E. Housman
E. Housman
heart men blue
His folly has not fellow Beneath the blue of day That gives to man or woman His heart and soul away.
poetry rats terriers
I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat.
fits hands men sober
But men at whiles are sober / And think by fits and starts, / And if they think, they fasten / Their hands upon their hearts.
happy lovely none seemed till woke
Then the world seemed none so bad, and I myself a sterling lad. And down in lovely muck I've lain, happy - till I woke up again.
bright carry die glory lads
They carry back bright to the coiner the mintage of man, / The lads that will die in their glory and never be old.
air both earth
Tomorrow, more's the pity, / Away we both must hie, To air the ditty / and to earth I.
ceases line poetry
If a line of poetry strays into my memory, my skin bristles so that the razor ceases to act.
milton
Malt does more than Milton can to justify God's ways to man.
decree god man
The laws of God, the laws of man he may keep that will and can; not I: let God and man decree laws for themselves and not for me.
perfect understanding sometimes
Perfect understanding will sometimes almost extinguish pleasure.
religious appreciated poetry-is
Good religious poetry... is likely to be most justly appreciated and most discriminately relished by the undevout.
heart rose rue
With rue my heart is laden For golden friends I had, For many a rose-lipped maiden And many a lightfoot lad.
hurt drinking men
Why, if 'tis dancing you would be, There's brisker pipes than poetry. Say, for what were hop-yards meant, Or why was Burton built on Trent? Oh many a peer of England brews Livelier liquor than the Muse, And malt does more than Milton can To justify God's ways to man. Ale, man, ale's the stuff to drink For fellows whom it hurts to think: Look into the pewter pot To see the world as the world's not.
men odds world
And how am I to face the odds Of man's bedevilment and God's? I, a stranger and afraid In a world I never made.