WHY have the Mighty lived-why have they died? Is it ever, thus, with idle wreck to strew Fields such as thine, remorseless Waterloo? Hopeless the lesson! Vainly hath ever cried Stern Fate to man -"So perish human pride! " Still must the Many combat for the Few: Still must the noblest blood fair earth bedew: Tyrants, slaves, freemen, mouldering side by side! On such a day the World was lost, and won, By Pompey at Pharsalia: such a day Saw glorious Hannibal a fugitive: So faded ' neath the Macedonian Sun Persia's pale star: so empire passed away From Harold's brow, but He disdained to live! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ILLUSIONS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON YOU ARE FIRE EATERS by MARIANNE MOORE THE WISE WOMAN by SARA TEASDALE THE FUNERAL OF YOUTH: THRENODY by RUPERT BROOKE THE GRAVES OF A HOUSEHOLD by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS THE WAY OF SACRIFICE by MATTHEW ARNOLD TWELVE SONNETS: 2 by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |