Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

White swan of cities, slumbering in thy nest
So wonderfully built among the reeds
Of the lagoon, read more

White swan of cities, slumbering in thy nest
So wonderfully built among the reeds
Of the lagoon, that fences thee and feeds,
As sayeth thy old historian and thy guest!

Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.

Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.

Thy voice
Is a celestial melody.

Thy voice
Is a celestial melody.

They sing, they will pay.
[Fr., Ils chantent, ils payeront.]

They sing, they will pay.
[Fr., Ils chantent, ils payeront.]

Write on your doors the saying wise and old,
"Be bold! be bold!" and everywhere--"Be bold;
Be read more

Write on your doors the saying wise and old,
"Be bold! be bold!" and everywhere--"Be bold;
Be not too bold!" Yet better the excess
That the defect; better the more than less;
Better like Hector in the field to die,
Than like a perfumed Paris turn and fly.