Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EARTH'S IMMORTALITIES: FAME by ROBERT BROWNING

Poet Analysis

First Line: SEE, AS THE PRETTIEST GRAVES WILL DO IN TIME
Last Line: HAVE SOFTENED DOWN THE CRISP-CUT NAME AND DATE!
Subject(s): FAME; REPUTATION;
FAME

SEE, as the prettiest graves will do in time,
Our poet's wants the freshness of its prime;
Spite of the sexton's browsing horse, the sods
Have struggled through its binding osier rods
Headstone and half-sunk footstone lean awry,
Wanting the brick-work promised by-and-by;
How the minute gray lichens, plate o'er plate,
Have softened down the crisp-cut name and date!



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