Call not the royal Swede unfortunate, Who never did to Fortune bend the knee; Who slighted fear; rejected stedfastly Temptation; and whose kingly name and state Have 'perished by his choice, and not his fate!' Hence lives He, to his inner self endeared; And hence, wherever virtue is revered, He sits a more exalted Potentate, Throned in the hearts of men. Should Heaven ordain That this great Servant of a righteous cause Must still have sad or vexing thoughts to endure, Yet may a sympathizing spirit pause, Admonished by these truths, and quench all pain In thankful joy and gratulation pure. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THANKSGIVING IN BOSTON HARBOR [JUNE 12, 1630] by HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH ADDRESS TO A CHILD DURING A BOISTEROUS WINTER EVENING by DOROTHY WORDSWORTH BEAUTY'S ARMOURY by AL-HADRAMI THOREAU'S FLUTE by LOUISA MAY ALCOTT TITA'S TEARS; A FANTASY by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE COMING by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE FAMILIAR EPISTLES ON A SERMON, 'OFFICE & OPERATIONS OF HOLY SPIRIT': 2 by JOHN BYROM TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. NEARER THAN EVER NOW by EDWARD CARPENTER |