grandsire be! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DRAW THE SWORD, O REPUBLIC by EDGAR LEE MASTERS TO A BLUEBELL by EMILY JANE BRONTE CHURCHILL'S GRAVE by GEORGE GORDON BYRON IMITATIONS OF HORACE: ODE IV, 1 by ALEXANDER POPE MONNA INNOMINATA, A SONNET OF SONNETS: 10 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI |