'TWAS a summery day in the last of May -- Pleasant in sun or shade; And the hours went by, as the poets say, Fragrant and fair on their flowery way; And a hearse crept slowly through Broadway -- And the Fountain gaily play'd. The Fountain play'd right merrily, And the world look'd bright and gay; And a youth went by, with a restless eye, Whose heart was sick and whose brain was dry; And he pray'd to God that he might die -- And the Fountain play'd away. Uprose the spray like a diamond throne, And the drops like music rang -- And of those who marvell'd how it shone, Was a proud man, left, in his shame, alone; And he shut his teeth with a smother'd groan -- And the Fountain sweetly sang. And a rainbow spann'd it changefully, Like a bright ring broke in twain; And the pale, fair girl, who stopp'd to see, Was sick with the pangs of poverty -- And from hunger to guilt she chose to flee As the rainbow smiled again. And all as gay, on another day, The morning will have shone; And at noon, unmark'd, through bright Broadway, A hearse will take its silent way; And the bard who sings will have pass'd away -- And the Fountain will play on! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BALLAD OF READING GAOL by OSCAR WILDE THE KISS TO THE FLAG by JEAN FRANCOIS VICTOR AICARD A SNOWFLAKE by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH PSALM 1 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE A TRIBUTE TO DANTE by GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO THE NEW ANTHEM by NORMAN BOLKER TAKING IT FROM THE BOY by CHARLES WILLIAM BRODRIBB |