Emotions and Feelings

No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers, The heroes of old, Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life’s arrears Of pain, darkness, and cold.

No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers, The heroes of old, Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life’s arrears Of pain, darkness, and cold.

How sad and bad and mad it was— But then, how it was sweet!

The best way to escape His ire Is, not to seem too happy.

Look not thou down but up!

What I aspired to be, And was not, comforts me.

Then welcome each rebuff That turns earth’s smoothness rough, Each sting that bids nor sit nor stand, but go! Be our joys three parts pain! Strive, and hold cheap the strain; Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe!

Then welcome each rebuff That turns earth’s smoothness rough, Each sting that bids nor sit nor stand, but go! Be our joys three parts pain! Strive, and hold cheap the strain; Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe!

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand.

’Tis not what man does which exalts him, but what man would do!

No, when the fight begins within himself, A man’s worth something.

You call for faith: I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists. The more of doubt, the stronger faith, I say, If faith o’ercomes doubt.

I am grown peaceful as old age tonight.

He ventured neck or nothing—heaven’s success Found, or earth’s failure.

Ah, did you once see Shelley plain, And did he stop and speak to you, And did you speak to him again? How strange it seems, and new! 2

To dry one’s eyes and laugh at a fall, And baffled, get up and begin again.

Only I discern Infinite passion, and the pain Of finite hearts that yearn.

Only I discern Infinite passion, and the pain Of finite hearts that yearn.

Oh heart! oh blood that freezes, blood that burns! For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin! With their triumphs and their glories and the rest!

Oh heart! oh blood that freezes, blood that burns! For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin! With their triumphs and their glories and the rest!

Let’s contend no more, Love, Strive nor weep: All be as before, Love, —Only sleep!

And then how I shall lie through centuries, And hear the blessed mutter of the mass, And see God made and eaten all day long, And feel the steady candle flame, and taste Good strong thick stupefying incense smoke!

That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never could recapture The first fine careless rapture!

One more devils’-triumph and sorrow for angels, One more wrong to man, one more insult to God!