It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. ‘By thy long beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp’st thou me? He holds him with his skinny hand, ‘There was a ship,’ quoth he. ‘Hold off ! unhand me, grey-beard loon!’ Eftsoons his hand dropt he. The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone: He […]

Among the smoke and fog of a December afternoon You have the scene arrange itself—as it will seem to do—With “I have saved this afternoon for you”; And four wax candles in the darkened room, Four rings of light upon the ceiling overhead, An atmosphere of Juliet’s tomb Prepared for all the things to be

Sometime this world was so steadfast and stable, That man’s word was held obligation; And now it is so false and deceivable, That word and work, as in conclusion, Be nothing one; for turned up so down Is all this world, through meed and willfulness, That all is lost for lack of steadfastness. What makes

For all we have and are, For all our children’s fate, Stand up and meet the war. The Hun is at the gate! Our world has passed away In wantonness o’erthrown. There is nothing left to-day But steel and fire and stone. Though all we knew depart, The old commandments stand: “In courage keep your

Late came the God, having sent his forerunners who were not regarded—Late, but in wrath; Saying: “The wrong shall be paid, the contempt be rewarded On all that she hath.”He poisoned the blade and struck home, the full bosom receiving The wound and the venom in one, past cure or relieving. He made treaty with

Thrones, Powers, Dominions, Peoples, Kings, Are changing ‘neath our hand. Our fathers also see these things But they do not understand. By—they are by with mirth and tears, Wit or the works of Desire-Cushioned about on the kindly years Between the wall and the fire. The grapes are pressed, the corn is shocked—Standeth no more

“Once in so often,” King Solomon said, Watching his quarrymen drill the stone, “We will curb our garlic and wine and bread And banquet together beneath my Throne, And all Brethren shall come to that mess As Fellow—Craftsmen—no more and no less.” “Send a swift shallop to Hiram of Tyre, Felling and floating our beautiful

Three things make earth unquiet And four she cannot brook The godly Agur counted them And put them in a book —Those Four Tremendous Curses With which mankind is cursed; But a Servant when He Reigneth Old Agur entered first. An Handmaid that is Mistress We need not call upon. A Fool when he is

Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!” he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. “Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Some one

Father of all! In every age, In ev’ry clime ador’d, By saint, by savage, and by sage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord! Thou Great First Cause, least understood, Who all my sense confin’d To know but this, that Thou art good, And that myself am blind: What blessings thy free bounty gives Let me not cast

Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray, And when I cross’d the Wild, I chanc’d to see at break of day The solitary Child. “To-night will be a stormy night, You to the Town must go, And take a lantern, Child, to light Your Mother thro’ the snow.” “That, Father! will I gladly do; ‘Tis

See what delights in sylvan scenes appear! Descending Gods have found Elysium here. In woods bright Venus with Adonis stray’d, And chaste Diana haunts the forest shade. Come lovely nymph, and bless the silent hours, When swains from shearing seek their nightly bow’rs; When weary reapers quit the sultry field, And crown’d with corn, their

One day there fell in great Benaras temple court A wondrous plate of gold, whereas these words were written; “To him who loveth best, a gift from heaven.” There at, the priests made proclamation: “at the mid-day hour, Each day, let those assemble who for virtue deem Their right to heaven’s gift the best; and

A Chieftain, to the highlands bound, Cries, “Boatman, do not tarry! And I’ll give thee a silver pound To row us o’er the ferry!” And fast before her father’s men Three days we’ve fled together, For should he find us in the glen, My blood would stain the heather. “His horsemen hard behind us ride;

Far far from gusty waves these children’s faces. Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor: The tall girl with her weighed- down head. The paper-Seeming boy, with rat’s eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir Of twisted bones, reciting a father’s gnarled disease, His lesson from his desk. At back of the dim class One