Classic Poem

Transcendent, seated on her sapphire throne,
Gleams Art, resplendent o'er a conquered world;
She spells mankind and calls them all her own,
And wide beneath the sun her flag's unfurled;
Her eyes stream starry light, her brow is pearled
And garlanded with wreath of myrtle green,
And at her shapely feet lies Love, close-curled,
Whilst beauty all around illumes the scene,
And sheds connecting lights her glinting locks between!

O glorious Art! expressive as the skies
When kingly Sun with potent force appears;
Spelled by the lustre of thy speaking eyes—
Supreme the memory that thy glory rears,
Thy brow will ne'er be dulled by flight of years,
But ever beam as beaming now, benign!
And be thou kissed by Joy, or bathed in tears,
Proud is the heart that aye can beat with thine,
And paint, and carve, and sing, and raptured call thee “fine!”

Thus would I crave one boon, one little boon
Transcendent Art, give heed unto my prayer;
And though thou see not fit to grant it soon,
Till I still further climb thy golden stair,
If thou but smile on me, I'll not despair,
Not though sad troubles congregate around,
But dream and do, and do and dream, and dare,
And be when wrapped by thee, by bravery bound,
Nor shall a truer heart than mine to thee be found.

And this is all I ask: wilt give me “nay”?
Ah! no, I feel thy answer, ere thy tongue
Soft syllables the all-creating “aye,”
Thou wouldst not that my knell of death were rung;
And I will sing again as I have sung,
Though strengthened by the faith I have in thee,
And through the bee-cares that have seized and stung,
I—I will forward go,—go forward, free,
And front the frowning height, and dare thy brave son be.

And thus, fair goddess! lay I at thy feet
My strict allegiance, and my sacred trust;
And pray thee make in me thy powers complete,
Ere heart shall cease to beat and brain be dust;
Somehow I feel within this much I must,
Though falt'ring, feeble, child-like, immature;
And ere old age shall clothe me in its rust,
Be mine to breed some thoughts that shall endure,
Some thoughts that, born of thee, shall make Fame's throne secure!