Richard Watson Gilder

The smile of her I love is like the dawn
Whose touch makes Menmon sing:
O see read more

The smile of her I love is like the dawn
Whose touch makes Menmon sing:
O see where wide the golden sunlight flows--
The barren desert blossoms as the rose!

We lean on Faith; and some less wise have cried,
"Behold the butterfly, the see that's cast!"
read more

We lean on Faith; and some less wise have cried,
"Behold the butterfly, the see that's cast!"
Vain hopes that fall like flowers before the blast!
What man can look on Death unterrified?

Now you who rhyme, and I who rhyme,
Have not we sworn it, many a time,
That read more

Now you who rhyme, and I who rhyme,
Have not we sworn it, many a time,
That we no more our verse would scrawl,
For Shakespeare he had said it all!

Stream of the living world
Where dash the billows of strife!--
One plunge in the mighty torrent
read more

Stream of the living world
Where dash the billows of strife!--
One plunge in the mighty torrent
Is a year of tamer life!
City of glorious days,
Of hope, and labour and mirth,
With room and to spare, on thy splendid bays
For the ships of all the earth!

"Whose name was writ in water!" What large laughter
Among the immortals when that word was brought!
read more

"Whose name was writ in water!" What large laughter
Among the immortals when that word was brought!
Then when his fiery spirit rose flaming after,
High toward the topmost heaven of heavens up-caught!
"All hail! our younger brother!" Shakespeare said,
And Dante nodded his imperial head.