William Watson
William Watson
song empires disappear
Empires dissolve and peoples disappear, song passes not away.
honor thee
Best they honor thee Who honor in thee only what is best.
mother stars children
O ye by wandering tempest sown 'Neath every alien star, Forget not whence the breath was blown That wafted you afar! For ye are still her ancient seed On younger soil let fall— Children of Britain's island-breed, To whom the Mother in her need Perchance may one day call.
children hate hatred
Hate and mistrust are the children of blindness.
curiosity discontent thirst
The thirst to know and understand a large and liberal discontent.
silence void minstrels
The after-silence, when the feast is o'er,And void the places where the minstrels stood,Differs in nought from what hath been before,And is nor ill nor good.
feet nemesis
And though circuitous and obscureThe feet of Nemesis how sure!
reeds arrogant brass
Braying of arrogant brass, whimper of querulous reeds.
dream gleam lips
A dreamer of the common dreams, A fisher in familiar streams, He chased the transitory gleams That all pursue; But on his lips the eternal themes Again were new.
song heart men
Threadbare his songs seem now, to lettered ken: They were worn threadbare next the hearts of men.
fall eye bridges
He saw wan Woman toil with famished eyes; He saw her bound, and strove to sing her free. He saw her fall'n; and wrote "The Bridge of Sighs"; And on it crossed to immortality.
poet eldest
God, eldest of Poets.
work tired long
Too long, that some may rest, tired millions toil unblest.
wise character eye
Lord of the golden tongue and smiting eyes; Great out of season and untimely wise: A man whose virtue, genius, grandeur, worth, Wrought deadlier ill than ages can undo.