'Tis so much joy ! 'Tis so much joy ! If I should fail, what poverty ! And yet, as poor as I Have ventured upon a throw ; Have gained! Yes ! Hesitated so This side the victory! Life is but life, and death but deat! Bliss is but bliss and breath but breath! And if, indeed, I fail, At least to know the worst is sweet. Defeat means nothing but defeat, No drearier can prevail! And if I gain, - oh, gun at sea, Oh, bells that in the steeples be, At first repeat it slow ! For heaven is a different thing Conjectured, and waked sudden in, And might o'erwhelm me so! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CONTRA MORTEM: THE WHEEL OF BEING II by HAYDEN CARRUTH CONTRA MORTEM: THE WOMAN by HAYDEN CARRUTH FISH-LEAP FALL by ROBERT FROST CHERRY BLOSSOMS BLOWING IN WEST BLOWING SNOW by JAMES GALVIN AFTER VERLAINE by ANSELM HOLLO DEAD LEAVES by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON |